QUEER PUBLICATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 August 1929, Page 9

QUEER PUBLICATIONS

NEWSPAPERS FOR ALL. There are some strange things—newspapers among them —in the world. The daily paper has become a part of most people’s lives. How many know or even dream of the queer newspapers with which the traveller meets in the course of the year? asks Mr. Clive Holland, in an article in an English journal. There is an Eskimo newspaper produced entirely by one man. Many years ago he visited the capital of Denmark from his native Greenland. Among the numerous wonderful things he saw was an up-to-date newspaper office. He was so impressed that when he returned to his native town

he took steps to start a newspaper. He did all the work himself, collected all tho news, set it up in type, printed and distributed the paper, and made a success of it.

In pre-war days Buda-Pest possessed one of the strangest newspapers in the world. It was indeed unique. It was called the Hirmondo, and telephoned, instead of printed its news. It installed a telephone free of additional cost in the home of each subscriber to the “newspaper.” Its daily service of news commenced at 9 a.m w and all Stock Exchange quotations and general news items were telephoned during the morning. In the afternoon and evening the music of bands and theatrical performers was electrophoned to the subscribers. The Dresden Corporation once owned —and may now—a newspaper left it by a certain Dr. Gunt. It had a large circulation, and th© profits were to be devoted to municipal improvements.

In Paris one sees and meets with many strange things if one “knows the ropes.” Among the queer publications met with is a newspaper published in the interests of the numerous beggars for which the City by the Seine is noted. It used, a few years ago, to be called the Bon Guide. And from day to day it gave* reliable information regarding the “habitats” of rich people visiting Paris ,and hints on the art of writing begging letters. This paper gave valuable information regarding likely “pitches” at which most was to be picked up, and particulars regarding th© charitably disposed. Here is one of the entries: “M. Jules de 8., Boulevard St. Germain, 96, benevolent to sufferers from injuries to limbs. Lame himself.” Doubtless many a “sufferer from injuries to limbs” was manufactured, and paraded for M. Jules’ especial benefit, with much corresponding benefit to the sufferer.

There is also another paper published especially for circulation among professional beggars. Itl is coarsely printed on poor paper, but sells for 25 centimes, and is distributed at a certain cafe in the beggars’ quarter by the editor once a week.

ENGAGED COUPLES. At Zurich is published an Engaged Couples’ Advertiser, which is a matrimonial journal having agents all over Switzerland. It publishes the names of engaged couples who are assumed to be about to get married, or at least to be contemplating marriage. The makers of all sorts of things furniture, clothing and foodstuffs take it in and bombard the happy pair with offers of their goods, and many firms send samples.

In London perhaps one of the strangest publications is the Police Gazette, which circulates among the various police authorities. Few civilian papers have such stirring and even fascinating contents. The pamphlets, circulated four times daily, known as “Police Informations,” containing the latest particulars regarding criminals, their crimes, and the movements of known criminals, do much to assist the police to make arrests and to keep suspicious characters under observation.' ‘

The post office has its own publications, called St. Martin’s le Grand, and there are several other publication connected with the same Government department. For some years there was run in Vienna a Thieves’ Gazette, which was, needless to say, jealously guarded from a general circulation, giving information to members of the confraternity regarding “cribs” worth cracking, and news of members who had got into trouble or were lying low. In Paris there is a flourishing newspaper, published weekly giving particulars of eligible male parties—at least they all say they are eligible—and details of the most intimate character regarding the charms of youngladies seeking husbands. It must be a paying concern, and, as there is an agency in connection with it, one may credit the statement recently made that the proprietor—who takes a handsome percentage of the dot when a match has been arranged through his efforts —is a millionaire, at last in > francs.