AUSTRALASIA REVISITED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13858, 22 March 1907, Page 8

AUSTRALASIA REVISITED

HIGH IDEALS OF Tlffl PRESS. In one of his articles in the London Press on "Australasia Revisited," Mr Frank T. Btillcn'says: In the coursc of my. :?ix months' visit I have hcen enabled 1o cot much more than a passing glance at the country, and also, by meeting all sorts and conditions of men, to get a fairly comprehensive idea of ilie condition of things generally. Passing all these matters in review for u general summary, ilie first thirty that, I would Jike to notice is the high level of excellence and independence maintained by the press. The newspapers of Australasia, with but two or three cxcop- ' , tions, are the equals of any o[ our newspapers at Homo. Daily journalism is, as I say, of a vevv high order, and this applies not merely Jo , the matter, but to the paper and format. And while the colonial news is very full ill detail and interest, Home and foreign . affairs arc most comprehensively dealt with and widely disseminated in the form of cablegrams and occasional London letters. iTn' bulk, of course, these journals do not i rank with the American newspapers—that hideous agglomeration known as tho Sunday [ edition being unknown here—but in quality the colonial newspapers are so immeasurably superior tliat 110 comparison is posI sible, with sucli notable exceptions as the Tribune. Outlook, Saturday Kvcning and a few others out of the many thousands of newspapers with which Ilie great Republic is afflicted. But the most marvellous feature of Australasian journalism is its illustrated weekly press. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington. Christclinrcii, and Dunedin all turn out splendidly-written and illusl rated journals, ! which, except in the small matter of paper ; and original drawings, may safely challenge, tho world. 1 A special feature of these fine papers, withdut exception, is (lie enormous amount of good wading matter which tlioy eontain for sixpence. I have just taken up one , haphazard.' It. contains 80 pages of reading matter, exclusive of advertisements. Fully half of this great space (the pages are Graphic size but the printing is closer) is taken up with matter of intense interest to colonials, such as the state of the markets for their produce, the conditions of agriculture. mining, manufactures, employment, snort, education, art, and science. Politics are fully dealt with, not, merely colonial. 2 but world-wide. There are 12 pages of illustrations, four serial stories by wellknown authors, 12 short stories, and about 50 storyettcs. The' only thing you may ! ' search ils pages for in vain is anything objectionable or suggestive. This holds true of all, and it- is indeed a high sta.ii- > dard. Such papers as these are a sweet boon to dwellers up country, who are thus kept, in full communion with the greatoutside world in the plcasantest way. What I have said may seem too eulogistic, bui; 1 know that I have barely done tho great Australasian illustrated press justice, and have besides left uncatalogucd a numP bcr of minor but most interesting items, y The very delicate question of political matters must, of course, be dealt with. but. ' eiroumspcetly, as becomes a casual visitor ' from the Homeland. The one thing which d strikes me most forcibly is the daring way ._ in which thoso new communities deal wit.ii what arc burning and most difficult questions 't at Home. lam afraid that tliev are often e much too apt to forget, in their enviable , position of writing upon an almost "clear, shite, the difficulties of dealing with Ilomo problems.