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Press and Personal record.

On the 8th inst. the first annual meeting of the N.Z. Institute of Journalists was held in the Parliament Buildings, Mr E. T. Gillon in the chair. There was a good attendance of members, and the branches in the four large cities were represented by delegates. Mr George Humphries, the hon. secretary, read the report of the first year, which, appropriately, gave the history of the establishment of the Institute. It arose from an incidental suggestion in Typo, by Mr Harding, the editor, that the time had now arrived for the formation of such an association. Mr E. A. Haggen actively took up the suggestion, and issued a circular to the press, which led to the first meeting being called in Wellington a year ago. The Institute was now firmly established, and in a flourishing condition. The balance-sheet was also read. This showed the revenue to have been £19 for the year, and the expenditure £11. Items since the sheet was made up had increased the credit balance to £18, exclusive of fees from Christ-church not yet to hand. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman gave an interesting address, dilating upon the advantages of union. The « Gallery » had shown what could be done by united action. Twenty-five years ago, before it was formed, there was no provision or accommodation for the press in the parliamentary buildings, and no recognition whatever of newspaper representatives. All this had now been changed. Among the matters to be taken up by the Institute he specially indicated reform of the libel-law, and exemption of pressmen from jury service. Both of these objects had been secured at home. The Australian Institute, with a membership of 153, had been formed during the year, and had written for information as to the constitution of the New Zealand association. He also referred to the advantages to be gained at some future time by incorporating the Institute. At present funds would not permit, and, moreover, there being no existing law under which it could be incorporated, a special Act, or an amendment in the present law, would be required. The report and balance-sheet having been adopted, Mr Gillon was unanimously re-elected President. Three vice-presidents were elected: Mr G. Bell (Dunedin), Mr W. M'Cul-lough (Auckland); and Mr G. R. Hart (Christchurch.) Notices of proposed amendments to the constitution were received; a deputation was appointed to wait on the Government to urge the passing of the new libel bill; and the meeting adjourned for three weeks. At the adjourned meeting, on 29th August, the proposed alterations in constitution and bye-laws were fully discussed. The following were the most important amendments and additions: That any member having filled the office of president or vice-president, or who may have been chairman of a branch for two successive years, shall be entitled to be designated a Fellow of the Institute. The power to elect officers was transferred from the council to the annual meeting of the Institute. The annual subscriptions of members and associates of the Institute were reduced by one-half, and a proposal was carried that in future the branches should retain a larger proportion (five-eighths) of the subscriptions, the remainder to be remitted to the central body. It was decided that the annual meeting of the Institute should be held in Wellington in the months of July or August, and that the financial year should close on 30th June. The chairman of each branch to be ex officio a member of council. A sum not exceeding 5s to be charged for certificate of membership; and authority given to the Council to issue a medallion to members, the cost to be defrayed by the recipients. The following resolutions were carried: (I) That the Institute exert its influence with the proprietors of newspapers, with a view of establishing a custom under which each member of the literary staff of a paper would receive not less than a fortnight's leave in each year. (2) That the proprietors of New Zealand journals be invited to forward to the Council of the Institute notice of such vacancies as may occur in their respective literary staffs, in order that the Institute may be in a position to assist members who are out of work to obtain suitable employment. The hon. secretary, Mr G. Humphries, and hon. treasurer, Mr F. W. Weston, were unanimously re-elected.

The following admirably-constructed sentence is from a lecture on O'Connell, reported in the Dunedin Tablet: « He had created the platform, which had hardly dawned up to his time, a political agent, and placed it in the position of being recognized for all time a part and parcel of the Constitution. »

The Wairarapa Observer has again been enlarged, and comes out in new type. We congratulate our contemporary on its progress.

The Petone Chronicle, established some five years ago, and since conducted by Mr E. J. Chatwin, has changed hands, Mr A. Burns, an experienced pressman, being the purchaser.

Mr Chantrey Harris, an old pressman, and for a number of years proprietor of the Wellington Times, has purchased the Bruce Herald, and has assumed active control of that paper.

At Newtown Park, Wellington, on 4th August, the second annual match between the football representatives of the Times and Evening Press was played. After a very fast game, during which some pretty and smart play was seen on both sides, the Press scored a win by 10 points to nil.

Mr J. Ilott has been appointed North Island general agent for the Lyttelton Times, and has opened an office in Wellington. The Wellington Times, of the staff of which Mr Ilott was for some time a member, congratulates its Christchurch namesake on securing as their representative such a practical all-round journalist.

At the meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Journalists' Institute on 23rd August, proposed amendments in the constitution were considered. It was decided to recommend that in addition to a certificate each member of the Institute should receive a medallion to be worn on a watch-chain, and to be paid for by the recipients.

The Napier News complains that « there is too much of a disposition on the part of teachers to confine their attention solely to the children while they are inside the school buildings. » The quotation from the News (says « Cyclops » ) proves also that the system of education was not perfect where the writer was taught. ؟What would he have the teachers do but confine their attention solely to the children while they are in school? ؟Would he have them ogle one another, or, horrible profanation, indulge in furtive endearments?

In the House of Representatives on the 9th August, Mr Pinkerton directed the attention of the Government to the fact that leather for bookbinding was extensively manufactured in the colony, and expressed the opinion that the local article should be used in the Government offices where practicable. Mr Cadman said that colonial leather was already used by the Government for the descriptions of work to which it was suited; but morocco and calf-skin were not manufactured here. Instructions had been given to use, as far as possible, material manufactured in the colony, if the price approached the home cost.

The Taranaki Herald marks the completion of its fortieth year by publishing « The History of a Colonial Newspaper, » in which the ups and downs of the Herald are described. Notwithstanding more than ordinary difficulties—native wars, commercial depression, and hostile influences—the course of the paper has always been upward and onward. Mr Seffern, who writes the chronicle, has edited the paper continuously since January, 1868, and is, as our readers know, a methodical and indefatigable diarist. The record is a very interesting one, and it is accompanied by a literary curiosity, an exact facsimile of the first number of the Herald, bearing date 4th August, 1852.

A modest little sheet issued by an up-country parson in Southland has raised the « danders » of a resident to a ludicrous extent, and he relieves himself by a long tirade in the local newspaper, predicting « a falling-off in the exchequer and attendance in the church, » and other disaster. That is to say, we presume, his own pew will be vacant and his bawbee no longer forthcoming. The offence is, that the paper has been appealing for aid to a mission. « I have on a previous occasion, » he says, « alluded to the folly—the wicked folly— of sending money from our own shores for the christianizing of savages of the New Hebrides—or anything else. » This angry gentleman forgets, apparently, that but for the « wicked folly » which so enrages him neither he nor his fellow-colonists would be now living in comfort in the islands of New Zealand.

Mr Carl Zöller, who is well known to all the New Zealand printers, had an unpleasant experience this month. While taking his ease at his inn in Wellington about 8 o'clock one evening, he received an urgent telegram from his principals in Auckland:— « Star telegram says warrant out for your arrest, forgery. Don't believe it. Wire instantly. Waiting.—Seegner, Langguth, & Co. » Messrs S., L., & Co. did not have to wait long before they had the astonished Mr Zöller's emphatic reply: « It's a lie. Get explanation. » In an hour the explanation came. A telegram relating to one Carl Möller, an absconding tradesman, had been misread. This was awkward enough, but the Star had made matters worse by publishing a paragraph identifying the supposed criminal with the well-known and genial traveller, and publishing as much as they could gather of his personal history.

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The Hibernian element sometimes comes out delightfully in the leaders of the Wellington Times. Of Mr John Morley it says, that he « has a future before him which the world will not easily forget. »

At the meeting of the Wellington branch of the Typographical Society on the 27th inst. a proposition came up for consideration, to the effect that the branch should not take part in politics. The subject was ordered to stand over till the next half-yearly meeting.

The Government are advertising a forthcoming work by a barrister-at-law, entitled « Trout in New Zealand, where to go and how to catch them. » Private publishers (and authors too) have a right to complain when the State goes into the miscellaneous publishing business in this manner. We may yet have an official rival to Typo or the N. Z. Freemason.

Mr Edward Alexander Haggen, journalist, of Woodville, has petitioned Parliament to include in the Libel Bill a clause enabling journalists proceeded against for criminal libel to plead their cause in the lower Court, which he himself says he was unable to do, and that he has therefore been committed for trial, although he claims that if allowed he could have called such evidence as would have compelled the Magistrate to dismiss the complaint.

The new paper at Otaki has published an item about the discovery of a « death-adder » sucking a cow. The alleged snake, by the way, which is described with some minuteness, is unknown to science. The « snake » may be accounted for in two ways: the editor wished to advertise his paper by printing a paragraph that was bound to be quoted—or the Otaki bush-whisky has been producing its appropriate effects.

Mr F. M'Carthy, editor of the Grey River Argus, is reported to be very ill. A Westland paper says:— « Mr M'Carthy has never recovered from the effects of an attack of influenza which he had a few months ago, and latterly he had been complaining of feeling very unwell and unfit for work. He went to the office as usual on Sunday, but early in the evening he was obliged to go home, and on Tuesday he was taken suddenly so ill that the doctor had to be sent for, who found him in such an alarmingly bad state that he prohibited anyone from seeing him. The last accounts of him were, we regret to say, that he was no better. »

The letter signed « Comp, » quoted in our last issue, was brought up in the House of Representatives on the 9th inst., by a question from Mr Fisher, addressed to the Minister of Justice. The letter, he said, struck him as being from a bonâ fide working man, and he asked, therefore, what action, if any, the minister intended to take in reference to the recommendation of the Typographical Society. Mr Cadman said that the letter in question did not fairly represent what had been put before him, and he read the text of the memorandum (published by us last month). His answer was that he had seen the letter signed « Comp »; that he had undertaken to consider the proposal of the Typographical Society; and that he had determined to offer facilities to the hon. member for Christchurch City (Mr Sand-ford) to set up a committee to inquire into matters connected with the printing-office.

Messrs Thomas R. Roydhouse and H. J. Taperell, both old apprentices in the Wairarapa Daily Times office, and now on the literary staff of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, have jointly published a history of the labor party in New South Wales.

On the 4th July, Mrs Zoe Lilly, aged 42, the wife of Mr George Lilly, a journalist, was run down by a train at Marrickville Station, near Melbourne. She was anxious to catch the Sydney train, and though warned by a guard, endeavored to cross the rails. She was instantly killed and sadly mutilated. Her body was placed in the train and conveyed to Sydney. Mrs Lilly was well known in Auckland as an energetic temperance worker, and was one of those who started the Jubilee Kindergarten.

Edward Williams, formerly steward of the s.s. Iberia, brought an action against the Melbourne Age, claiming £2000 damages for libel in connecting him with the gold robbery from that vessel. The jury gave a verdict for defendants, with costs. Mr Justice a'Beckett, in addressing the jury, directed that the newspaper could not be held responsible for the hasty impressions which careless or unintellectual persons might gather from the article, but the plaintiff must have the strongest grounds for bringing his action. It is a pity that this very obvious and common-sense rule is so often ignored. Had it been applied, for instance, in a recent stupid case against the Wai-pawa paper, it would have saved a great amount of trouble. Mr Williams (who had in some manner been confounded with the murderer Deeming, alias Williams,) had been more successful in former actions against the Australian press, having in four separate cases received damages amounting to £600, in sums varying from £50 to £200.

A home correspondent informs us that the Pictorial World is likely to be merged into Black and White.

Susan Coolidge is one of the few who have become rich from literary work. Long ago she built a handsome house in Newport from the profits of her stories.

Mr Edward Burdoe must be a devout admirer of Browning. He has compiled a « Browning Cyclopædia » of nearly six hundred closely-printed pages. Messrs Swan, Sonnenschein & Co. are the publishers.

A telegram from St. Petersburg, dated 2nd August, reports that three hundred printers were arrested at Warsaw on suspicion of being concerned in the production of rebel literature.

The success of the magazine Santa Lucia, printed in Braille-type for the blind, and published by the Misses Hodgkin, of Richmond, has led to a demand for a weekly newspaper, which will shortly appear. The editors of the new paper will be Miss Bloxam and Miss Eva Scott.

The London publisher, Mr Trischler, has fallen into financial difficulties, and been compelled to call a meeting of his creditors. The liabilities are said to be £13,000 and the book assets £18,000. Mr Trischler's judgment as a reader (says a home correspondent) is not equal to his business capacities, and for some time past he has been publishing shocking rubbish. Even when he got hold of a good story he brought it out in such a style that no one would buy it. His books were printed in the cheapest manner and on the commonest paper, and covered and interleaved with advenisements. The « Hansom Cab » (which he literally drove into notoriety) and one or two of its successors no doubt paid well, but the « Shilling Shocker » craze came to an end some time ago, and the firm's three-volume ventures have been unlucky.

The following anecdote is given on the authority of the Weekly Dispatch:— « A novelist some years ago agreed with a firm which has an immense business, and circulates weekly and monthly periodicals by the million, for the publication of a work of his on the royalty system—that is, he was to receive so much on every copy sold. In volume form the book went off fairly. After a lapse of some time, the firm re-issued the story as a supplement to a weekly which is extremely popular. The gratified author waited for the cheque this proceeding would bring to him, but in vain. He wrote at last, and received a reply which caused him to consult a lawyer. The firm, it turned out, had forgotten all about the agreement for so much on each copy, and had issued it believing the work its own property. A claim for royalty on a quarter of a million copies caused it to think there was an error somewhere, and a compromise was eagerly arranged. »

Sir Algernon Borthwick, Bart., M.P., (says the People,) who is specially en evidence just now in connexion with the Primrose League and the Society of Journalists, not forgetting his presidency for the year of the Newsvendors' Association, has had an interesting career both as journalist and politician. His connexion with the Morning Post dates from its earliest days. He has edited it for twenty-five years. His father represented Evesham in Parliament. Sir Algernon was intimately acquainted with Lord Palmerston, and was the medium selected by Lord Beaconsfield for conveying to the ex-Empress of the French the saddest intelligence of the latter days of the Zulu war. In many international affairs Sir Algernon's advice has been sought and acted upon both by foreign and English Ministers. He is a man of frank and courtly manners, and his generous disposition has endeared him to a large circle of friends. He commenced his journalistic career as Paris correspondent of his paper when France was under the rule of the prince-president. His active acquaintance with politics began in the salons of Lady Nor-manby and the Duchess of Grammont, in the exciting days of 1851.

The vagaries of Mr Keir Hardie, a « labor » member of the English House of Commons, have formed the theme of several telegrams from home. When elected, he arranged a procession with a brass band, and a mob singing the « Marseillaise. » He made his appearance in the House in a conspicuous garb—not exactly that of a stoker, a costermonger, or a stage bandit, but a compound of all three. The Speaker took exception to his tweed cap, and gave him precisely the advertisement for which his soul was hungering. His latest freak was to lay down his ultimatum to Mr Gladstone. He evidently wishes to be thought dangerous—as in a less stable community he probably would be. He is not likely to turn out a British Ravachol; and appears to be better qualified for Colney Hatch than for St. Stephens. The labor party manage things better here than at home. Some of their representatives are illiterate, or otherwise ill-qualified for their responsible duties. Some have shown a very keen appreciation of the paramount claims of No. 1. Some have been misguided enough to think they can compose Poetry, and have made the fatal —the irreparable error of publishing their effusions. But so far they are all Men—there is not a mountebank among them.