MESSRS WHITCOMBE AND TOMBS' DIARIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3739, 25 September 1886, Page 3

MESSRS WHITCOMBE AND TOMBS' DIARIES.

« The public, both English nnd colonial, have long been acquainted with the name of Lolls m connection with an admirable, series of diaries published yearly, and to bo purchased at a moderate price m every civilised part of the British dominion*. The idea of undertaking such a. publication was valuable, for, as the saying goe9, " there was a want to be supplied." LettB 1 diaries have had an immense circulation, and must have put money iuto the pocket of their originator. Tho demand for tho article, is still considerable, but. n formidable rival to Letts has appeared m New Zealand m the firm of Mcssw Whitcombe and Tomb 1 , printers and manufacturing stationer?, Chris tchurch. Wo have before us sample copies of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs' series of diaries for 18S7, nnd gladly bear testimony to their excellence m every point of view. These diaries are got up expressly for the New Zealand market, and are divided into three, series, namely, commercial, rough or scribbling, mul tho pocket series. The commercial series is supplied m folio, quarto, or octavo, full bound m cloth, and with or without interleaved blotting paper. Iho binding and lettering are admirable, the paper is excellent, and tho arrangement of the volumo appears faultless. At Ihe commencement thero are forty-seven pages of closely packed information of the most useful kind, including a calendar, postal and telograph regulations, railway guide, Customs tariff, stamp duties, New Zealand Government directory, scales of court fees, courses and distances for tho whole. New Zealand coast, ready reckoner, etc., etc. Tho rough or scribbling diaries are supplied m tho same sizes, and contain the same mass of information. The series is strongly got up m what is called m tho trade common board*. Tho paper is good, and tho arrangement all th it could be desired. The firm is to be specially congratulated on tho manner m which the pocket series has been turned out. The volumes (two sizes), aro to bo ob- | tuined m various styles of binding — stiff paper covers ; Levant leather with [ tuck fastening ; French Morocco with tuck fastening, pocket nnd gilt edijes ; full cloth ; | and leatherette with tuck fastening. A man [ who wants a pocket companion m the shape o f a diary irust be hard to please if ho cannot ' select one to his fancy out of tho assortment of natty littlo volumes offered him by the enterprising Christchurch firm. It is quite clear that tho venture must succeed, indeed it has already succeeded, for Messrs YVhitcombo and Tombs' diaries are widely known and the demand is rapidly increasing. We hoar a great deal nowadays about the necessity for encouraging colonial industries, and here the public has an industry which can stand on its merits — which is at least equal to the imported article, and which is offered at very reasonable prices. Under such circumstances Messrs Whitcombo and Tombs' diaries should before long push the English manufacture out of tho market. As good colonUts we can ! have nothing to say against such a consummation.