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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3

Our Correspondents

Our Correspondents.

Wellington, 21 January, 1889.

« No news is good news » is a paradox which is commonly accepted as an established axiom. If there can be any doubt as to its application generally, there is not the slightest objection to my applying the saying as regards matters printerian in this district during the past two or three months, which is the reason for the non-appearance of my monthly budget in this column. The usual briskness of the holiday and almanac season was experienced, and during the two or three months of the season all the Society men in the city were in employment. During that period, however, many of our best men have left the colony to reap something out of the harvest of prosperity which Victoria was enjoying. Something like twenty comps. left this district for Melbourne and Sydney, all of whom secured frames almost on arrival. At one place alone, (Fergusson & Mitchell's, who had just taken possession of new premises) there were employed at one time and in the same room some eight men who just a few months before that time had worked together in the Government Printing Office in this city. Truly, life has its vagaries. I have heard from correspondents that N. Z. acquaintances turn up at the turning of almost every corner in Melbourne. But the boom has gone and we only hear its echo now, consequently many of our emigrants will be wishing they were immigrants.

It is announced that Mr G. M. Reed, one of our well-known journalists, having been in turn connected with the Southern Cross, Star, Bell, and Herald, all of Auckland, has received the editorship of the new Melbourne evening paper, the Evening News.

It will be remembered that just before the close of the late year the Wanganui Chronicle office was destroyed by fire, although a dog on the premises tried hard to warn some inmates of the danger. When Mr Carson applied for his insurance recovery, the office informed him that they would reinstate the machinery. To this he objected, on the ground that the machines were ruined. The matter was put to arbitration, Mr Blair, of Lyon & Blair's, acting for the insurance side, the result being that the machinery is to be set in working order again, and Mr Carson receives a sum of money as compensation. He has gone to Melbourne to purchase new plant. During the time of disablement the Chronicle has been turned out at the Herald office.

The Board of the Wellington Branch has been attempting for some time past to induce the master printers of their city to form an Association, but the one answer is— « Cannot trust each other. »

I have noticed a very pleasing phase of the Reciprocity question during the past month, namely, the number of cards conveying fraternal greetings to different companionships in this city from Australian offices. Some of the cards are of pretty design and composition. A line in one of the cards has taken my fancy, so I will give the same wish to all my readers:— « May you never be out of 'sorts.' » Not only does this custom encourage general good feeling and unity among the craft, but it tends towards the cultivation of art in printing. Not only among ourselves is this influence felt, but it will spread even unto other trades and professions. Encourage art printing.

Mr R. A. Butcher, well known in journalistic circles in the Wairarapa, now represents the South Wairarapa Advocate in the Featherston and Martinborough districts.

I take the following from the Post— « Herr Schleringer, curator of the Newspaper Museum at Aix-la-Chapelle, has written to Mr F. A. Krull, German Consul at Wanganui, expressing his warmest thanks to that gentleman as the originator, and the Hon. George Fisher as donor, of the collection of New Zealand journals forwarded to the institution. The names of both gentlemen will, says the writer, be incorporated for all time with the collection, which will form a great ornament to the museum. »

Auckland, 21 January, 1889..

I noticed the following paragraph from the Sydney Bulletin of December 15, 1888:— « It is reported from Victoria that Mr C. O. Montrose, a well-known New Zealand journalist, is dead. » Charles Otho Montrose was very well known in Auckland some years ago, where he became a journalist of note. He was, when the craft first made his acquaintance in Auckland, a messenger in the Daily Southern Cross office, then he became « follower » to the reader, and afterwards a reporter, in which line he showed much ability. He occupied the sub-editor's chair on one of the papers for some time. He wrote a « History of New Zealand, » which appeared in the Observer some years ago, and was judged by critics to be a very good work.

Among the passengers by the Mariposa, the last-arrived 'Frisco mail boat, was Mr R. J. Creighton, the well-known New Zealand journalist, on his way from San Francisco (where he has been resident for several years past) to Australia. Mr Creighton's mission is in connection with the renewal of the Pacific Mail Service, which has always been a matter he has taken a warm and active interest in. Many old friends have welcomed Mr Creighton during his brief stay in our city to-day. Mr Creighton will be remembered as having been a part-proprietor with the late Mr Alfred Scales of the Daily Southern Cross. He was also editor of the Cross for some time. Mr Creighton afterwards became a member of Parliament for an Auckland constituency. He is stated by some of our journals to have been for some time past New Zealand Government Agent at San Francisco, just before taking which appointment he had been Private Secretary to the Governor at Honolulu.

Mr Brett is now advertising the Observer and Free Lance for sale, with a great reduction on the original plant—not in price, but quantity—his object doubtless being to render it impossible for any one to start the ringing of a Bell again.

The Hawera Star says of Harding's Almanac:

This is always one of the most welcome annuals with us; for not only are its contents of a capital order, but as a specimen of typography it is to our mind the best produced in the colony. There is a master's hand in it, and the craft cannot but be pleased at the production.