The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3583, 24 July 1912, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1912.

.Some? few words of explanation >\o

A Question of Fairness.

feel is due with reference to the matter of the borough ad-

vertising and prmving which was discussed at last night's meeting of the Council. It may be remembered that some two and a-half years ago the “‘Timers” complained to the ‘■City Fathers” that they found it difficult to secure what ft deemed a proper share of the Council’s business. W hat led up to the request on that occasion it may bo mentioned was a strong feeling that certain advertising was being withheld from this journal which at that time considered it was only in the public interest that the important loan proposals then before the ratepayers should be irtrly discussed. As regarded the printing work of the borough, the position as far as the “Times” was concerned was not considered dissimilar. The outcome of the request (as reported in our issue of December 2,1909) was that it was affirmed at the instance of Cr. Fettle (now the Mayor) that the “.times” should get its fair share of the printing and advertising of the borough. Notwithstanding this fact, however, tjiis journal has continued to experience the same difficulty as was formerly the case! A glance at a return which has now been prepared shows that for the period between February 1911 and June 1912 the “Times” has received for advertising £7O and for jobbing £42, or a total of £llß, whilst the “Herald” lias been favored with £lO2 for advertising and £269 for jobbing, or in all £3711 This state of affairs will, we feel, ho learned with astonishment by all fairminded people. In this connection all will agree it was high time the “City Fathers” were asked to again go into the matter. It is almost incredible, but it is nevertheless a fact that lately the “Times” so far as jobbing work is concerned, was being simply passed

over by the officials of the borough, who apparently had the distribution of the work in their hands. Why, during the past seven months only £8 of borough printing has been sent to this office. The whole thing has, of course, represented nothing short of a scandal, but on the present occasion wo have only space to deal briefly with the matter. Now, as regards the re-

solution which he moved in 1909, Mr Pel tie at the meeting last night seemed to be under the irepression that it related merely to advertising. His memory it would seem, may have been strengthened by the letter winch was sent to the “Times” in reply to their communication, for it is true that if mentioned only the decision that the then “City Fathers” came to with reference to advertising. Still, it must he borne in mind that; the Council was on that occasion written to about both printing and advertising. That our contention is sound as to what was agreed upon may also be taken from the fact that the report of tne meeting in this journal was never challenged. As regards the shabby treatment that has been meted out to the “Times” we do not think the public will have any difficulty i»i fixing the responsibility, li we thought for a single moment tint if was due to the fact that it was if* any way because the “Times ’ exercises its acknowledged right to give the public as much information as possible witli reference to municipal problems —and of course wo know that the “City Fathers’’ have never discussed such a matter —we should unquestionably have something very interesting to say to anyone who might have been attempting to penalise this firm :ii that manner- Corning down especially to the matter of the printing, we must confess that the statements that were made to the Council last night by the Town Clerk and the Engineer are simply staggering. How Mr Robinson, for instance, could allow it to go fortb that he has been in the habit of getting prices at this office all along petiodically it is simply beyond our comprehension. Nor do we exactly know what would bo the best reply that should be given to Mr Paterson in respect of liis declaration that "what goes out of his office is always priced,” if by that statement be meant it to be inferred that the “Times’.’ office was among the printing businesses that are always called upon for prices. For the future. if full justice is not shown this journal in the matter of advertising, we shall have no option but to insert any advertisement that may not bo •authorised within a reasonable time at our own expense. In the matter of jobbing it will now be seen that competitive prices are, from now on. to be obtained, which, of course, is a system in reference to which no firm could possibly complain. We sincerely hope that the protest which has been entered on this occasion will prove adequate.