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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

[introduction]

In his recily written history of the Press in Auckland, Mr. G. M. Main, of the “New Zealand Herald” staff, mentions newspapers which are now forgotten even in the places of their origin. The “New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette” was published on the 20th of June, 1840, as a weekly, by G. A. Eagar and Co., at Kororareka. The paper was strongly opposed to Captain Hobson, the Governor, and the police were favourite subjects of attack. It was discontinued at the beginning of 1841. “The Bay of Islands Examiner” was established in June, 1840, as a weekly, and ceased publication in 1841. In December, 1840, “The New Zealand Government Gazette” was printed at Paihia, at the Church Missionary Society's printing office. The new series of this paper commenced in Auckland on the 7th of July, 1841. “The New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette” was commenced on the 10th of July, 1841, and died in April of the following year. It was printed by John Moore for the trustees of the Auckland Newspaper Company. This was the first newspaper printed in Auckland, and it was issued as a weekly, at 1s a copy. On the 8th of November, 1841, the “Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist” was published (price 1s), but ceased the same year. It was revived in October, 1842, but passed out in July of the following year. Phœnix-like, it rose from its ashes in a short time, but finally died hard in the year 1845. “The Auckland Times” commenced in August, 1842, and bore the celebrated imprint, “Printed in a mangle, and published by John Moore, for Henry Falwasser, sole proprietor,” There is a tradition that Mr. Falwasser started a leading article in “canon” and ended with “nonpareil,” having gone through his whole assortment of “founts.” This paper existed for two or three years. “Te Karere o Niu Tireni,” a Maori publication, commenced on the 1st of January, 1842, and died towards the close of 1845. “The Bay of Islands Observer” (a weekly) was started in the middle of February, and died in the following October. On the 27th of June, 1842, the “Auckland Standard” appeared, and ceased on the 25th of August. “The Bay of Islands Advocate” was established at Kororareka on the 4th of November, 1843, as a weekly, price 1s. “The Southern Cross” was started on the 22nd of April, 1843, and published as a weekly. Its title was suggested by Dr. Logan Campbell. Among its editors were Mr. Terry, Dr. Martin, Messrs D. Burn, T. S. Forsaith, Hugh Carleton, R. J. Creighton, J. Macabe, H. H. Lusk, Mr (afterwards Sir Julius) Vogel, and Mr. D. M. Luckie. After being many years owned by Mr. W. Brown (of Messrs Brown, Campbell and Co.) it passed through various phases till Messrs Creighton, Scales, and Tothill took it. It became the “Daily Southern Cross”—the first daily paper in the province of Auckland—on the 20th of May, 1862, and its enterprising new proprietors reduced its price from sixpence to threepence. In 1876 it was purchased by Mr. A. G. Horton, who, on entering into partnership with Messrs W. S. Wilson and J. L. Wilson, amalgamated it with the “New Zealand Herald.” “The New Zealander” was commenced on the 7th of June, 1845, as a weekly, price sixpence, and was printed by the late Mr. John Williamson, who subsequently entered into partnership with Mr. W. C. Wilson. This paper greatly improved until, in 1859, it became the leading newspaper in the colony. In 1863 Messrs Williamson and Wilson dissolved partnership, but Mr. Williamson carried on the paper, with Mr. G. M. Main as its printer and publisher. Messrs Mitchell and Seffern took it over from Mr. Williamson, and on the 3rd of April, 1865, brought it out as the first penny morning paper in New Zealand. “The New Zealander” was transferred to Mr. Williamson at the end of 1865, when he reduced its issues to two a week. The paper ceased publication in 1866. Among its editors were Mr. Terry, Dr. Bennett, Dr. Pollen, Mr. George Smallfield, Dr. Kidd, Dr.
Photo by Dr. Logan Campbell.Office of the “Southern Cross” Newspaper. (Established in 1843).

Photo by Dr. Logan Campbell.Office of the “Southern Cross” Newspaper. (Established in 1843).

page 268 Giles, R.M. “The Anglo-Maori Warder” was started on the 25th of April, 1848, and existed for some time. “Ko to Karere Maori,” or “Maori Messenger” was published by the Government on the 10th of January, 1849, in English and Maori, for circulation among leading natives. It existed, with various changes of size, till 1860. “The Pensioner Settlements' Gazette” was started about 1851, and published at the “New Zealander” office. It was edited by Dr. Bacot. “The Auckland Temperance Telegraph” (fortnightly, price sixpence) was established on the 8th of November, 1854, as the outcome of a temperance revival, but it died in its first year. In the end of December, 1856, the “Auckland Examiner” (a weekly) was founded by Charles Southwell, a tragedian and lecturer. He published a series of pen-and-ink sketches of public men, but on the 7th of August, 1860, the paper ceased publication, a fortnight before his death. On the 7th of February, 1857, the “Auckland Weekly Register” was started as an offshoot of the “New Zealander,” but died in December, 1860. Mr. John Moore starled the “Independent” on the 3rd of October, 1859; it was printed and edited by its owner, but its career was short. “The Telegraph” was started in September, 1859, as a bi-weekly, and lasted till February, 1860. The “New Zealand Herald” was founded on the 13th of November, 1863, and is described elsewhere in this section, in a separate article. “The Albertland Gazette and Ocean Chronicle” had its first two numbers printed on board the “Matilda Wattenbach,” on the voyage from London to Auckland in 1862, and on the 1st of August, 1863, the third number was published in connection with the New Albert-land settlement. The paper was published monthly, but died on the 19th of June, 1864. “The Southern Monthly Magazine” was established in 1863, and ran for three years; its co-editors were Mr. H. H. Lusk and Dr. Giles, R.M. “The Auckland Weekly News and Farmers' Gazette” was first published about the end of 1863, but was short lived. On the 7th of January, 1865, the “Argus” was started as a weekly, but died in December of the same year. A German paper, the “Neu-Seelændische Zeitung,” was published on the 18th of March, 1866. The “Evening Post” was started in 1866, but lived only a short time. About 1866 there was published a Maori paper “Te Waka o te Iwi” (the Canoe of the People), edited by Mr. C. O. Davis. On the 5th of May, 1866, the “Penny Journal” was first published, and lasted till the 29th of June, 1867. “The Auckland Budget” was started in 1867, price one penny, and was edited by Mr. S. J. H. Wilkins. In March, 1868, the “Auckland Free Press” was brought out by Mr. R. J. Creighton, with some of his old “Southern Cross” staff as coadjutors; but it failed owing to the commercial depression which set in after the withdrawal of the troops from Auckland. In 1868 the “Evening News,” the second evening paper in Auckland, was begun, and the “Evening Newsletter” was also published as a sort of monthly summary at the same office; the “Morning News” was published in 1871 under the same management, but succumbed in December of the same year. “The Auckland and Thames Leader” was established in December, 1869, and the Auckland “Evening Star,” in 1870. The “Star” is referred to in a separate article in this section. “The Universe,” started in 1870, was limited to one issue. In the latter part of 1870 the “Morning Advertiser” made its appearance, and was a “live” paper during its twelve-months' existence. “The Christian Times,” begun in 1870, lasted some time. The Colonial Forces had their organ, for in January, 1872, the “New Zealand Volunteer Gazette and Colonial Forces Record” was published. Its successor, in 1876, was the “Volunteer News and Army and Navy Gazette.” “The New Zealand Muse,” begun in April, 1880, was printed in French and English. The “Echo” was brought out in 1874 in opposition to the “Star,” with which it was afterwards incorporated. The rise in Templary in Auckland was shown by the “Templars' Standard,” which began in February, 1874; it was followed by the “Weekly Templar Columns” in May, 1876. “The Auckland Free Press” (a weekly) was started in 1878, and lasted till 1886, when it died hard. The “Free Press” anticipated the “Free Lance” (another weekly) by a week, and in fact “jumped” the name which that journal intended to assume—“Free Press.” It was afterwards incorporated in the “Observer,” when Mr. Wickham amalgamated his interest with the subsequently established “Evening Bell.” The “New Zealand Labour” was started in 1879, and the “Labour Advocate” in 1880; both were short lived. On the 18th of September, 1880, the “Auckland Observer” was founded; it is referred to in a separate article in this section. Early in 1880 the “Patriot” was established. “Freeman's Journal” was begun in 1880, and conducted for some years with considerable success; it was succeeded by the “Advocate,” which lasted eighteen months. “Le Neo-Zealandais,” a French journal, was published in 1882. A weekly paper named “Labour” was started in 1884, and was succeeded in 1885 by the “Watchman,” which lasted about a year. “The Telephone,” an evening paper, began in 1884, but was merged into the “Evening Bell” after a short existence. Auckland's first sporting journal, the “Little Pink 'Un,” was first printed in 1885, but it did not last. “Truth” was started in 1885, but “Truth” was short lived; the Aucklanders did not want “truth.” “The Bit o' Blue: A Temperance Bulletin Extraordinary,” (illustrated), was started in March, 1885, but soon died. “The Auckland Evening Bell” was established on the 12th of May, 1885, when it took over the business of the “Telephone;” this paper lasted three years. In 1885 the “Newton Bulletin” was begun, and lasted till 1888, when its plant was disposed of to establish the “Manukau Gazette.” “The Spectator” was founded in 1885, but had a short life and a merry one, which ended in legal proceedings. “The Korimako” (a Maori temperance journal) was established in 1885, but it did not live long, and a similar fate befell the “Waitemata Messenger,” begun in 1886. In 1886, the “Rationalist” was established, and lasted a twelve month. The Temperance party started the “Leader” in 1886 as a weekly; and it existed for some years. On the 22nd of December, 1887, the “New Zealand Protectionist,” a political and social journal, was founded, but it was short lived. The “New Zealand Primitive Methodist,” a purely denominational journal, which still flourishes, was established in 1889. “The Sporting Review” was founded in July, 1890, and is referred to in a separate article. “The Tribune” was born on the 18th of October, 1890, but it gave up the ghost on the page 269 6th of December of the same year. “The Prohibitionist and Temperance Advocate” was first printed on the 1st of May, 1891, as a weekly. It was also during 1891 that “The New Zealand Graphic,” referred to in a separate article, first made its appearance. “The New Zealand Magazine” was brought out on the 1st of October, 1899, and is the last on a list which indicates that the newspaper and periodical Press in Auckland has had a somewhat eventful history. Of the older journals only three remain to the present day—“The New Zealand Herald,” “The Auckland Weekly News,” and “The Auckland Star,” which the student of the subject will perhaps regard as an illustration of the Darwinian doctrine of the survival of the fittest.