AN EARLY NEWSPAPER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN EARLY NEWSPAPER.

OR. S. McD. MARTIN'S VENTURE

SHORT AND STORMY CAREER,

'By P-41 KOJmiAJtAMA.I

Many men of marked ability were amongst our earliest colonists. Such a man whs Dr. Samuel McDonald Martin, : bird editor of the first Auckland newspaper, "The Xew Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette." The career of tliis pap. r was short and stormy. It was first issued on Saturday, July 10, 184 J. the last issue, Xo. 65, being on April 2, 184-. 7 he circulation was 250 copies. I.ho population of Auckland was then about 2000. Dr. Martin was appointed editor in January, 1842, for a term of two years. Ho was a fearless critic, and boldly denounced what was, in his opinion, Government mismanagement, and in a series of sixteen letters written between the years 1830 and 1844, he gives vivid pen pictures of Government otiiciiils, colonists, and the ail'airs of the colony at that time.

A fellow countryman was Dr., afterwards Sir, John Logan Campbell. Martin like < ampbell, was a qualified medical practitioner, obtaining his M.D. degree before leaving his native land. Little is known of his early life, except that he was born at Kilmuir, isle of Skye, and we are informed in one of his letters that ho had a sheep run in New South Wales,! but ho did not remain long in that colony, believing that the penal colony, although well adapted for its original purpose, would never become the happv homo of a eimtented and a moral, Ires population. He there/ore decided to visit \>w Zealand, and first arrived in June, 1830, landing at Hokianga, from where ho journeyed overland to the Bay of Islands, thence to Coromandel by cutter, where he stayed with a man named Webster, the same Wepiha with whom Campbell stayed at Waiomo the follow-j ing year.

Tlie Thames was visited, and land purchased from the natives, a sawmill being erected later. Martin revisited New South Wales several times, and ultimutely settled in New Zealand. On May 24, 1841, the first sitting of the Legislative Council was held in Auckland. First Legislative Council.

Tho Council consisted of six members, besides Governor Hobson, who presided, the Colonial Secretary, Willoughby Shortland, the Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Cooper, and the Attorney-General, William Swanson. The six members were rhe three senior justices of the peace, Air. Halswell, who then owned no land in the colony, Mr. Clendon, who had recently sold one of his properties, Okiato, consisting of 300 acres at the Bay of Islands, to the Government for £15,000. Of this amount £2500 was immediately paid by bills on the Sydney Government, the remainder bearing ten per cent interest until paid. This was not paid, but 10,000 acres, known as Clendon's Grant, at Papatoetoe, given instead. Okiato was renamed Russell by Hobson. It was surveyed for subdivision, and was for a few months the capital of the colony. It must not be confused with Kororareka, the present Russell. Kororareka took that name in 1844, but was never the capital of the colony.

The third member wa3 a former sea captain, W. Porter, who, Martin says, paid the Colonial Secretary £1500 for a section the latter bought the previous .March for £315, and immediately after the purchase Porter was made a member of the Council in a colony where he had not been resident many weeks. There were frequent changes in the personnel of the non-official members, but these ten members constituted the Government. Martin's editorials caused the Government much annoyance, and a climax was soon reached. Writing in May, 1842, the editor admits that the Government was particularly incensed on account of articles appearing in the Press, apparently written by one of the members of the Council. The member suspected was Mr. Earp, a recent appointee, who, during Martin's absence from the Council meetings, wrote some strictures on the members of the Council, including himself, but embracing Martin's views. The public supported Earps views, but he was dismissed from the Council. Clipping His Wings.

The Government now sought to clip Martin's Mings and took the following action. The affairs of the printing company Mere under the management of four directors, three being Government official*. The only business man was Mr. Montetiorc. who was anxious that Martin should have an opportunity of making known the wants and wishes of the colony. But the directors decided that no further articles of Martin's were to be inserted unless he gave security that the company should not suffer through any libellous matter that might bo published. Martin's friends tendered this security, but the directors then decided that the paper should only continue as an advertising medium and Martin Mas informed that his services Mere no longer required as editor.

The company, M - liich was composed mostly of Government officials, was dis- ; solved, the press anil printing .material being purchased bv the Government for £1700. Martin states a newspaper Mas instantly published, edited by Mr. Swainson, the Attorney-General. the Government having now all they could desire —a press at their command. The late editor brought an action against Ihe Colonial Secretary and Chief Police Magistrate for two years' salary. The case was tried before the judge, Mr. Martin, and one year's salary M~as allowed. Thus closes the career of this paper, of which, unfortunately, oui public library only possesses four parts.,

Tile public were so much impressed with the necessity of milking an effort to change this state of tilings that they requested Martin to obtain a press and printiii'_' material from Sydney. This hr> consented to do. and we next hear <>f Dr. Martin as editor of the "Southern Cross,"' lirst published 011 22nd April, 1 S4.J. the proprietors being Messrs Itrown and Campbell. The paper ceased publication on 20th April, 1845, owing to Mr. Ilmwn's temporary departure from t lie colony. Dr. Martin also left for Kngland that year. The publication of the paper was resumed in 1847, being later sold to Mr. YogM, then to Mr. Morton and others, who started the "New Zealand Herald" in November. ]8»!3.

Or. Martin was appointed a member of the Legislative Council of New Zealand by Governor Fitzroy in 1844. Although passionately fond of New Zealand. l)r. Martin felt compelled to leave it owing to Government misrule. In It owing to Government misrule. At the time of his death, eighty years ago to-day, Dr. Martin was a stipendiary magistrate at Berbice, British Guiana.