PRESS AND PULPIT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20710, 7 May 1929, Page 7

PRESS AND PULPIT.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —During the last two Sundays a suburban Presbyterian congregation has had, during the course of otherwise excellent sermons, to listen to a tirade against our press. On each occasion the complaint was couched in most lurid language, which, in view of the large attendance of children, was specially unjustified. The minister drew a woeful picture of the terrible and malign influence of onr press, making special reference to our Dunedin daily papers. The tirade seems to have been the outcome of a newspaper report of a lecture recently delivered in Dunedin by a lady who dealt with some aspects of the marriage question, though probably few of the congregation had seen the report, and certainly the writer had not seen the offending article. As one of the congregation, I cannot let these wrathful pulpit utterances .go unchallengd, and in any circumstance I emphatically protest at the language used. I would say that, if the influence of your paper is as questionable as depicted by the minister, it is his duty to challenge you through your own columns, and not offend the ears of his own congregation who are not in sympathy with him in the complaint. A certain amount of excuse may be made for the painting of such a sorry picture on account of the fact that the speaker has not travelled outside New Zealand and has therefore a very superficial knowledge of the world’s press. Being an admirer of the press of our Dominion, and in particular your own most excellent journal. 1 register my protest at the statements made in this pulpit. All unbiased will agree that the standard of journalism in Dunedin is high, and we all know that many muchtravelled persons have, while visiting our Dominion, gone out of their way to pay honest tribute to tbe excellence of our New Zealand press. As a citizen of many years' standing, I know it is recognised that the influence exerted by your, journal has always been in the best interests of morality and the genera) well-being of the citizens, and I am firmly of opinion that no press throughout the world exercises a more healthful influence on the lives of the people than onr New Zealand daily publications do. Your leading articles are invariably of the highest order, and I know that no entertainments which include questionable or suggestive items or of low vulgarity, are permitted to pass unchallenged by you. For myself I have nothing but thanks to you for the general excellence of your work and influence throughout our province.—l am, etc.. Grateful Subscriber.