Page:Hyderabad in 1890 and 1891; comprising all the letters on Hyderabad affairs written to the Madras Hindu by its Hyderabad correspondent during 1890 and 1891 (IA hyderabadin1890100bangrich).pdf/135

Page 127 GULBURGA, July 27th.

The Government orgau gives its readers to understand that "the Deccan Times" has notified to its staff that the paper will stop publication on the 31st instant." This is very bad news. Though not persistent and consistent in its advocacy of popular interests, the "Deccan Times" has been in a way a check on the rashness or inclination to do wrong of individual officials or cliques in the State. That this check is about to be removed, will no doubt cause jubilation in the midst of those who are in the least degree sensitive of public criticism. They will no longer have a local critic; the people will have to seek the aid of distant journals to publish their grievances, and the journalists not being on the spot can be heckled for their ignorance for giving publicity to the misrepresentations of interested parties; and the time that must elapse between the commission of an offence and its exposure by them can be expected to weaken their advocacy. What a satisfaction this must be to wrong-doers-and to the "Deccan Standard" who can say, at least locally, "I am Sir Oracle, and when I open my lips let no dogs bark ?" What the official mouth-piece choose to call the "ostensible reason" - "The unwillingness or inability of the proprietor to carry on the paper under the new order" of the Government of India-must surely, be regarded as the real reason for the "Times" notifica- to its staff. For how can one with any feeling of safety work a paper claiming to be independent under the new, uncalled-for and arbitrary rules? In connection with His Highness the Nizam's Public Works Department, the following questions put by "X" in a local paper may interest your readers :- "How is it that the Engineers in H. H. the Nizam's service cannot ride and they require palkis, tongas and carts to go on inspecting works? How is it that the Engineers in II. H. H. the Nizam's P. W. D. seldom attend to their executive work and never go out for months and years together?