Feilding Star

The Feilding Star was the first newspaper to publish in Feilding. The Feilding area had been developing through the 1870s driven by the settlement of the Manchester Block and the linking by rail of Feilding with other towns in the Manawatu and Horowhenua. The conditions were right for a newspaper to set up there.

The paper, initially called the Feilding Guardian, was established by George Capper and David Curle in 1879. In 1882 the paper was sold to George Kirton and Augustus Robert Curtis, who changed the title to the Feilding Star. The paper became a daily in 1893 in response to increasing competition from newspapers in other towns in the area, particularly Palmerston North.

In 1906 the Star was acquired by its best known owner, Frederick Pirani. Pirani had been a Member of the House of Representatives for Palmerston North from 1893 to 1902. Pirani was a radical Liberal whose combative style often got him embroiled in conflict, most notably with Seddon, the Premier and leader of his party. Consequently Seddon endorsed a rival candidate for Palmerston North for the 1899 election. Despite this Pirani retained his seat.

The Feilding Star was not Pirani’s first venture into newspaper publishing. He had previously worked as a journalist and owned the Manawatu Standard and Hutt and Petone Chronicle.

The Feilding Star ceased publication in October 1939 citing as the cause a newsprint shortage due to the War.