Pubdate: Fri, 01 Sep 2000
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2000 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  PO Box 32, Auckland, New Zealand
Fax: (09) 373-6421
Website: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Forum: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/forums/
Author: Aaron Bhatnager
Note: Headline supplied by newshawk

HERALD HAS NOT ACHIEVED MUCH

I am not sure that the Herald has achieved much by unveiling the
identity of the American billionaire who was caught smuggling a small
quantity of marijuana into the country this year. While it is true
that the tenacity of the Herald has drawn attention to suppression of
identity laws in New Zealand, I wonder if it was worth it.

The Herald's victory in winning this legal point of negligible value
has essentially chased a very wealthy and extremely charitable man out
of this country. The Herald has pursued the letter of the law, but has
been devoid of its spirit, which raises the question of why, when an
MP in Parliament earlier pleaded guilty to forgery, did the Herald no
pursue with equal tenacity an overturning of that man's suppression
order. I sincerely hope that this is not a double standard on the part
of the Herald.

Aaron Bhatnager
Newmarket
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