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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 7

Monthly Record

page 14

Monthly Record.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Typographical Association was held on the 20th inst. The report of the board of management stated that during the past six months there had been a decided improvement in the printing trade in this city. The chairman, Mr Regan, said it was probable that the tariff would be revised, and an increased duty put upon all printed material. It was the intention of the Auckland association to seek the co-operation of all the kindred societies in New Zealand in a representation to the government against the large amount of printing done in Lyttelton jail. The secretary was instructed to write to the government and the local members of parliament, requesting that the Industrial Conciliation bill might be passed next session, and that arbitration should be made compulsory. Mr James Regan was re-elected president.

Mr E. O'H. Canavan, formerly editor of the Marlborough Daily Times, is now installed as editor of the Brunner News, Westland.

The New Zealand Craftsman has been purchased by Messrs Arthur Cleave & Co., printers and publishers, Auckland. The same firm have issued a neatly-printed Masonic Guide to New Zealand.

Miss Amy Brett, second daughter of Mr H. Brett, of the Auckland Star, was married on the 22nd inst. to Mr Woolcott Wood, of Christchurch.

The Auckland Star has been publishing some curious literary information. It refers to Max O'Rell as the author of « John Buller »; and libels Mr Farjeon by attributing to him the authorship of « The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. »

The Stage is the title of a new weekly started at Wanganui by Mr Ernest Mansfield, devoted to literature, sport, and the drama. The second item in the program may secure it some support; but if The Stage keeps within the bounds of its title, the proprietor, unless possessed of boundless means, must soon ring down the

« Curtain. »

Mr F. Miller, the new proprietor of the Otaki Times, is spoken of as a probable candidate for the representation of the Horowhenua district in the House. He is new to politics, and will have to contest the seat with a gentleman who is respected by all parties. Mr Webbe, the late proprietor, had some ambition to figure as a legislator; but the Otaki folks, though not over critical, took his measure as an amateur journalist, and would have none of him.

In a certain country township, the local editor discovered, or was shown, a thriving specimen of what was suspected to be the dreaded Bathurst burr. He did not root it up, but published a paragraph calling upon the local authorities to extirpate the nuisance. The local authorities, after carefully examining the weed, were divided in opinion as to its identity. A long controversy followed, both in the conncil and the press, and by the time that the question was satisfactorily settled in the affirmative, the township was pretty well overrun with the pest.

Mr C. R. Carter (says the Wellington Press) still continues to collect and to present to the Colonial Museum here, all books about or in any way relating to New Zealand. The collection will be invaluable, and Sir James Hector, the director of the Museum, justly regards it as being already a national treasure. A little while ago Mr Carter's second instalment came to hand, and he has just advised Sir James Hector that a third is ready to be despatched. The collection, it is anticipated, will ultimately comprise nearly six hundred volumes.

The Supreme Court, Wellington, was occupied on the 21st and 22nd February with the case of Greville v. Black, a claim of £200 for breach of agreement to take plaintiff into partnership in the Pahiatua Star. On entering into the service of defendant, at £3 a week, an agreement was entered into with plaintiff that he could become a partner by paying £100, extending over two years, without interest. This agreement defendant refused to carry out, and at the end of the first year plaintiff was dismissed. Since then he had been unable to obtain regular employment, but had been working for about a month on the Woodville Examiner at £2 a week. The facts were not disputed, but defendant pleaded that he had dismissed plaintiff for incompetence, and for undertaking outside engagements. His Honor reserved his decision, which was ultimately given in favor of plaintiff, for £100 and costs.

« The cart before the horse » is illustrated in the following curious conclusion of a marriage announcement:—« — to Theresia, youngest daughter of G— K—, by the Rev. A. C. M'Kenna. »

The Review of Reviews says that labor has no journals in New Zealand, though it is specially strong in that colony, and a journal called the Globe for a short time represented labor interests, but it perished of mere ignoble lack of pence.—There are several errors in this short item, the chief one being that the Globe ever in any way represented labor.

In the civil action Greville v. Black, some curious revelations were made as to the manner in which a certain class of country newspapers are conducted. The proprietor got up special settlement associations solely to secure the printing and advertising, reports of concerts were supplied by the promoters, and of race meeting by the secretaries, with flattering references to their own abilities. A compositor on the staff, wages £1 a week, was called to give « expert » evidence.

« Catholics as a rule, » says the Dunedin Tablet, « despise the Catholic press. In the effort to discredit and debase the Catholic press, Catholics have a full part. » That the conductors of the Tablet have succeeded in debasing the press is evident from any copy taken at random — that the paper should be heartily despised by the denomination it is supposed to represent is probable enough. It is interesting to find so candid a confession in the Tablet.

On the 30th Jauuary, Mr J. C. Yorke, the former proprietor of the Hawera Star, was presented with an address from the staff of the paper. The address, which was expressive of the high esteem of the subscribers, and their heartiest wishes for his future welfare, was presented by Mr Parkinson, the new proprietor. In replying, Mr Yorke said he regretted very much leaving the colony, but the pressure put upon him by his mother to reside in England was so strong that the duty could not be avoided.

Mr W. F. Roydhouse, who established the Wellington Prcss nine years ago, and has ever since been connected with the paper, severed his connexion with the concern on the 11th inst., having purchased the Wairarapa Standard from Mr W. C. Nation. The members of the staff took the opportunity of making a kindly farewell demonstration.—The Standard, which has been in existence twenty-six years, is the senior paper in the district. Mr Roydhouse is now the proprietor of the office in which he learned his business; and under his management, with his unfailing courtesy and tact, his untiring energy, and his literary ability, the Standard should take a leading place among the country papers of the colony.

An Auckland tradesman has proved himself a little too smart. He has been sending to his debtors a sham official document on blue paper, headed with the royal arms and a reference to a fictitious « Small Debts Recovery Act, » while the purport of the notice is that if the amount is not paid by a given date, proceedings will be taken in « the Police Court, [!] according to the new Act. » The man who would be frightened by this discharge of blank cartridge would be nearly as great a blockhead as he who projected it; but printers would do well to note that by merely printing a document of this kind they lay themselves open to heavy penalties. The Law Society has taken the matter in hand.

Government by trades unions is producing odd results in New Zealand. At Hawera Mr J. J. Paterson was charged under the Factories Act with allowing an employee to work during prohibited hours. It was proved that defendant had been called upon by a farmer in an emergency to repair a machine; that he could not do it single-handed, and his workman (who had just had three holidays) had volunteered to assist. All true unionists will rejoice that the malefactor did not escape on such a plea. The magistrate, in consideration of its being a first offence, inflicted only a nominal fine. Better that a farmer's crop should perish, than a Trades Hall decree be disobeyed.

It is somewhat humiliating when an executive is ignorant of the law. When the legislative council appointments were made last year, immediately after the close of the session, it was the intention of the ministry to pay the members from the date of appointment— nine months' salary for nothing. Some of the newspapers pointed out that the act unmistakeably provides that no salary is to be paid till the legislator takes the oath and his seat. Up to that time he is not a member. Now, a country paper bemoans the hard lot of « poor Rigg, » who « had to resign his position in the government printing office, and has to support his wife and family as best he may. » We see no hardship in an able-bodied citizen having to support his wife and family. It should be remembered that the man to whom the writer thus patronisingly refers was provided with a frame in the government newspaper office, and was not a loser by the change. The evident object of this appeal in forma pauperis is to induce the House to grant a benevolent allowance to the new « peers. »

page 15

The Maori newspaper started at Napier some months ago only lasted a few weeks. Mr Rees, however, is about to try again, this time at Hastings. The Maori is a little suspicious of the newspapers so liberally provided for him by his European friends.

The Tablet, commenting on the Baptist Union's protest against the Government gift of £500 of public money to the Church of Rome, suggests that the Union in question has the morals of « Holy Willie. » No fouler libel has ever appeared in New Zealand—not even in the Tablet.

We have already noted several attempts by the government to delegate their administrative powers to the Trades Hall; but parliament has always struck the objectionable clauses out of the « labor » bills. Now, according to the Wairarapa Times, the officials of the Bureau of Industry have received instructions to report to the Trades and Labor Council, thus practically making the secretary of that body one of the heads of the department. Such a course is not only quite unauthorized by parliament, but is unconstitutional.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this world. If he does, the world exacts its penalty. The archbishop who went into trade five years ago, is weary of his experiment. The revelations in the libel case were unpleasant; and the accumulating arrears of delinquent subscribers have long weighed heavily on his soul. Now his concern is in the market. The price is £3400, and it is proposed to form a company with a capital of £5000 to take it over. The assets consist of plant and broken stock, originally costing £1666, and book-debts for subscriptions, advertisements, and job printing, amounting to the handsome figure of £3766. From these data any practical man may form a fairly accurate idea of the value of the property, nor will he be surprised to learn the proprietor's opinion that « the time has arrived when he should be relieved from the labor, the responsibility, and the continued anxiety. »

A London telegram of 3rd February states that the Governor of the Bahamas was justified in exercising his prerogative and releasing the prisoners sentenced by the Chief Justice for contempt of Court.

The editor of the Melbourne Herald has succeeded in obtaining for his staff, from the proprietors, a fortnight's holiday all round. The Journalists' Association of New Zealand has from the first been endeavoring to make the fortnight's holiday a generally recognized custom with the press of this colony.

A Sydney telegram of 17th inst. reports that Mr Fergusson, proprietor of the Cumberland Times, having made disgraceful charges against Messrs Crick, Wells, Alexander, and Hutchison, members of the Legislative Assembly, has been committed for trial for criminal libel.

A rather peculiar newspaper action is pending at Samoa. Some little time ago the councillors, some of whom were displeased with the comments of the Samoa Times on their proceedings, carried a resolution excluding the representatives of the paper from their meetings. This resolution was afterwards declared to be illegal, and the reporter now claims £100 damages from the council for expelling him.

A tedious and apparently interminable want of confidence debate in the Sydney parliament was closed through the collapse of the « Hansard » staff. The chief reporter notified the Premier that having worked continuously for forty hours, they could go on no longer. The telegram significantly adds: « This speedily brought on the division. » One more proof that the official report is responsible for incalculable waste of time and delay of business.

It seems strange that one of the essential features of a triumphant democracy should be a muzzled press. New South Wales has just furnished an example. Incensed at an article on the political situation in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, the nine members of the government — having apparently held a cabinet meeting on the subject—served the newspaper with as many writs for libel, each claiming £5000 damages.

An action brought by the Melbourne City Newspaper Company against the Standard newspaper, to recover a sum of £10,000 as damages for breach of agreement, was called on the 1st inst. Plaintiffs alleged that they had agreed to purchase the evening newspaper, and that the Standard had repudiated the agreement. By mutual consent, a verdict was entered for plaintiffs for £400, each party to pay its own costs.

The Queensland floods, by which the greater part of Brisbane, the capital city, was destroyed, besides many smaller towns, and a vast extent of country was inundated, is considered to be the greatest disaster that has overtaken the Australasian colonies. The Government printing office in Brisbane appears either wholly or partially to have escaped the visitation, for we read that the newspapers are being temporarily printed there.

Mr C. L. Hill, a New Zealand comp, now of Chiltern, Victoria, was married on the 17th inst. to Miss Theresa Keller, of Chiltern.

Mr F. Humphreys, an old journalist, formerly on the staff of the Otago Daily Times, afterwards leader of the reporting staff of the Melbourne Age, and later still, of the Melbourne Telegraph, is in trouble. For seven years he has been secretary of the Victorian employers' union, the shipowners' association, and other institutions; and his case is an example showing that what passes for good fortune is sometimes the reverse. Seven years ago, a contemporary says, he was a pressman out of a billet, and by the efforts of his journalistic colleagues he was appointed to offices bringing him in £1000 a year. Then he began to dabble in mining speculations. He has now disappeared, and irregularities amounting to some £2000 have been found in his accounts. Among his acquaintances there is a widespread feeling of regret, for he was genial and popular, and had been remarkably successful in difficult negociations between the representatives of capital and labor.

A London telegram, dated 4th inst, states that at the trial of those charged with fraud in connexion with the Hansard Publishing Union, evidence was adduced that the sum of a million and a quarter pounds had been lost to the shareholders, who would not receive a single penny. The Attorney-General estimates the profits made by the confederates at over £260,000.

Mr G. W. Tull, printer and publisher of the West Meath Nationalist, in connexion with the South Meath election petition, libelled some of the witnesses by publishing what professed to be their family history, and stating that they wore a hang-dog look. He came before the Queen's Bench, on a charge of contempt of court, and had to pay £20 and costs of action.

A French printer at Lille has been the means of bringing to justice a clever forger and swindler known as Captain Bevan, and with many aliases, whose specialty was to obtain letters of credit, and to draw repeatedly upon them after chemically removing the endorsements. Bevan brought the printer some sheets watermarked with the name « Brown, Shipley, & Co., London, » and asked him to stain them violet and print upon them certain letterpress which was really a copy of the firm's letter of credit. The printer, suspecting fraud, communicated with the bankers whose name appeared on the paper, and a speedy arrest of a much-wanted rogue was the result. Strange to say, another French printer, who had obliged Bevan by forging for him the watermarks of Brown, Shipley, & Co. and other London bankers, had no suspicion of any irregularity in the transaction.

A friend sends us No. 2 of an English newspaper—the Bath and County Weekly News. It consists of eight pages of six columns each, mostly large type, with advertisements displayed in very big and varied letters. Two things strike us—the rare spectacle of a newspaper printed throughout from new types; and the fact that seven members of the home cabinet have thought it worth while to send complimentary testimonials to a journal which would be thought a somewhat poor affair if published in New Zealand. The Star, in a laudatory notice, says of the News that its « political complexion is robust, » a pretty mixed metaphor. It is written in a style somewhat coarse and slangy, and will probably have a few libel actions to defend before it is much older. Our New Zealand weeklies are quite open to improvement, and are no doubt somewhat lop-sided politically—but the sight of some of the home county papers ought to be enough to make a New Zealander feel proud of the colonial press.

A telegram of 16th inst. states that the House of Commons ordered the editor of The Times to be summoned to the bar of the House for a breach of privilege. The article complained of quoted a statement made in the House by Viscount Wolmer, that Irish members were paid by the Gladstonians, It went on to say that the Payment of Members bill was devised to relieve the finances of the liberal party from the necessity of supporting the clerical contingent, and further characterized the Irish members of the House as paid mercenaries. On the following day The Times said: « As Viscount Wolmer has apologised, so do we who used his words; but we repeat that the Irish are paid by the enemies of England. » In confirmation of this assertion, the equally emphatic words of the report of the Parnell Commission are quoted; and the paper strongly protests against this new attack on the liberty of the press, remarking: « Mr Gladstone and his Irish allies have been compelled to resurrect 'parliamentary privilege' to quell a hostile newspaper. » The editor, after all, was not summoned to the bar; the House being unable to decide what steps to take.

A home paper states that Mr F. H. Cowen's ballad, « The Children's Home » is the most popular song of this century.