80 Years' Service

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 6

80 Years' Service

"HERALD'S HISTORY" Link With Early Days of Napier ST0RY OF PI0NEERING When Napier was a small settlement and the water lapped close to Onepoto Gully the first number of the "Hawke's Bay Herald" appeared. This was in 1857, seventeen years before the borough was formed. In those far off days the rich plains were lonely distances with only occasional homesteads and tiny settlements. Napier was a centre of security and civilisation. As the hinterland became peopled witii increasing numbers trade advanced rapidly and more and more businesses came into being to serve the needs oi those who developed the wide profiuctive territory of Hawke's Bay. The "Herald" gave the link that bound the interests of town and country. The rich lands surrounding Hawke's Bay and for many miles inland were being sold, and tbe revenue was being expended in Wellington, , while Hawke's Bay waa left practically roadless. This was most unsatisfactory to tbe sottlers, and a movemcnt for separation was inaugurated tbe promoters of which , keenly felt the need of a newspaper to assist them. FOUNDER AND LATER PEOPRIETORS. Mr. James Wood, an Auckland journalist, was induced to start the "Herald," the first number of which appeared on September 24, 1857. It was a very small sheet, issued weekly at first, but soon after was issued twice a week. Early in the year 1871 Mr. Wood ventured to issuo a daily halfsheet, Mr. , W. W. • Carlile being appointed editor. On April 1 of that year the business was purchased from Mr. Wood by Mr. Peter Dinwiddie, who had. been for some time accountant to Mr. Wood, Mr. Carlile and Mr Morrison. Lead of tho printing department. In 1878 Mr. Car- , lile sold out his interest to his partners. In the following year Mr. Morrison sold his share to Mr. Walker, and the style .of th'e firm . was then changed to Dinwiddie, Walker and Co. The business was in 1886 turned into a limited liability company, Messrs . Dinwiddie and Walker retaining large interests together with their respective positions of business rnanager and editor. Mr. Peter Dinwiddie left Home on account of ill-health and came out to New Zealand to join a brother who had been in business for some time in the colony. He arrived in Napier in October, 1863, and for a short time assisted his brother, Mt. John Dinwiddie, as accountant, and was for a period with Mr. Yautier Janisch, auctioneer and shipping agent. Subsequently he became accountant to Mr. Wood, pro prietor of the "Herald," which position he Tetained until 1871, when, in conjunction with Messrs. Carlile and Morrison, he bought the paper with whicl» he was afterwards associated. Mr. William Dinwiddie, who became . editor of the "Herald" in 1901, is a barrister and solieitor of the Supremo Court of New Zealand. Mr. Dinwiddie was editor until the aierger of the "Herald" interests in Hawke's Bay Newspapers, Ltd., in 1932. He is still a resident of Napier and is well known as chairman of the Napier Secondary Education Board. i POLITICS AND NEWS SERVICE. One of the earliest battles in whicb the "Herald" took a leading part resulted in the formation io£ the boroughs of Napier and Hastings. II seems strange to recall that the introduction of an up-to-date sewerage sys tem for Napier was the subject of fieree controversy. The "Herald" fought vigorously and successfully to have this imporlant work undertaken. The construetiou of Napier 'a Marine Parade was another developmeut for which the ' ' Herrdd ' ' campaigned. No newspaper, however, can survive solely on the conducting of progressive campaigns. News is its lifeblood and the Herald 's" serviee in keeping the public informed of world, New Zealand, and local events has won * it an unrivalled reputation for up-to"-dateness and aecuracy. The nioderation of its editorial policy and its adherenee to the rules of decent journalism have given the paper a staiiding in the community that is impressive. THROUGH UPS AND 'DOWNS. There are few newspapers iu New Zealand wbich bave not. passed through many vieissitudes. The "Herald" has had perhaps more tlian 'most papers of those ups and downs. It has been through several of tbose " finaneial slumps which cause businesses *to totter or fail. It twice saw the whole of the plant, buildings and macliinery destrOyed by fire. The first time was on December 18, 1886, and the second occasion on February 3, 1931, when the earthquake and fire destroved everything. In 1886 some of the plant and stock: of paper was saved and the paper came out as, usual on the Monday morn-

ing, affer the fire, not having miwed a* j issuet On February 3, 1931, howeve*, I not a acrap of metal or sheet of papesr j was saved, and it was several days be* { fore, with the help of the "Hawke's | Bay Tribune," it was able to make its \ reappearance. V Circumstances in connection - witfc printing and distribution of & news* - paper have changed very greatly* sinee * that first issue of the "Herald" in \ 1857. Then news from Wellington and \ Auckland came by steamer at intervals, while news from Home came by way of the mail steamers, and was forwardi / ed from Auckland, which was the main / calling port for overseas mail steamers* STEPS IN DEVELOPMENT. It was not long before a regular mail service by coaches brought Napier into closer and more regular touch withi Wellington and Auckland, and the mail service was followed-shortly after by a telegraphic service so that, even in those early days, the residentk of • both towns and backblocks were well "catered for in the way of "news. When the "Herald " was first pub* lished it was printed on a small Albion press, which remained in the office right up to the date of the earthquake of February 3, 1931, having been used for over half a century as a proof press. - The machine which printed. tho ' ' Herald ' ' in 1874, when Napier becamS a borough, was a small flat-bed machine driven by a fly-wheel worked by Land* It ' was • capable of turning out *800 2* page sheets per hour, and the first two ( pages of the paper in- those days had to be printed on the day preceding tho issue. To-day it is printed on a -rotary printing machine capable of running up to 24,000 complete papers per hour. In the distribution . of the ' papea great changes have also taken place* The early issues were distributed- on horseback, by coach, by post, and in some cases by canoe. . Speeial- deliv* eries by -horsemen, earried the paper tO » Petane and Eskdale on the one side, to Puketapu, Taradale, Meeanee, • ClivO and. Havelock • on the other side, f(«J Hastings was not on the map until thei "Herald" had been produced for 'sev* eral years. With the advent of the railways O more rapid and regular distribution waa made possible and with the co-ordina* ' ' tion of rail and coach services all-parta ni of the province were reached within the- / space of a few hours. Motor transpcrt has made possible still more napid and. complete distribution of the paper to the country districts. DIFFICULTIES SURMOUNTED. The distribution of a newspaper ifl at times fraught with difficulties if a regular serviee is to be maintained, and there have been times when the firm's resources and man's courage have been tested to the limit to achieve regular delivery. • On the occasion of the 1897. flood, thd destruction' of the' railway bridge and road bridge at Waitangi stopped rail* ' way traffie for some days, and arrangements had to be rnade for the paperi to be ferried across the Tiver in a Na pier Rowing Club 's "boat, and thencfll conveyed by Beeerofts' coaches toWaD pawa, wherice they were earried further by' train. Very soon after trains were running to both sides of the . gap at Waitangi, and the Tailway distribution was.resumed with but little delay. We have traversed very brieflv the very great changes, that have taken place in all direetions since the first copy of the "Herald" was issued in 1857. The "Herald" has always manu tained its position as a strictly Hawke's Bay paper, and in expressing appreciation of the support given in the past it is with. the hope that this support will enable it, in its new circumstances, -to do still more in furthering the interests of the province in the future.