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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 5

[miscellaneous paragraphs]

We have received a copy of the Golden Bay Argus, Collingwood, Nelson—one of the youngest and smallest of New Zealand newspapers. Mr G. H. Allan, late of the Buller Miner staff, is the proprietor.

Mr A. T. Card, proprietor of the Press, Picton, and one of the oldest journalists in Marlborough, has had to seek the protection of the bankruptcy court. He was a heavy loser by the late fire.

We learn from the Opotiki Mail that the Maori paper Te Korimako is to be revived. The editor will as before be the Rev. G. Maunsell, and the paper will be printed at the Mail office.

Messrs J. H. Baulf and J. L. Kelly, proprietors of the Auckland Observer, have been severally committed for trial for an alleged libel on Hugh Shortland, solicitor. Bail was allowed.

The Government, on taking office, found a handsome surplus, but have no intention of remitting taxation. What they do propose is a costly change in the incidence of direct taxation. This is with the avowed intention of introducing a class tax, to secure the labor vote. The real burden—the Customs taxes, which for years past have been daily driving Trade into bankruptcy and Labor to other lands—is becoming heavier every year.

There are several stories of newspaper correspondents telegraphing large portions of Holy Writ to hold the wires; and an English provincial newspaper-man in the early part of the century, in the absence of news, started with the Book of Genesis in serial form, and gradually got nearly through the Pentateuch. The Wellington Trades Council, in the dearth of live matter, are filling their allotted space with the American Declaration of Independence, a hundred and five years behind time. Perhaps they will give us the Treaty of Waitangi, the xxxix Articles, or the Shorter Catechism next time that news is scarce.

In consequence of the death of one of the proprietors of the New Zealand Referee, that paper is now in the market.

Messrs Rabone & Co., Blenheim, have started a paper, circulated gratis, entitled the Evening Star.

The Greymouth Evening Star business has been turned into a limited liability concern; capital, £3,500.

Since it has been on an independent footing, the Opotiki Mail has improved; and it is a very creditable paper. Subscribers are urging the proprietor to double the number of his pages. If he be wise, he will bide his time. Many a paper has been started on the down-grade by a too hasty enlargement.

Newspaper men would do well to beware of one « Faust, the Illusionist, » alias G. P. Hausemann of Masterton. He advertised a performance at Woodville the other day, engaged a hall, sent an agent, stuck up board and lodging, and printing and advertising, and then made no appearance.

Just as we are going to press, Stone's Wellington Directory, 1891-92, has come to hand. In general appearance and arrangement the work resembles the well-known Otago Directory which has been issued during the past eight years by the same publisher, and it is compiled in the same thorough and careful manner. It includes a map of the city and a map of the colony; and full street, alphabetical, and trades directories, besides an appendix of 100 pages, containing almanac, statistics, Customs tariff, &c. The work is liberally patronized by advertisers, and is admirably printed at the publisher's office, Dunedin.

The great strike of shearers in Queensland has collapsed. It has been conducted with an amount of lawlessness unprecedented in the colonies. A number of the malcontents are arranging with the Argentine Republic for a grant of land on which to try a socialistic experiment on a large scale. A constitution has been drafted, which is a curiosity. It differs from every other socialistic scheme in utterly rejecting any religious or moral standard of obligation, no authority being recognized except the will of the majority. It is very doubtful whether it will ever take practical shape. At all events it is matter for congratulation that a community of such explosive material is not to be formed anywhere near at hand.

We have received from Mr G. M. Main, of the Auckland Herald, a copy in pamphlet form, of his short history of the newspaper press of Auckland, which was quoted (somewhat condensed) in Typo of November last, followed by some interesting correspondence. The unavoidable errors and omissions in the article as it first appeared were pointed out and criticised (in some cases with unnecessary asperity) by various old journalists. Mr Main has availed himself of all information of the kind, and has revised his original article, besides bringing it down to date. He deserves every credit for his work. If pressmen in other provincial districts who have the time and opportunity would compile similar records, the aggregate result of their work would be of great value. Our own columns are open to contributions of this kind.

The Australasian Typographical Union purpose taking an immediate ballot on the proposal to raise the defence fund to £40,000 by striking a small weekly levy on each member of the various affiliated societies.

A Brisbane telegram of 12th June states that the master printers have resolved to reduce the wages paid their employees to rates paid previous to 1888, when they were raised under pressure of the Typographical Society.

The issue of Black and White for 2nd May (No. 13) is a noteworthy one. In addition to the usual twenty-four pages it contains a sixteen-page supplement, in art-tints, reproducing, in process-work of the best kind, ninety-four of the pictures at the Royal Academy exhibition.

The Picturesque Atlas and Early History book-fiends have had some exciting adventures in endeavoring to deliver their volumes, especially in the South Island. At Naseby the Picturesque man had a particularly warm reception. The fire-bell was rung, crowds assembled round his hotel, and placards were posted up bearing the terrifying words: « The Book-Fiend has Arrived! Lynch Law Proclaimed! » The bibliodæmon, notwithstanding all this hostile demonstration, departed with a whole skin.

The following from an Australian contemporary, supplies one more answer to Juliet's celebrated query. « A Sydney sharebroker was going to present a beautiful site in the Blue Mountains to the Katoomba municipality. It was named ' Nellie's Glen,' after his daughter, and before the present had been settled, the Katoomba numskulls talked of changing the name, whereupon the share-broker bubbled up with wrath, and knocked the thing on the head. The brutal Katoombaks must still call the place by its present sweet name. »

The Salvation Army, some months ago, took measures to establish a Labor Office, which is now in successful operation in the chief towns of the colony. Last April the editor of the War Cry called on a Minister to ask if the Government would co-operate. The honorable gentleman expressed his pleasure at the proposal, and at his request the whole plan was handed to him in writing for submission to his colleagues. The Army heard no more about it, but had no sooner got their scheme into operation than the Government announced the formation of a State Department of Industry, all the practical details of which are found to have been filched from the Salvation Army.

Our paragraph elsewhere, about the Old Chief and the Moa, has been two months in type; but during the present month a North Island paper has published an item containing several of the identical expressions therein used. A quiet old chief named Hemi Taka having departed this life, is referred to as an « old cannibal; » he had when a boy seen Cook land in Hawke's Bay, and was frightened and ran into a flax swamp. This is very interesting, and was of course the correct thing to say. Only Hemi was never a cannibal, nor was he contemporary with Cook, who, by the way, did not land at all in Hawke's Bay, There is (strange to say) nothing about Moahunting—that incident being probably either inadvertently missed, or held over for the benefit of the next chief who dies.