PASSING OF "NEW ZEALAND TIMES"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16243, 18 January 1927, Page 3

PASSING OF "NEW ZEALAND TIMES"

PAPER WITH INTERESTING CAREER

A friendly notice of the passing of the New Zealand Times was contained in the Auckland Star us follows: —

"The absorption of tho Times by the Dominion means the cessation of a newspaper with a. record of adventure. Reference to the ancient iilesj shows that cessation was contemplatedj before flic bulk of the present Star readers-were born. A frank discussion J of the impending dissolution was a> feature of the news in that paper. | "It was said that the paper put up :>. record in management, and that it had 40 managers in 4.1 years. "It once imported a tall American Who might easily be called 'the big: noise.' About the. only thing he didn't think of was giving a. bag of Jollies away with every copy.. The stalls' were astounded one day lo find that a local grocer had assumed command. 1 Mr. W's idea was to 'give 'em good measure'—wonderful heaps of good, solid pabulum. • fc The Times has had many editors, > some of them splendid journalists. Among the best of them was Mr. J. L. Kelly, a highly versatile if not highly] administrative man. Dr. Wilson, suddenly, translated from the headmastership, of a southern college to the editorial chair, was a brilliant academical journalist. For a brief hectic period there bloomed in the editorial sanctum Mr Pierce C. Preeth, who had been chief reporter, the man who achieved fame by appearing on the back stairs of the Times in lavender pants, a frock coat, a belltopper, gloves and everything befitting a gentleman, He also claimed attention by emulating in a facetious moment the peerage. In the local office of the Tourist Department, then under tins command of a wonderful being named Donne, "irreproachable and unapproachable/ they installed, a new visitors' book. The first signature was thus: ' Ranfurly'; the second signature was thus: 'Freeth.' "In regard to Mr. Charlie Mains, who is the last of a long list of editors, many of whom had exceptional brilliance, it may be said of him as it was said of the trapper by his lamenting friend: 'He dun his damdest; angels could do no more.'