AUSTRALIA'S FIRST NEWSPAPER.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1657, 6 March 1884, Page 3

AUSTRALIA'S FIRST NEWSPAPER.

In Mr J. Bouwick's work on the "First Twenty years of Australia" some amusing facts are related respecting the Sydney Gazette, the first newspaper started in the Colony. Mr Bouwick says : — " For months together, during 1805 and 1806, it appeared with two pages of foolscap only. One copy had four ' Government advertisements, and as .many- from- the not very enterprising public. The .issues of August 23 a : nd 30, 1807, wore . on such Bmall paper that 'the. type had to be earned to the very edge. There were two pages of three columns, eap^i having- altogether about 3,000 Words.' 'Sutise'quentiy there came a total suspension of the periodical. The

gveat sorrow of the" pdor planter ld.y not In his wretched typo, which only exasperated tho reader, but from the inability of getting a supply of paper. This was of all sorts and sizes as well as colour. It was in vain he advertised ' a liberal reduction to any subscriber furnishing paper— namely, six sheets of ,demy ? 3 qf foolscap, or I2of4tqiettetpapef. Remade this appeal Aug 1 ., 1806, t'tf the^ public;' "As we have no certainty of animmediate Supply of paper, we cannot promise a publication next Week." On September 7th he intimated, "Under the assuranoe of a further temporary supply, we have "been enabled to provide, ail fe£act suffldtency of tills aoanty piibiica'tidn. 5 ' 'fhafc tile -#drthy : nlaii was riot at all particular may be seen from Ida advertisement of JTanuary 13, 1805 :— " ~W, anted to purchase, any quantity of demy, medium, i fblio post, or folscap paper, for the; use of printing, and which if by any accident from damp or slight mildew rendered unfit for writing, will answer the purpose. — Leisure Hour.