N.Z. MAIL PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1887. ABOUT OURSELVES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 787, 1 April 1887, Page 16

N.Z. MAIL PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1887. ABOUT OURSELVES.

Fifteen years and seven weeks have jlapsed since the first number of the New Zealand Mail was published. The beginning was a modest one. Twenty-four demy-folio pages, four columns the page, made up the publication, not by any means a discreditable one, for the matter was wellselected, and the literary efFort was quite up to the average. On the Ist of June, 1878, the Mail was enlarged to twenty-eight pages, and so remained until July Ist, 1880, when the present proprietor placed it on an equal footing with the leading Australasian and New Zealand weeklies, by altering its size and general make-up to correspond with theirs. He enlarged the Mail to royal-folio size—five columns the page, twenty-four pages the journal—thus increasing the size by fully one-fourth. The alteration took well with the public. The circulation went up Bteadily, advertisements flowed in, and the addition of supplements to the enlarged form became imperative. For several years the Mail, including the supplement, was virtually a 28page paper, and in 1885 was enlarged permanently to that size. In the following year it was found neces sary to still further enlarge the space by increasing the pages to 32. Even then supplements became a necessity, and finally it was decided to again increase the size permanently, and at the same time consult appearances by putting the Mail in a cover of four pages with a frontispiece, which was done last week for the first time. The paper is thus enlarged to 36 pages, with the certainty of further increase in a short time. We calculate that by the end of the year the Mail will be a fortypage paper, perhaps even more. The frontispiece speaks for itself. It represents a view of Wellington never before taken. Mr Hill, photographer, of Cuba-street, was the artist in the first place, and the view he took was arranged in newspaper heading form and then sent to a first-class London engraver. The result is as can be seen on the front page, and the view is so true as to be in itself worth purchase by those desirous of imparting to friends at a distance a correct idea of the general appearance of Wellington and its magnificent harbor. 80 much for the space and appearance of the Mail. A few words about the contents will not be out of place, and we may say without the slightest exaggeration that the one has fully kept pace with the other. It is too often thefashionto decry weekly papers such as the Mail by terming them mere reflexes of the morning paper.

This is very unjust and untrue. It is true that much of what has been published in the New Zealand Times is re-arranged for the Mail. . We could not give the full news of ihe week — telegraphic, local and other-—if this were not done. But how much more, besides, does not the Mail contain ? Ladies’ pages, including a wide space for children, chess columns, Temperance, Religious, Masonic, all are liberally dealt with. Our chess column challenges comparison with that of any other paper iu the Colony, and the ladies’ page is conducted ou lines that cannot be very well excelled. Our “ Elise ” has scattered much good practical information and advice broadcast, as those who read her articles can vouch for. What may be termed the reading of the day has not been overlooked. The fresh efforts of leading novelists of England appear in the Mail in the serial column, the proprietors having a contract for supply with a leading publishing house Literature of another class has been carefully drawn upon. The expressions of rpin'on upon all and every subject, notes of travel,the advancedthoughfcof the age. science, reports of discoveries, tenitoiial and other —everything, in fact, likely to interest and instruct has receive l , and will receive, the closest a tention. We have extended our agricultural news, and are now in treaty with an expert for special articles and reports on the subject. And the theme of themes, sport ing, has not been neglected. We have now three specialists writing for us under this head—“ Martini,” “ Fossicker,” and “ Nelson.” The latter’s effusions appeared last week for the first time. We are rather inclined to be jubilant over the sporting pages of the Mail, for, whilst we readily admit that horseracing is decidedly overdone, still, if the public is set upon it, it is clearly the duty of the press to report faithfully and fully, and with a 9 much admonition as may ba safely administered. We think our flaneur column is fairly up to the mark. Our “ Asinodeus ” has much to Bay, and knows how to say it, and his analysing is all on the right side. Last week’s Mail contained nearly ten pages (50 columns) of absolutely new matter, and that, with the voluminous news which appeared in the Times, made up a substantial and legitimate weekly budget, alike suitable for transmission to friends abroad, for readers buried iu the bush, aud for the fireside iu both town and country. We unhesitatingly put forward a strong claim for support. The circulation of the Mail is substantial and increasing, and its quality is as we have above described. Aud it will be the constant care of the proprietor to keep pace with the age, and make the Mail a worthy exponent of the affairs, and the leading weekly journal of the southern half of the North Island of New Zealand particularly, and of the Colony at large generally.