THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911. MASTERTON LIBELLED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10435, 28 September 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1911. MASTERTON LIBELLED.

I'he 'business community of Masterton, arid property-holders in the district in general, will be filled with indignation nvhen they learn that thu newspaper press in an adjoining township is being used for (the circulation of Yi grossly imialeadiug statement concerning the comimjerc.al condition of this itowm. . A three-col-umn ladvertisement appeared ai the "Manawatu Daily..Times" of yesterday, headed "What is- wrong with Masterton?" The advertiser then

asks .subscribers to the paper to j "Read the following, and. form jour own conclusions.'' Then follows a Lib- of bankruptcies supposed to hare ibeen. recorded, in Masterton and district from the years 1905 to 1910 inclusive, The number of 'bankruptcies fior the first three of the preseait. year is aiso given as • eri, and tlie advertiser says, "If tlhe .latter rate continues, 1911 will see forty bankruptcies." Apart from the fact that the figures are, in the first place, ■ absolutely wrong, (the advertiser is guilty of a piece of deliberate* impertinence, not to say wan'o:i deception, when hie predicts that there will be forty bankruptcies«in the Master ton electorate during the present year. Had the taken the trouble to enquire, lie would have discovered* that most of the bankruptcies recorded in Masterton in, the early part of tfoiis year were of labourers who ihiad come ! here from ether parts.., dnd itihat during the- last six months only three 'bankruptcies vbave been reioorded an the whole of the Wairarapa district, and during the last three months not a isolitary one ihas been registered in itibe Masterton electorate. This constitutes a record /which will compare more than [Favourably with Palmers ton North, or any other [township in New ■ Zealand. Does this look as though Masterton -were on the down grade ? Does it justify the cynical remark of the PiaJmerston advertiser" ' 'What. is .wrong with Masterton?" Surely'the people of Palmer's ton North can conduct their ''affairs', political and otherwise, without resorting to (blase and iinwarranted suggestions l , which are calculated to i demiage a neighbouring townisihip. If the facts were given, there would' be no cause> for coinpjlaint. But the facts liave not been given. Indeed, it would .seem as though deliberate attempt had been made to conceal them,. The matter is & very serious one fbr this district, (and cannot. be allowed to remain where it is. lit is the duty„of the (Mayor o-f the town, as Chief Magistrate, *.and of' the Qiamiber of Commerce, 'a® guarding the commercial interesto of tihe cofnirifuniity, to give this misleading and damaging statement a. prompt and empliatic dealial. It was only yesterday that the Ciilairman of Directors of tlr© "leading commercial institution in Masterton congratulated the district lupon its return tb (prosperity after a period of depression created bv joutside influences. * lij the face of ' tftis, a*i<i other Icriown,; facts, it' as- a pieoe ©f\ superlative impuderac'e: ; £{>r any individual or party in a neighbouring towii'&hip to suggest itlha* •Masifcerton is- going to the bad. iAs a matter, of fact—and we call • every tradesman in Masterton to witness —th© outlook for this district; u and fov ;: tihe township an, particular,, lia.s * rot' Jbeftn 'brighter years past than it-.is a.tpresent. ;* •-' ':■ V..'