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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 4

[printing prices in Westport]

The following letter, from a West Coast publisher, shows a proper spirit:— « Westport, 9th April, 1890. To the Mayor and Councillors, Borough of Westport. Gentlemen,—I enclose you copy of my advertised scale for advertising in the Buller Miner—four shillings per inch for each insertion, at which rate I am prepared to insert any advertisement you may send to my office. With respect to tendering for job-work for your Council, I decline. The work has for years been given to another office, and the work, so far as I know, has been satisfactory to your Council. I decline to tender for cheap and nasty printing, and I do not intend that your Council shall make use of me for the purpose of forcing others to do your work at starvation prices.—I am, gentlemen, yours, &c., Job Munson. » This letter excited some indignation, Mr Williams observing that it was « a great piece of impertinence, and ought not to have been read, » and that « Mr Munson must have a hide like a bull. »

We have had something to say from time to time about « cut-throat » prices. The following tenders for the borough printing sent in by two rival newspapers at Westport are quoted by the Reefton Guardian, and speak for themselves:

A B
s d s d
Gas accounts, in books of 100 3 0 0 10
Bate Notices, books of 100 2 0 0 4
Memo forms, per 100 1 6 0 4
Mayor's roll, per page 2 6 2 6
Voting papers, per 100. 3 0 0 6
Burgess list, per page 5 0 5 0
Certificate books 4 0 0 6
Licensing forms, per 100 2 0 0 4
Postal cards, per 100 8 8
Tender forms, per 100 2 0 0 3
Circular notes, per 100. 2 0 0 3

B's tender, being the lowest, was accepted. The same office put in a figure for advertising, to have the « exclusive right, » which, however, was not granted, and the Council resolved to give it to one paper at 1s 4d per inch and to the other at 1s. A third printer declined to tender. It should be remembered, in reading this amazing list of prices (which we recommend to the thoughtful consideration of the M.P.A. and the N.Z.T.A.), that the cost of living on the West Coast is much higher than in other parts of the colony.