THE PUBLISHER'S DESK.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 6, 1 March 1900, Page 84

THE PUBLISHER'S DESK.

The New Zealand Illustrated Magazine was given by wiseacres exactly six months to live That six months has passed over its head. It has been the sad experience of many proprietors of earlier New Zealand periodicals to have either to announce their premature decease at, or about, this stage of their existence, or to allow them to expire ignominously without an obituary notice. But this has not been our experience. On the contrary, we have great pleasure in announcing to our readers that our attempt at supplying a national New Zealand Magazine has met with sufficient success and approval to warrant us in reducing the price of a single number from one shilling to ninepence, and the annual subscription from ten shillings and sixpence to eight shillings and sixpence, post free. In order that our present subscribers shall also profit by this reduction, arrangements have been made to extend their term to fifteen months, instead of the twelve months to which they were originally entitled. This will place them on an equal footing with those who subscribe under the new conditions The reduction in price of the Magazine will be accompanied with improvements which will tend to materially enhance its popularity. The first improvement in this respect, noticeable in the April Number, will be a new specially^designed cover. The contents will include some attractive features — an article has been promised by Mr. E. H. Bold on a subject which is as yet little understood, viz., " Wireless Telegraphy." In it Mr. Bold will expose many of the errors and misunderstandings which are at present -extant regarding this marvellous invention. Mr. Frederic Villiers, the noted war correspondent, will give some more of his experiences with our forces in South Africa — and no man knows better how to do it than he does. At the present juncture there is no more absorbing subject. Mr. C. 0. Carriek writes on South Island Maori Eomance, and he is an undoubted authority on the subject. Mr. W. T. Masefield will endeavour to prove " "Why Federation is Not Desirable." Mr. F. W. Coombes will give a most interesting article on that popular pastime "Tatching in New Zealand." The Eev. Curzon-Siggers contributes a Hymn for our Forces in South Africa, which he has composed. It has been already used at the Forbury Park Camp services, and elsewhere. The stories and poems by various New Zealand authors and authoress, selected for this number, will be found to be above the average order of merit. It would not be just to conclude these remarks on the success which our efforts have already attained without expressing our gratitude to our contributors for the invaluable assistance they have rendered in making the New Zealand Illustbated Magazine an established popular periodical. And here it might not be out of place to remark, in conclusion, that all our well-wishers (and from the number of letters expressing congratulation and appreciation we have received from all parts of the colony, we know that they are many) can further our object by making the Magazine known to their friends, both in New Zealand and beyond it.