THE BIRTH OF THE HOKITIKA GUARDIAN

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1928, Page 3

THE BIRTH OF THE HOKITIKA GUARDIAN

Among the many messages of congratulation and goodwill received b,> the company on the enlargement ol the Hokitika Guardian, was a very kindly message from Mr J. S. Dawes, J.P., now of Auckland, a former m 1 prietor of the Guardian. Mr Dawes in a very cordial letter grows reminiscent about the birth of the paper. He says: “It does not seem many years sine* I printed the first copy o' the Guardian on a hand press for Mr Di Curie. It was a bi-weekly then. Later on Mr Curie bought out the “Evening Star” from the trustees ol the late J. P., Klein, and still later I bought out Mr Curie. 1 remember my experiences as a young editor and bov “Collar Low” used to help me out on the sporting side. Those were great times —-pretty strenuous —but I shall remember always the friendships of those who assisted me as a struggling young journalist: The political history of the Guardian, its staunch adherence to Liberalism and later on to Seddon as Liberalism’s great representative, would make interesting reading, and some day perhaps the story might be told. It would'be interesting.” The Hokitika Evening Star was founded in 1865 by Joseph Phillip Avlein. Mr Curie joined the “ Star ” staff in 1880, having conic from the Wellington Evening Post, of which h' had beeii one of the original proprietors. It was in 1881 that Mr V •

left Mr-Klein’s employ and the Guardian was '‘printed in Tancred Street Two years later,'on the death of Mr Klein, Mr Curie acquired the “ Star,” and v both papers were combined and printed from the Revell Street office of the Star. In 1893 Mr Dawes bought out Mr Curie, and enlarged the paper. Four years later, in December of 1897. there was a disastrous fire in Revell Street, and the Guardian and Star office was included in the buildings totally destroyed. Mr Dawes then acquired the Recliabite Hall in South Revell -Street, and a new “ Guardian ” was issued-in due course. Messrs Night-

ingale and Evans joined the firm and in 1903 Mr Dawes sold out and Mr Benjamin became a partner in the firm: Such was the early history of the paper, ! which later acquired the West Co'ast Times,” and Mr Keown joined the company which is still carrying on successfully, though the personnel has changed somewhat.

• APPRECIATION. i; (Timaru Post.) Enterprise has ever, been a marked characteristic of the people of Hie Golden West, as the West Coast of thSouth Island has long been known. This enterprise and faith in the future has not been limited to any one particular branch of industry. The people of the West Coast have long been inspired by the conviction that that part u f the Dominion is destined to play a great part in the future of the country, just as its activities of the past have materially influenced the progress of the country. The old time discovery of gold on the West Coast, followed by the " opening up of the many supremely rich coalmines, had a marked influence on the prosperity of the Dominion, and later the West Coast was responsible for sending to the House of Representatives a man who left a lasting impression on the political life of the Dominion and of the Empire—the Right Honourable Richard John Seddon, who during the thirteen years of his notable Premiership, literally blazed a new trail in New Zealand statesmanship. The proprietors of the “ Hokitika Guardian and Evening Star,” which has long enjoyed a considerable vogue on the Coast, have ever shown themselves responsive to the spirit which has ever animated West Coasters, that journal being always kept well abreast of the times, and they now have taken another forward step, by the installation of a new printing plant, much more ,up-to-date than that which had previously done such good work, thus making for greater efficiency •in the production of the paper. The first issue under the new dispensation has just come to hand, and the management is to be congratulated on the initial publication, which is in every way worthy of the printer’s art. With the new machinery now secured, tlie company has been enabled to enlarge tlie paper from four to eight pages, whilst the price remains unchanged. There can be no question but the enterprise shown will be widely appreciated by subscribers throughout the tkiast. The proprietors are to be congratulated on the enterprise shown, the first production being creditable to a degree from whatever standpoint it may be judged. '3