"THE EVENING POST"

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 8

"THE EVENING POST"

67TH ANNIVERSARY

To-day "The Evening Post,* 3 the first daily paper to bo established in Wellington, celebrates its 67th anniversary. When "The Post" made its first appearance on Bth February, 1865, Wellington was a "little fishing village on Cook Strait," and the first copy was a modest sheet of four pages, measuring 14} inches by 9 inches. It was produced by a staff of five', including boys, and was printed at the rate of 250 copies per. hour. Tho first issue was a success, in spite of the competition of a bi-weokly and • two triweeklies, and as the city has grown, so has "The Post." 1

Of the sixteen columns of matter in the first issue of "The Post," six and a half columns were news and the remainder were advertisements, .and it is interesting to . glanco through the news of the day in the initial numbers.

The first editorial was a modest foroword, but the second was a vigorous attack on the Ministry for its antagonism to the then Governor, Sir George Grey. The article concludes:—" Responsible government demands a large amount of mutual confidence between .the- Governor and his Ministers we question whether accepting with distrust His Excellency's promises, torturing hiß every act into an insult, and holding him, Hor Majesty's representative, up to public animadversions, is the best way to engender and keep his confidence."

The following are a few quaint items ffom the first issues::— "Not only are we indebted to Mr ,Osgood for the Empire Hotel, but also for the stimulus ho has given to the other proprietors of hotels, and bars in the town. . No one walking down the beach can avoid being struck with [the improved appearance .of all the spiriting and beerising establishments. The old Crown and Anchor, for instance, has assumed a jaunty juvenile 'appearance, well becoming a young, rising town."

"We are happy to hear that fearful scourge, the scarlatina, which has played sad havoc ia the homes of many of the community, is rapidly decreasing. In a province so proverbially healthy as "Wellington, it is a strange and startling thing to see so muny houses made desolate. Verily, many a Rachel has lately been weeping and lamenting, refusing to be comforted." A fine of Is was imposed on two men for a breach of the Constabulary Force orders.

There arc detail? of events in the Waikato rebellion, including an announcement of the surrender of "Wi Tamihana, the "Duke of Waikato."