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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3
[miscellaneous paragraphs]
« Typo, » says the London Printing Times, « takes high rank among trade journals for the variety and value of its information. »
There is room for improvement in stamp albums. At present, the stamps alone are preserved, all traces of their journeyings being obliterated—yet the post-marks and other official memoranda on a letter or packet that has journeyed around the world have often an interest much greater than that of the disfigured postage-stamps. Forty-five years ago, letters for Nelson, posted at Dunedin—both South Island towns in New Zealand, were sent via London and China as the quickest and surest route! A postage stamp of the period might now be worth seven or eight shillings; but how much more valuable as a curiosity would be a complete stamped envelope, bearing upon it all the dates and marks of travel!
Mr Ballance, the leader of the opposition, has delivered an address in Napier, and has distinguished himself by making the weakest speech ever delivered by a public man in the colony. The following reference to the press is a fair sample: « Only the 'liberal' papers ever mentioned what was for the good of the people. The ministeral papers never published facts such as he had related, but the 'liberal' papers did. He asked them not to believe what they saw in the journals devoted to the interests of the party preying upon the people, but only to believe the 'liberal' journals. Then their party would become strong, and they would be able to boast that they could return a 'liberal' to the House. » As a specimen of poverty of ideas and bad taste, this is remarkable, even from a colonial politician; but it will scarcely be credited that these words were uttered by a journalist of many year's experience.
« The patriots who sleep in their honored graves and watch for the dawn of Ireland's independence, » is a recent and brilliant effort of a home rule orator.—An up-country library catalogue contains some comical entries, as for example: « Verdant Green—Sir S. Baker; Other Sons than Ours—Proctor; Seekers after Gold—F. W. Farrar. » — « Through a typographical error in our last issue, » says a Wairarapa paper « the purse of sovereigns presented to Mr C. on his departure was stated to contain four pounds instead of forty pounds. » — « The great paper when wanted turned against us, and drew a red herring across the scent by posturing on the pedestal of patriotism. » This delightful « derangement of epitaphs » is from a leader in a country, paper in the far north.—A cable message reports that the German Emperor « has just sent a portrait of himself to the Czar in oil » On which a contemporary (who deserves to be heavily fined) suggests that a Czar in oil is probably « a czardine. » —A new regulation of the N.Z. railway commissioners, relating to family tickets, concludes with the following provision: « Two children over three, and not over twelve years old, may go as one passenger; but not less than one portion will be punched if only one goes. » —An Auckland home-ruler tried to break up a loyalist meeting by scattering some vile-smelling chemical substance in the room. A Napier paper says: « The general impression seems to be that as a fætida was the substance made use of. » —The visit of the Irish members has been signalized by an outbreak of Hibernicisms in the press. From a leader in the Wellington Times, containing a number of excruciating « bulls, » we select the following sample: « It is deeply to be regretted that the nitric acid of this hydra-headed grievance should have been scattered on New Zealand soil to irritate and sear socially. » —The neatest slip of the month is made by a Napier paper in the following paragraph: « Tokio, Japan, has a society of sculptors which compromises 630 members. »