OLD NEW ZEALAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 195, 12 May 1908, Page 8

OLD NEW ZEALAND.

INTERESTING REMINDER. A NEWSPAPER. PUBLISHED IN 1846; One smiles and wonders on opening a nowspapor published in Wellington in 184(3. It is difficult to realise the changes that little more than half a century has wrought. Mr. T. S. Lambert, J.P., architect, of Wellington, and a resident of this city sinco 1866, possesses a copy of the "New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian" ■of Docember 9, 1346.' This number was issued in the third year of tho papor's publication, and the days of its publication were Wednesday and Saturday. One notes the advance in the newspaper craft. The "Guardian is smaller than the smallest sheet now issued in New Zealand. Its price was 6d. per copy, 'or 40s. per annum, payable in advance. Tho proprietor, . Robert Stokes, of . Manners , Street, Wellington, Port Nicholson, New Zealand," has the following curious announcement to make:—"Wo must apologise to our readers fpr being ibliged, from the usual scarcity of printing paper in the Colony, to publish the .'Spectator' on blotting paper. Wo are in daily expectation of 'receiving .a fresh supply of paper, by the .next arrival, _ when we hopo to be relieved from the inconvonienee 'of our present* dilemma." < Of tho scanty columns three are. devoted to a leading article on. tho Now Zealand Land Company, and tho remainder to a debate in tho Legislative Council on'tho conduct of prisons and tho'duties of a sheriff, and to the latest news Homo , and abroad: This "latest" news is acknowledged to .Hobart files of a month previous. Somo kind friend in V/ellington had handed them over to the editor! In a " local" it is mentioned that Dr. Best had just started with 32 head of cattlc for Mariawatu, aiid a considerable number of' live stock were about to be dispatched to tho same quarter. . In cohsequenco of troops being 'ordered to Wanganui confidence and safety, in. that neighbourhood were alreaay in a great measure restored.., , Another paragraph announces the current' rumour that " 160* men will shortly proceedto Wanganui under Captain Layo, for- the protection of the settlement." Seme of ,the. officers accompanying 'the detachment '..were' Lieutenants Pedder, Balnevis, and Hay, and Dr. Alleyno.' i. In the advertisement columns is a notice calling tenders for weather-boarding barracks for temporary accommodation: for troops'. The new. building was .farbe erected on' Mount Cook,' " a sito selected 'by; Captain Smith, of the Artillery, in the original plan'of Wellington." .. ". Another advertisement, o/Ters £100 as . a reward for the apprehension /of "Eptomi, charged with the murder, of 'Hobman Fifty pounds of this sum were raised by the sottiers of Wellington. '-. i Archdeacon - AVilliams's Dictionary of tho No>v Zealand " Language is offered ■ (just to hand) for -7s. 6d.'per copy...■ . It is. interesting _. to ■ scan the / shipping column. ■ The. principal; boats'in. port,, or sailing are:'—- -The' "Katherine Johnston,".>lo tons l ; the .schooner'"Bandicoot,"., for tli'o West Coast, 00 tons;, the brig "Julia," from Hobart; " Catherine-Ann,". from Sydney, 77 tous. .H.M.S. Calliope, 26 guns (Ouptain Stanley) was ,also in port, and'the Govern-., mont -brig ".Victoria," 200 tons ■ (Captain llichards). ' ■■ ■,

The f roiglit' in, those days was 255. per- ton to Sydney, and £5' per ton to London. The brjg " Clara " (3CO tons) offered these rates. Equally.. romantic seems another notice that " the trustees of tho Wellington Savings Banlv arc prepared to purchase Government debentures at 10 per cent, discount." Another paper carefully preserved by Mr. Lambert is a copy of the London "Times " of Wednesday, October 3, 1798. It contains Nelsou's first dispatches announcing his victory over Admiral Bruey at,the Nile. The dispatch was writto'n oh thoVanguard," lying olf the mouth of the Nile,','on August 3, and it Reached- London'on October B—two months later 1 As' many seconds would cover the transmission' at the present day— a century after. '.