THE ‘OTAGO WITNESS’

Evening Star, Issue 21135, 22 June 1932, Page 6

THE ‘OTAGO WITNESS’

SUPERSEDED BY ITS RELATIVE, THE DAILY Developments in the life of our Otago community, in particular the quicker and surer methods of transit, are amongst the root causes of the decision by the directors of the ‘ Otago Daily Times ’ and ‘ Witness ’ Company to cease publishing the weekly paper, the ‘ Otago Witness.’ Its next issue, on the 28th inst., will be the last. This is not in the nature of a failure. It may bo considered as a a sign of success, in that the ‘ Otago Daily Times ’ is now enabled to be delivered in all parts of the country at such a relatively early hour as to supply subscribers with the news on from day to day instead of from week to week. It therefore comes about by a natural advance process that the country people are transferring their patronage to the daily. It is just a case of an elder brother stepping aside to make way for a junior of the family. The number of the last issue of the < Otago Witness ’ will be 4,085. Sticklers for historical accuracy may raise the question that that number does not exactly fit in with the whole period of the paper’s life. The explanation is simple. The * Witness ’ first appeared on Saturday, February 8, 1851, as a fortnightly sheet of four pages—nonce the apparent discrepancy if counted by weeks. With the exception of the ‘ Christchurch Times,’ which under the name of the ‘ Lyttelton Times,’ appeared a few days earlier, the ‘ Otago Witness ’ is the oldest newspaper in New Zealand. Its founders were Captain Cargill, Mr A. J. Burns, Rev. T. Burns, Mr John Jones, Mr J. Cargill, Mr W. H. Valpy, Mr J. Macandrew, Mr J. R. Johnston, Mr W, H. Cutten, Mr Edward M'Glashan, and Mr W. H. Reynolds. After trying the plan of a many-jointed editorship, and finding it impracticable, Mr W. H. Cutten was appointed editor. Towards the end of 1852 the proprietors presented the paper to Mr Cutten. In course of time that gentleman was elected to the General Assembly, therefore obliged to go to Auckland, and Mr Reynolds acted in his absence. Subsequently Mr Macandrew helped Mr Cutten, and m 1861 Sir (then Mr) Julius Vogel took over the editorship because Mr Cutten found his duties as Commissioner of Crown Lands took up all his time. In 1877, after the formation of the first ‘ Otago Daily Times ’ and ‘ Witness ’ Company, the property was transferred to Messrs Read and Fenwick, and Mr Robert Wilson became editor of the weekly, Mr William Fenwick being appointed his assistant. Upon the death of Mr Wilson (in the Octagon fire), Mr William Fenwick was made editor. He served in that capacity for twentyseven years till his death. Mr Charles Fraser was the next editor, and in recent years Mr J. T. Paul has filled the position. Such is a brief outline of the personal history of the ‘ Witness.’ Of its work for Otago and for New Zealand generally, others may and no doubt will write and speak. Suffice to remark here that it has always been a strong advocate for the interests of the people, never swerving to the luro of money or influence.