"FAIR PLAY"

Oxford Observer, Volume V, Issue V, 30 June 1894, Page 2

"FAIR PLAY"

f""- T'f'k k '- •-■• ' We hope that tbe 'extracts- from 'this periodical which appeared;in one os our recent issues .were by no means the first introduction: whlcls many^ of our readers had tta v the;|nqw;jcelebrated J f^irPlay^r^lAsTithe %rgan of true J libera);isn^,9p-to : .date, it k whole streejjJ

L^ead of a large proportion of its jourB } ) alike contemporaries, whether we ■regard the soundness of its sentiments, W the vigour of its style, or the unflinchI in g front which it presents to a certain I organised hostility of which it is the \ victim. The reading matter of " Fair W Play " is so varied that no quotation 1 would suffice to give an idea of the con - W tents, which may fairly claim to cater I for all tastes on the part of the reading public ; politics, anecdote, and the .attest pleasantries of chat from the Empire City, jostle each other in these pages. Perhaps, however, one of the most interesting features of ' Fair Play' _ at the present time is a series of phrenologically or physiognomical delineations of the character of the various member* of the House of Representatives. When we read these clever and graceful sketches and recognise their in every case in which we arc able to form an opinion from pers- vious knowledge, we find it difficult to realise that the writer ( a mere visitor "to our shores ) has absolutely no persona! acquaintance with the gentlemen wi-.0.e leading characteristics he neatly accurately describes. Another very hit easting contribution to general information is projected by " Fair Play " in the shape of a sketch of the history of the journals and journalists of this Colony. The proprietor of the Oxford Observer has been honoured with an into supply the facts necessary for writing an account of the origin aod progress of. his newspaper. We can assure our readers that it is our intention to comply with this courteous request ; indeed,- we are glad to think that the early struggles of the Observer in the face of a good deal of opposition the good work done for it by the first members of its literary staff ( now unhappily "dispersed and wandered " ), and the gradual success which has come to it, will be enshrined in the -"Jjages of such a journal as " Fair Play" * which is undoubtedly securing a very large circulation in the Colony. One important service has been already renr dered to Colonial journalism by " Fair Play " — it has directed attention to the absurdity of the present law of libel, by cheerfully standing its trial for having reported Mr H. D. Bell M.H.R. when he made his notorious speech about ' ' froth and scum. " A verdict of £1 damages against the paper was, we should imagine, a sufficient testimony to the public that the feeling of an intelligent jury was one of contempt for the cause of the plaintiff. With a « journal so fearless and so well written as "Fair Play" published in Wellington, it is probable that a great deal of day light will be let in upon the doings of Parliament in the session now commencing. We cordially advise our readers to become subscribers to the paper on their own account ; and we think we can promise them some reading which, even if the political teaching contained in it may be distasteful to those who are not Liberals, will at least be as smart and entertaining as any Colonial journal that we ever heard of.