THE LATE JOHN NORTON

NZ Truth, 29 April 1916, Page 8

THE LATE JOHN NORTON

Dear "Truth," — 1£ may be interesting to the readers of *TCruth" to learn that the late John Norton, your chief, was beaten by a German m Newcastle, New South Wales; about 18S6. I was wholesale agent m Newcastle about this time for three newspapers — "Truth," "Sunday Times," "The Dead Bird," and also the "Referee." The "Truth" was conducted and published by Mr. A. G. Taylor, then M.P. for Mudgee, and the four papers used to arrive by steamer from Sydney every Sunday morning and were circulated to the runners and agents on that day, and sold about the city streets and suburbs. John Norton was editor of the "Newcastle Herald," and, I believe, was the originator of sensational headings m that paper. A German known as" Charlie Webber (or Weber) was caretaker of the Newcastle markets, also he was well known as a caterer for banquets, socials, etc At one of these banquets Webber was caterer, and John Norton as a mighty wielder of the pen, was present representing the "Newcastle Herald." He described m the paper next morning, under sensational headlines, how Webber carried out his contract. The menu was not varied, the Joints were not juicy, the cuisine was bad, the cutlery was inferior, the whole concern, was a disgrace to the caterer. Tho German, on reading this, waa wroth, and straight-way went to his legal adviser, who 'thereupon threatened the proprietor, Mr. Jas. Fletcher (Minister of Mines) with a writ, with the result that £50 damages' and an apology was tendered, which was accepted, and John Norton received his dismissal from Mr. Fletcher. — Tours, eta, SAMUEL WTr.T.TA\rH. ChrlstchuTch,