McMINN'S ULTIMATUM!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 7111, 10 May 1880, Page 2

McMINN'S ULTIMATUM!

(Kangitikei idvocate.) Tho seriea of locals, special communications, and loiters whicli havo, during the past mon Hi, appeared in fcho Herald, referring to an alleged sale of the Advocate to Mi Alexander McMinn, must have suggested lo those --vho have taken tke trouble ' lo read them, the existence of a burnins; | anxiety on the part of the author to take the public iuto his confidence regarding his aspiration to become the owner of a paper of which he was for some time tlie editor. So long as theae communications were not absolutely f ,ilso, or calculated to damage us in our dealings with our properly, we were indisposed to interfere, and although wo may have frequently regretted, on his own Recount, the absence of good taste aud waniof b-'.ttcr judgment displayed by Mr Alexander McMinn in these contributions of his to tho sensational columns of tho Herald, xrc should not have taken up our pen in tho matter, but for the misstatements that have from time to time beeu made therein. As Mr Alexander McMinn seems to have considered that "justice " to the Herald made it agaiu necessary for him to publish a fetter respecting the alleged sate, it has somewhat surprised us tliat the editor did not consider it worth his whilo to compare the letter which appeared in that paper on the 3rd inst. with the original paragraph therein referred to. Had lie done so, we are of opinion that his regard for liis cor respondent would have caused him to refrain from publishing the letter. No doubt it frequently happens that editors avo victimised by correspondents who — frequently on account of ignorance, and sometimes because their communications are shaped rather by their wishes than by facts — become the authors of statements entirely without foundation. There is also reason to fear that such statements arc frequently made designedly by persons to whom their untruthfulness must be well known, aud who are ignorant of the danger they brave in disseminating untruthful statements, which may result in actual damage to the person against whom they are directed ; or it may be that such conduct is tho result of that security whi-jh persons who have nothing to lose may well be supposed to feel in such a position. As we have before intimated, our attention has been directed to a letter from Mr Alexander McMinn, headed, "In Explanation," in which, after referring to a paragraph which ap--1 peared in the Post of April 21st, the writer proceeds as follows :— " In justice to your paper, allow me to state that your original paragraph was quito correct." Tiie original paragraph above referred to appeared in the Herald of April Bfch, and is as follows.— "Sale of AdvocateSpecial to Herald.— Marton, April 8 Negotiations for tho purchase of the Rangitikei Advocate have been completed. The buyers are Wellington men, and Ihey tako possession at the end of the month. 'Iho garden and prcuiscs are now being dismantled, It is rumoured that McMinn, late editor ofthe Advocate, has entered an action in tho Supreme Court agaiust ivirkbridc for failure of specific undertaking to sell, damages £500. Among the witnesses will be George Didsbury, Government printer. The proceeding is causing considerable speculation. Iho above information boing sent as " special to the Herald," the signature of the writer is not supplied, hut there can be little doubt as lo the author of the communication, if thore be any as to the actual sender of ifc. In any ease, Mr Alexander McMinn, in his letter of the 39th April, adopts the communication, and states that it "was quite correct." , Now, lt is undoubtedly true, and further- • more eapable oi proof, flint a fc the dato of 1 j

the sending of this " special," nnd of its publication in the Herald, no intimation had been received from Mr Alexander McMmn a solicitor of any intention to take proceedings against the proprietor of this paper, and certain circumstances seam to make it a matter of almost certainty that it was not until after the publication of the special above referred to that any move in that direction was takon by Mr Alexander McMmn and hia solicitor. At all events, Mr MuMina must have known on the Bth April hist, as well as on the 29th oi the same month, that no action had been entered in tho Supreme Court against the proprietor of this paper. We do not, we confess, understand Mr Alex. McMinn's meaning when he writes "Mr Kirkbride has been offered his ultimatum! " but, judging from the context, we are of opinion that Mr Alex. McMinn's present state of mind is such that it would be perhaps somewhat unfair to bo severe with him. It irould bo unreasonable to expect an angry man to consult a dictionary every time ho wishes to liurl a hard word at hia adversary's head.