BLACKMAILING THE PUBLICANS.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 55, 1 October 1881, Page 35

BLACKMAILING THE PUBLICANS.

After the Licensed Victuallers refusing, by a unanimous vote, to have anything to do with the ridiculous proposition to start a publican's paper, it is rather cool of an impecunious pressman to try and jam it down their throats by going round to individual hotelkeepers and threatening them with all sorts of pains and penalties unless they will put down their names and guarantee to pay him 303 a quarter. Of course, the disinterested creature endeavours to make out that it is for the sake of the Licensed Victuallers themselves he propromotes the idea, but the truth is, the man finds he must either enlarge and improve his rag or let it die and he wants the publicans to pay the expenses thereof. We trust the trade will have sufficient sense and self-respect to resist this audacious attempt at blackmailing. The members knowbest whether it will pay to insult and quarrel with the respectable portion of the press for the sake of a wretched tripe wrap, which not fifty people in Auckland either read or even glance at. If the Licensed Victuallers have any grievance let them come to the Star or the Herald or ourselves. We, at any rate, will give full publicity to their views on all subjects, and ■we don't want to he paid for 'it. A respectable newspaper proprietor would rather cut off his head than go round, hat in hand, like a beggar, -worrying and threatening people into promising him a sovereign or two. Unfortunately when a poor devil loses his self-respect he doesn't stick at much, and this seems to be the position of the scribe in question, who long ago parted with what little honour and good feeling he eevr possessed.