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Press and Personal Record.

Acurious bit of old Wellington—a low-roofed dormer - windowed lath-and-plaster corner building in Manners-street —has been demolished during the present month. That the weatherbeaten old structure must have had a history, any casual passer-by could see; but only the oldest residents knew of its connexion with the early New Zealand press. The Post thus gives its history: « It was erected by the late Mr Samuel Revans towards the end of the year 1840, as a printing and publishing office for the New Zealand Gazette, the first newspaper printed in this city. Mr Thomas M'Kenzie, the founder of the Independent, learned the art of printing in the Gazette office. The timber used in the construction of the building was brought across the water from Petone, and the landing of the material was opposed by the Maoris, who objected, notwithstanding that they had parted with their interest in the land, to the house being built. Blood was nearly being spilt between the settlers and the aboriginals over the dispute. The Gazette, which was published every Saturday, was first of all a double-crown sheet, and was printed on a Columbian hand-press. The late Mr Francis Yates was the first printer, and upon his being drowned in the harbor he was succeeded by the late Mr Edward Roe. Eventually Mr Stokes purchased the plant and paper from Mr Revans, and removed the business to the 'beach,' on the site of the present City Buffet, where he started the New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Straits Guardian. The latter ceased to exist more than a quarter of a century ago. »

Mr Wilfrid Badger's new issue of the Statutes of New Zealand, comprising fifty years' legislation, contains all the public statutes of the session just closed.

Mr Gresley Lukin, an experienced Australian journalist, has come to New Zealand to study on the spot the working of the socialistic experiments now being practised upon the corpus vile of the colony. Mr Lukin was for many years editor of the Brisbane Courier and the Queenslander, and in his present mission represents the Melbourne Argus, the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Sydney Telegraph.

The persecution of the Takaka News is, we hope, now at an end. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Takaka, on the 3rd inst., before Mr Greenfield, R.M., the action of Hayes v. Butcher, for the non-registration of the paper, was heard. This case had been previously dismissed, but an appeal was upheld. The Bench held that only a technical breach of the law had been committed, and inflicted a nominal fine of one shilling and costs.

A mysterious outrage was perpetrated in Wellington early on the morning of the 26th inst., by which Mr John Law Kirkbride, one of the proprietors of the Evening Press, sustained very serious injury. Soon after dawn, at about five minutes past 4, while sleeping in his lodgings in Perceval-st., he was awakened by a heavy blow on the forehead. He was able to spring from his bed, and pursued his assailant, who fled, and slamming the door behind him jammed Mr Kirkbride's naked foot. The injured man wrenched open the bedroom door, and followed his assailant out of the front door to the gate, when becoming dazed, he was unable to go further, and could only watch the man walk quietly away. Just then his landlady came to his help, and Dr Collins was sent for, arriving about half-past 4. He found that the frontal bone bad been fractured, an inch above one of the eyes, a piece of bone being driven right in. The instrument with which the assault was committed, and which it is hoped will lead to the discovery of the ruffian, was a small light hammer, with certain letters scratched on the handle. Mr Kirkbride has given a general description of his assailant—a young man—but did not see his face. Access to the house had been gained by means of a latchkey left under the mat for the convenience of the servant-maid, who sleeps at home. The man evidently knew the routine of the house, and robbery does not appear to have been his object. The motive of the dastardly act is a mystery, and the person of the perpetrator is unknown to his victim. The crime has caused an uneasy feeling in the city, and much indignation. Mr Kirkbride narrowly escaped fatal injury; but it is not anticipated that permanent mischief will ensue. The utmost care and strictest quiet, however, are essential to his recovery.

The partnership between Messrs Harding, Wright, & Eyre, printers, Wellington, has been dissolved by mutual consent, the dissolution taking effect from 31st October. Mr R. Coupland Harding now carries on the business in his own name.

Mr John W. M'Dougall, sub-editor of the Napier Herald, is about to publish a novel of colonial life, under the title of « Mr Richard Bede. » Mr M'Dougall has already published in the Herald a number of short stories under a pseudonym.

A newspaper was posted at Melbourne (says a Napier contemporary) without any address. It was put into the bag for New Zealand, and reached Napier, and the subscriber for whom it was intended.— It is not unusual for us to receive exchanges from which all traces of address have disappeared in transit. The New Zealand postal authorities usually « try » Typo for foreign or typographical publications without address.

For a new way of paying old debts (says the Wairarapa Daily Times) commend us to an up-country football club which owes us « a matter of a pound or two. » We applied to the treasurer for payment. « That's all right, » replied that matter-of-fact official, « but it won't be paid. Fact is, we've decided not to pay any old accounts, and the club passed a resolution at its last meeting that everything owing more than a year back need not be asked for, as we are starting afresh this year! »

A return of amounts expended by the railway commissioners in advertising in newspapers from 1st January, 1890, to 30th June, 1892 (the term of office), has been printed by parliament, on the motion of Mr Sandford. The total sum was £10,218, of which the following papers received over £200 each: Auckland Herald, £285; Star, £205; Wanganui Chronicle, £228; Herald, £221; Wellington Post, £301; Press, £305; Times, £425; Christchurch Press, £247; Times, £940; Ashburton Guardian, £277; Timaru Herald. £297; Christchurch Press, £947; Times, £940; Dunedin Times, £527; Star, £405; Herald, £224; Southland Times, £341; News, £299.

Prefixed to the return of advertising, the commissioners publish the rule adopted in New Zealand railway advertisements, as follows: For general advertisements (one insertion per week to be ordered).— The principal morning and evening papers to be advertised in at Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill. When local business is also concerned, the local papers are also to have advertisements. For traffic advertisements.—All daily papers, morning and evening, in the localities affected, are to be used to such an extent as circumstances render desirable,

Mr Haggen is turning his prison experiences into copy. He has begun a series of articles in the Woodville Examiner, entitled « In Jail for Libel, » of which the first instalment has appeared. Naturally enough, perhaps, but a little inconsistently, he censures the Chief Justice for administering what he admits to be the law of the lsnd. « From the start of the trial. » he truly observes, « it was evident that we had made a mess of the case. » In the same paragraph he says: « This is how the Chief Justice evidently considers the libel law ought to be administered. He prates of Christianity and justice; but he considers a newspaper editor should be sent to jail untried and undefended. » This last remark is wholly unwarranted by the facts. Neither libel law nor judge could be reasonably found fault with in this particular case.

In the obituary notice of the late Mr. Grigg, in our last, the particulars given from our own knowledge were correct, but the statement that the Greytown Mercury was the first country newspaper in the province of Wellington was erroneous. The first country paper was the late Mr Richard Wakelin's Wairarapa Journal. Mr Wakelin had, in 1866, or earlier, started the Wellington Journal, which had a short and troubled life. In 1866, he removed his plant to Wairarapa, and at Morrison's Bush, some miles distant from Greytown, he built a solitary house in the wilds, whence he issued the Wairarapa Journal, anticipating that settlement would rally round the press. It didn't. The old office still stands, and some half-dozen houses are within view; but the Journal was bought in 1867 by the brothers Grigg, who removed it to Greytown, and started the Mercury. After a time they were burned out, and erected an office on the opposite side of the road, where they were joined by Mr A. K. Arnot. The business did not prosper, and the partnership was not a happy one. Mr Arnot in time became sole proprietor; but the concern got deeper into difficulties, and he severed his connexion with it by taking poison. The mortgagee, to keep the paper going, put Mr W. F. Roydhouse, one of the apprentices, then about seventeen years of age, in charge. Afterwards Mr Wakelin bought the business, and changed the title of the paper to the Standard, under which name it still exists. He was subsequently joined by Mr J. Payton, formerly a schoolmaster, and now proprietor of the Masterton Daily Times.

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The Wanganui Herald company has declared a dividend of six per cent.

« Orpheus was a liar who lived in Greece, » according to a sixth - standard schoolboy at Oamaru.

« Ceiling wax » is a peculiar example of reformed spelling, from the Inangahua Times.

« Wire Cover, » for « Waikawa, » as the address of a letter, might well baffle the keenest of postal clerks. The blunder is a genuine one; and, strange to say, was perpetrated by a South Island Maori.

There is swift communication between the colonies nowadays. A contemporary notes that the Hobart Mercury of Thursday the 10th inst. was read at the Bluff on the following Sunday at noon.

On the 7th inst., at Dunedin, the Picturesque Atlas Company were defeated in a claim for £10 10s, on an alleged order. The signature was conclusively proved to be a forgery. The fiend who obtained that signature had prudently left New Zealand.

A policeman, endeavoring to execute a warrant of commitment upon a Hokianga Maori, was met by the reply, « Me packen up. » « Well, look sharp about it, » said the constable, « the tide won't wait. » « Me packen up, » persisted the native— « all the same as pakeha—kit te whitewash! » And Bobby was more mystified still, until a bystander explained that « packen up » was an attempt at « bankrupt, » and that the dusky defaulter had just filed his schedule.

Some time ago we noted how some of our contemporaries allowed themselves to be trapped into publishing a two-inch advertisement for a Scotch distiller in the guise of home correspondence. Since then « the cable man » has been beguiled into puffing certain brands of Australian wine, and the innocent New Zealand pressman not only published the advertisement gratis, but paid several shillings a word for the privilege. One of the most bare-faced of these puffs appeared during the present month in a letter which appears in some half-dozen papers. In illustration of « how rapidly big orders can be executed, » it, relates how a certain middleman got off several tons of printing paper in three days from receipt of cable message. The paper makers, who manufactured the goods, and exhibited commendable promptitude are not named; but the agent comes in for the following puff « Of course Mr ____ has exceptional facilities for buying paper. Colonial newspaper proprietors come Home [capital H, of course !] believing that they can make better contracts for themselves than if they employed an agent. With some agents this might be so, but not with Mr ____, who can always command for his clients a eighth of a penny less, and sometimes even more than any mere consumer can obtain. » Our readers may fill in the blank with the name of Typo's London agent, to whom the advertisement will apply just as well. We presume that the correspondent is paid for his letters. It is equally evident that he is paid at the other end for his puff. ؟Have New Zealand sub-editors any idea of the use of a blue pencil or a waste-basket?

Sydney papers report the death of Mr Alexander Britton, who was preparing the official history of New South Wales.

Mr Thomas Bracken, the well-known New Zealand versifier, is now lecturing in the country towns of Victoria. He was recently the guest of Mr P. Galvin, formerly sub-editor of the Wellington Independent, and now proprietor of the Yea Chronicle.

The Tuapeka Times says: A private letter received in Lawrence by last mail from Mr Andrew Ferguson, formerly proprietor of the Tuapeka Times, and presently engaged in business in Edinburgh, shows that Mr Ferguson, both in his business and family relations, has been more than usually fortunate. The dimensions of his business may be judged of from the fact that he employs over a hundred hands. Mr Ferguson's family, too, are making good headway in the trades and professions to which they have decided on devoting themselves. Very many people in and around Lawrence will be glad to hear of Mr Ferguson's prosperity, as he was highly respected during his residence here, and left a host of friends behind him.

Camels have been used for many years in the desert regions of Australia: and without them, certain districts would have been uninhabitable. In more than one case a settlement has been saved from famine by means of the camel team. Proposals are now made to impose an import tax of £20 on each camel, and a poll-tax of £10 on each one bred in the colony. An extraordinary bill has been introduced in New South Wales to make the use of camels unlawful in that colony. The pretext is, that they frighten horses. The real object is to banish the handful of Afghan camel-drivers, against whom there is not only a race-prejudice, but a deep-rooted antipathy on the part of the country publicans; as the pagan perversely saves his money, and declines to exchange his cheque for bush-whisky.

In the libel action Groom v. the proprietors of the Age, a claim for £10,000 damages, a verdict was returned for the defendants, with costs.

At the meeting of the typographical conference, Adelaide, S.A., on the 12th inst, resolutions were passed in favor of uniform charges throughout Australasia; that each society that has no factories act dealing with the apprentice question should approach the legislature, with the view of getting an act passed; that every society oppose female employment, and recommend the establishment of an out-of-work relief fund, as in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

The Edinburgh Typographical Society have decided to admit female compositors to membership, and a large number of applications have been registered. The colonies are not always to the fore.

We have a communication from Hr. Karl Krause, of Leipzig, informing us that his machines were awarded the highest prize and diploma of honor at the late industrial exhibition at Halle, in Saxony.

It ís reported that Sir Charles Dilke has bought the Pall Mall Gazette. This last story may not be correct, but the transaction would be a fitting (and probably speedy) termination to one of the most picturesque aud checkered careers in newspaper annals.

Fifteen volumes of manuscript, consisting of poems and hymns of Charles Wesley, have been discovered. It is well known that many of Charles Wesley's compositions have never been published. The documents now found are undergoing a thorough examination.

In the libel action brought by Dr. Kenny, M.P., against the Freeman's Journal the complaint was the pictorial representation of the plaintiff in a band with Colonel Saunderson, M.P., and Mr T. W. Russell, M.P., together with a descriptive paragraph which, according to the plaintiff's contention, imputed that he was a priest-hunter. The jury found for the plaintiff, and awarded him £500 damages.

« Broadbrim, » a well-known gossippy New York newspaper correspondent, has published his 800th letter. He began a weekly letter in the exhibition year, 1876, and after about two years was laid aside by illness. On his recovery he re-commenced, and has since written seven hundred without a break; but he thinks that he has broken the record.

The St. James's Gazette having described a meeting of the unemployed in Trafalgar Square as an assembly of loafers and lads, the office was mobbed; but the police dispersed the crowd before any serious damage was done. The editor was afterwards waited on by a deputation of those concerned, who asked for a retractation and apology, which he refused.

The Pagan Review is the name of a new English publication: « the organ of the new pagan sentiment of the younger generation. » It is to be a medium of « realism, naked and unashamed. » There is a good deal of paganism already in the art and letters of the day; It has even leavened to an appreciable extent the so-called religious press; but satanic literature of the open kind has never gained any hold in England, and has never paid. A very little of it sufficed to kill Quilter's otherwise admirable Universal Review. The mental calibre of the new venture may be judged from its idiotic motto: « Sic transit gloria Grundi. »

There is a complaint—a bitter cry (writes Walter Besant in the Author)—which is a new thing in the land, and means the beginning of worse trouble. It is alleged, whether truly or not, that in many of the women's journals—the papers written for women, and supposed to be written by women—there has been a change of women writers for men, at a lower rate of pay. It has come, therefore, to this: that where women have always been supposed to reduce the rate of pay, whatever work they undertook in these lower walks of literary work, it is now proved that men are actually found to be lowering the rate of women's pay. And if anything were wanted to illustrate the congested state of the labor market, this might serve.