Printing with a Mangle.

The next paper to appear was the “Auckland Times,” owned and edited by Mr. Henry Falwasser. The first issue appeared on 5th September, 1842, and was printed by Mr. Moore on the Government press. But before three months had elapsed Lieutenant Shortland, then Acting-Governor, stepped in and stopped the publication. Mr. Falwasser, however, was not to be beaten, and gathering together all the old type which he could find he continued, with the aid of a mangle and coarse paper, to bring out his paper every week. It has been said that he once started a leading article in “canon” and ended it in “nonpareil,” after having gone through his whole assortment of “founts.” In one of its leading articles the “Times” denounced the Administration for having attempted to destroy the liberties of the press by monopolising certain plant and type, thereby reducing Mr. Falwasser to great extremity. The imprint of the paper contained the words “printed in a mangle.”

To quote Dr. Hocken once again: “It is plain from the specimens that the compression of the mangle varied very much; sometimes it was so violent as to drive the ink through the paper so that the letterpress can be read by reversal, and sometimes it was so faint as to be barely legible. Words were printed with letters of various type so that capitals, italics, and old English met together in the same word, producing a most comical and mystifying result. If not a confusion of tongues it was certainly a confusion of letters. Of course, the paper afforded great amusement and doubtless had a good circulation especially as it lashed out to the complete satisfaction of the public. Its comical characteristics and scanty pages no doubt protected it from the fiery persecution of those days, especially as the numbers were issued gratis until, as the editor assured his readers, proper type and paper could be procured from Sydney. But gradually its strange appearance improved with the occasional addition of a little newfound type, better paper, and better handling of the mangle until in its forty-second number, on 13th April, 1843, it said farewell in quite a presentable form.” The new material arrived in due course from Sydney and in November the paper was revived and continued to flourish until the death of Mr. Falwasser in January, 1846.

At intervals in the course of its career the “Times” had a spirited rival in the “Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist.” The first number was issued on 8th November, 1841. It suspended publication the same year, but was revived in October, 1842, only to disappear again in July, 1843. It made a third appearance a short time later, and finally died in 1845. It was printed by Mr. Moore in the interests of the Government. The “Times” referred to it as “that administerial thing called the ‘Chronicle’—bah!” The “Chronicle” retaliated by calling its rival “the Old Lady of the Mangle,” and by advertising “For sale, a mangle, apply to the proprietor of the ‘Auckland Times’.”

The “Southern Cross” in its first issue had the following biting reference to the “Chronicle”: “For sale or hire, in about a fortnight, a defunct Government engine used for stifling the fire of people; rather shaky, having lately stuck fast in the swamp of Queen Street…. Has been well greased lately, its head turning with marvellous facility in any direction. Apply at the ‘Chronicle’ office.”

A Maori publication, “Te Karere O Niu Tireni,” had a life of nearly four years. It was first issued on 1st January, 1842, and died towards the close of 1845.

One of the many fine views of Kapiti Island, obtainable from the train north of Paekakariki, North Island, New Zealand.
(Photo. J. D. Buckley.)

page 42 page 43

A suburban train near Auckland.
(W. W. Stewart collection).