"THE POST"

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1935, Page 17

"THE POST"

Mr. .Bavfdv Mcl^ar'eh/'foryv^rded \thia " toast mi honour.- of; the: 70th" birthday: of the /'Evening ;Post," Wellington^ :.New Zealand:f-.-■••■■.•;' ■■"•■':- ' T "■ .' -•'•.'-": '," ".'. ■■ Gentlemen, '"fho Press," howoften hav^ I .hear jL This toast disposed of with a casual '.word? When ancient custom; Jogged us'^ust. to mention j A little thing, which iwon't" find -much! attention:.!. In other. •■ mood, tqd^ay/1: give:;'the' Toast,;\.c V~.:i "A Welilri£t6n;'instifution—The 'BveninK' Post'," \ As.lf, .'.'The.Pos£', at/seventy^ere lnear:dead! > By! all the signs,o.t,business things that thrive f. This "pap^r'?; stUl. ; , is .very, muchj alive. ~. ,•.'' In'native .shrewdness seventy; years ; ago ■-.■"' Keen Henry ,Blundell was by.-no means slow,. But looked into. ihV future/:nothing loath.; ?■'■"..: To build on'lines which Purely made for' growth.. By. slow degrees f at flrsfr;his paper ferew;-;' ; : With eyes wide .open;-for the somethinf new : Yet not so new as ever to lmpoda ". '. The .solid piirpQse made if or need; / Ho going: balcfc'.ri6r:'fallure-Hiulte^absurd,;-.!::!; Th\is r ßiundori'.S name became a household word: Withstreniioiis work.hlgh hopes and guardedfears The Structure .'rose: within." the : passtiie years Standing today: a, monument'lndeed :", \ ■ -.' ' To, patient toil of heart and thought and -deed. TheJ family. Tose/.and by.lt came the sons,";. ~ Who. carried ,6^' iwhat father had, begun., "■.' \ These earnest brothers finding each'-a. part,,', '~, Pulled altogether ;wlth.; a. right good heart.', i ' ■:; By wise .selection were; the 'best men found, / Who made the journal1 lnp all branches sound. Chiefs, who have, held the. editorial, chair, Have giyei years'of anxious thought and care, '- Divorced from outside honours, praise-, or blame,- ■ "ach! oncf has held:,a.much'. Tespect'ed.'■napjei.-'/';-' And. for; the: staff—from coinp. to worried r "subi" ! Trom N "printer's ,;devll" upward In the "hub;V ; «; a ifuli hive of .'hurrying, working ibee's'-.r. "••''. They.bring.the^newai of man and beast and trees, Of everything■ whlclj humans want to read'; And- make a Journal that Is great. Indeed; ■..,...:. The dally,papcr: dropped as from, the akies,-; '■'.'- ---1o guide, reproach. Instruct, restrain, "ailrlscj Its leaders literature. Its pars a treat :; :V ' Like ! picnlc: sandwiches ;of ham or moat.. ". Of the recording-angels, whoi report, ■■ "•'■.;' Who write of magic, iovo, disease, and sportY Who take each^piiblic person by the hand , And make,his speech so readers understand. \ - What may be said of these^is only true. ' They would'be great if pencils were not--blue'; ; Jf "subs" were never made to cut,and'tear, J Whilst-some w folk.sigh and others only.-swear.;' Back to "The Post," the.theme of this sweet song, Xest that the f'sub" declares "this "far tod long/ Pill up your glasses to the heady brim,'': Tor by "The Post" we efther sink or swim, long may It stand, a pillar strong and true, A mark of worth, upheld to public view, ' shat weary travellers on life's tiresomo way May pause a while to hear some others say, "In trudging through New Zealand coast to coast, look out for signs; be sure to read, 'The Post." ~ ' ' . ■ **-. McLABECfc