A NEW HOBBY FOR THE PREMIER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 582, 1 June 1868, Page 4

A NEW HOBBY FOR THE PREMIER.

(From the Taranaki Herald.) In looking over our recent files of newspapers we have come across two paragraphs, which by placing them together solves a problem. The first is from the Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, who says : " The Ministerial party having no organ in Wellington, efforts are being made to get up a paper by means of shares, to start prior to the meeting of the Assembly. The circular which is being handed round for the consideration of intending shareholders is marked ' strictly private and confidential,' and I am not, therefore, at liberty to mention details. I may, however, say that its promoters aim at making it a colonial paper, proposing to iguorepure ly local questions." And the second the New Zealand Herald has to answer for, that journal asserting that " The Press newspaper (of Canterbury) has been engaged for the Government support, and the plant will be removed to Wellington for the Session."' The problem is therefore solved that the

Press having proved a losing speculatoa in Canterbury, the Ministry (that is to say the Premier) will have the plant removed to Wellington to start a newspaper to support xnent. Some years since, in Auckland, we heard the head of the present Ministry say that had he a son he’d make a printer of him, and we verily believe he has a taste for the typographical profession, for, although the remark might have be> n made inonfyrom an idea he entertained that the contractors were making large sums ol money by the printing executed for the Government, than for anything else, yet from his subsequent acts we are of opinion that Mrbtaii'ord has aiiobby, and that hobby is, to have a linger in the “ pie.” In 1858 we find him trying to start a Government printing office, which was at last carried into effect, although at a cost to the country of some extra few thousand pounds a year; and in ISGO, he tried the experiment of geting the debates reported, but the gentleman engaged used a ream of paper for his notes, and so thoroughly disgusted our present Premier with the re-

port of his speech, that the scheme was abandoned altera week'strial.ln ISG6. the reporting hobby of our Premier was once mure visible, and we find that again in 1867 it was developed, costing the already over-taxed country several bunco.d pounds more. And now we find him going in for a government newspaper, which of course will be in the Goverment pay; not actually subsidised—that would be too glaring perhaps—-but a newspaper that will have the same influence ever the public from the fact of being a government organ, as any gentleman might in being lucky enough to have a premier for a son in-law. Weanxiously wait the issue of the hist, number of our embryo contemporary, ami in whlimg the Premier eve.y success with bis new bobby,hope that he will not find the “ printer's devil’’ a too expensive plaything.