The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1883. COMPLIMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1148, 13 September 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1883. COMPLIMENTARY.

A University Student writes to ub as follows—" Your paper has been coming regularly and affording my brother and myself considerable pleasure. I may remark en passant that my brother, who is rather a critic of English, is qaite delighted with the ' get up' of the paper and astonished that such a little country place possessing such a paper. Ho was the more astonished when I enumerated your manifold and laborious duties." It is so seldom we get compliments paid to us that we ought to be pardoned for getting a litle jubilant over-this. The " brother" referred to ought to be " a critic of English," as he has studied law and obtained a B.A. degree from the University. As regards the " manifold and laboiious duties" which have to be performed by the unhappy being on whom they devolve they are multifarious enough. They consist of the responsibilities, cares and anxieties attached to the following departments : —First, as proprietor, the all-absorbing problem of how to make both ends meet monopolises no small share of his thoughts. It is no easy matter to find the wherewithal to pay seven hands—employed on the paper ; also the paper and ink manufacturers and the many other expenses incidental to the business. Next, he has to keep the books, canvass .for advertisements and collect money. Ho has to put up with " the proud man's contumely," and " the pangs of disappointed hopes " frequently in fulfilling the latter duties, and must wear a smile when his instincts of manhood revolt at the insolence with which he is treated. Still nobody has had to leave his office without receiving twenty shillings in the pound, never has he issued an incorect account, and few are the advertisements likely to have been obtained for which he has not canvassed. To do all the work connected with this—the commercial department—would be considered enough by many men, but it is nothing compared with the drudgery of the literary department which also falls on his shoulders. He is editor, sub-editor, reporter, and proof-reader rolled up into one here, again, and when he enters this department, he has to change his character from the smiling obsequious canvasser and collector, to the stem critic of men and manners. His best friend as proprietor may possibly have to run the gauntlet of public criticism, and if the interest of the public is at stake he is expected to criticise his actions, and he must do so or else the respect for his paper is lessened. Ah I that public ; if they would only appreciate it, but they seldom do, and this is "the most unkindest cut of all." Editors are supposed to know everything. Some of them know a great deal and some of them do not. The Editor of this paper does not know everything, and if in the struggle to perform the manifold duties devolving upon him he is unable to koep himself well posted up in what is going on, he ought not to be accused of wilful ignorance. Still the paper seldom appears without a leading article of some kind, and one thing we can boast of is, that we have not advocated anything yet which has not been crowned with success. If we have not. had time to acquaint ourselves with the disputes between the French and English and the Chinese, the civil outbreak in Spiin, etc., we have assiduously studied the wants and requirements of this district, and have devoted all our energies to its advancement. The fact that almost all our suggestions have been adopted shows that,we L have been taken notice of. But perhaps the great secret of our success is that we have advocated nothing which we did not feel confident would be for the good of the district. Our reports of meetings must also hare been prettv accurate, as we have scarcely ever had a letter to the editor correcting them, and as for the proof-reading we think that as tew mistakes slip through' our hands as any small paper, in the country. On the whole we think that the work is fairly done, considering the amount of it which has to be gone through, and that it ought to be conceded to the' weary drudge who does it that he earns his living pretty hard. It , is done by " burning the midnight oil;" it is done by sticking close to it ; and it is oaly in this way that we can make the paper pay. But we are receiving more substantial support, daily our circulation is increasing, and we are living in the hope that the day will come when wo can afford to obtain assistance In the meantime we shall continue 10 work

with untiring determination, and if we do not win appreciation we shall do our best to deserve it. We have to thank the excellent staff we have for making many things pleasant. We have scarcely any trouble in looking atter our employees, as they all weak with a will. The same staff that commenced with us two years ago, still continue to occupy their respective places; no change has been made, and none is likely to be made. Some of them have to work harder perhaps than their employer, but they never grumble. It is by hard work, perseverence and courage that the piper can be made to pay, and we are glad to say that we have weathered through with it very successfully. Many are the annoyances that we have to contend with, and it does not infrequently occur that we have to listen to the most unkindly criticism from persons who know as much about the rules of grammar as the man in the moon. But after all we have our moments of pleasure. It is a source of joy to win compliments from so competent a judge as our University friend ; it is to us a pleasure to see all our pet schemes taken up, and to find the leading men of the district paying attention to what appears in our columns and making use of the paper as a means of communicating their thoughts to their neighbors. It is pleasant to feel that we have done good; that no one can point to one scurrilous paragraph ; that there is a complete absence of anything that the most fastidious could object to, and that on the whole the paper has been conducted respectably. We pride ourselves on having fulfilled our duties fairly and impartially, and the consciousness of having done so makes us happy, despite of all the perplexing circumstances which surround our labors.