PIONEER PUBLICATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 127, 31 May 1935, Page 11

PIONEER PUBLICATION

THE CHRISTCHURCH TIMES OVER EIGHTY YEARS OLD The new newspaper merger arrangement in Christchurch brings to an end the history of a newspaper which was as old as its home province. As the Lyttelton Timos, by which name it was known until a few years ago, it was first published on January 11, 1851, only a short time after the arrival of the first emigrant snips at Lyttelton. The Times was, in fact, planned before the colonists left England. Ingram Shrirnpton, one of tne bestknown printers in England at that time, invested over £2OOO in the venture and shipped type, paper, ink and all other necessary equipment by the Charlotte Jane, the first vesael of the “First Fleet” to anchor in I.yHelton Harbour. A competent, although small, staff of printers was on boo id. The first editor was Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, afterwards superintendent of the province, and the first sub editor was Mr. F. Knowles, later Canon Knowles. Both posts were honorary. Tho plant, was unloaded from the small ship and it had io rem.i." in the open until a building to house it could bo erected. Fortunately, it v.;<> fine, summer weather at the time, and there is even a tradition that the fust Issue was published in tho open ait Thc Times is the oldest newspaper in New Zealand, but not tae oldest daily newspaper. It was first <»t> eightpage weeklv publication, and >: was not. until 1865 that it became a da/ly. In its early flays the Times encountered considerable opposition, and a brilliant Irish editor, Mr. Crosbio Ward, champ’oned tho colonv ngainst the Colonial Office with a gu'lo and freedom which would to-day bring many libel actions. It was in 1859 that Mr. William Reeves became a partner, and he was tho man who redly built up the business into what it became ■with the passage of time. In 1w63l w 63 the offices of the newspaper were shifted to Christchurch, type, niavhitterv and even the staff being loadel on to dreys and taken across the hills. From then on the name of thc newspaper was a misnomer. Tn July, 1865. it became a daily newspaper, just three days before tho first mail left Christchurch for the West Coast, where gold had been discovered. At that time it took four days and a-half to get to the W< c ' Coast and five days to return. Difficult periods wore experienced <bi (iff the depressions of the eighties an I nineties, but the crisis was averted. Many out-

standing editors served the newspaper among them being Mr. R. A. Lough nan and Mr. S. Saunders, both strong Liberals. Tn 1929, an amalgamation wai effected between the Timos, the Christ ] church Star (published from the samf office as the Times), and the Auckland Star, the new organisation being known as New Zealand Newspapers. Limited. It was at this timo tnat the name by which the newspaper hud been known for nearly 80 vears was changed to the Christchurch Times. CAREER OF THE SUN LIFE OF TWENTY ONE YEARS AUCKLAND VENTURE FAILS The Sun commenced publication in j Christchurch on February 6. 1914, : largely through the effotts ul Mr. E I C. Huie, who in 1912 was instrumental j in floating the Canterbury Publishing ; Company, Limited. Tho capital subI scribed to launch the newspapei was j £41,000. Air. Huie was editor from 1914 I to 1925 and has been managing direc- [ tor sinve 1920. | A movement, to extend thc company’s | operations to Auckland was initiated i in 1925, when thc prospects of Sun I Newspapers, Limited, incurpuiating . the Canterbury Publishing Company, ■ was issued. Up io that time the coinpany had been in a sound position, the • prospectus stating that, although for , the previous six years the company had ! paid a merely normal dividend of 6 per cent., its average not annual pro j fits had latterly been approximately , 30 per cent, of its paid-up capital. The 1 nominal capital of the new company i was £300,000 in £1 shaies, of which : 100,000 fully paid up were to be I allotted to the shareholders of the ; Canterbury Publishing Company. j The Sun commenced publication in I Auckland on March 23, 1927. and it ' eeased on September 20, 1930. when it ; was announced that the goodwill, pro- ■ perty and plant had been purchased by New Zealand Newspapers. Limited, and that the newspaper would be incorporated in thc Auckland Star. At the same time it was stated that. Sun Newspapers, Limited, would conI tinuo to publish the Sun. Christchurch, i which would not be affected in any way by the realisation of the com* I pany’s assets in Auckland. Editors of the Sun after Mr. Huie were Mr P. S. Crisp, 1925-27; Mr. J. 11. Hall, 1927-33; and Air. H. AIcD. Vincent, who was appointed in 1933). \ 21st. anniversary