A BI-WEEKLY SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 8, 25 September 1942, Page 4

A 81-WEEKLY SERVICE

DIRECTORS and management of the Bay of Plenty Beacon, as has been their endeavour in the past, desire to take readers and advertisers into their full confidence and by laying- all cards on the table to explain the circumstances which have compelled them reluctantly to introduce a biweekly service as from Friday, October 2nd. This step has been forced upon the firm as a result of the serious shortage of newsprint, the uncertainty of further supplies reaching this country, the growing problem of trained journeymen and, lastly the transport difficulties which have severely limited the collection of news items. The decision has only been reached after a prolonged, and careful study of all the above and it is with no little regret that it was found impossible to carry on with the same service without imperilling the complete exhaustion of newsprint stocks within a comparatively short tipie. It had been the hope and desire of the Directorate to maintain the same peace time service of a tri-weekly country paper irrespective of war conditions and we take pride in informing our readers that their paper was one of the few to maintain its normal size and news coverage for over three years of war. By this fact alone we feel we can substantiate our claim to the genuine need to cut down. It is hoped that the elimination of one issue per week will be reflected in the greater volume of local news provided in the remaining two. Every effort will therefore be made to make the BEACON in its new form more readable if possible, than before on this ac count. As in the past no effort will be spared to make it as much the peoples paper as ever, fearlessly non-political and unsectarian in every respect. It will be our privilege as always to champion all deserving local causes, to sponsor local appeals and, to portray to the best of our ability the main events of local life. Adjustments will be made when the whole financial position has been given closer study but we would ask our readers to bear with us in the face of the mounting difficulties of paper market and staff. We can assure them at the same time that the return of normal times, or a brighter outlook as far as supplies are concerned will be the signal for an immediate return to the tri-weekly basis and a re-introduction of the full service enjoyed in past years. May we take this opportunity of thanking subscribers and advertisers alike for their patronage and support and in view of the circumstances, of seeking their continued goodwill under the bi-weekly service in future.