OLD-TIME JOURNALISM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5125, 13 May 1927, Page 3

OLD-TIME JOURNALISM.

THE RACE FOR THE WIBES.

EARLY DAYS OF THE DISTRICT.

During the lifetime of the late Sir Henry Brett he had often been asked to jot down some of his experiences as a shipping reporter in the early days of Auckland. Following are some of the incidences recorded in a neat little, pamphlet which has been forwarded to us by the Editor of the Auckland Star: —

“It was not until 1876 that New Zealand had direct cable communication with the outside world, and before that year we were: dependent mainly upon sailing vessels from Australia and on the monthly mail steamers from Sydney and San Francisco for our knowledge of what was going on in other parts of the globein 1870 a contract was made with Spreckles, of San Francisco, for a monthly mail service. Auckland being the first port of call for the San Francisco boats, there was always a great race between the representatives of the news agencies in Auckland to get aboard the steamers, secure the budget of English and foreign news, and then put it on the steamers leaving the Manukau fol Nelson, where the messages were placed in the telegraph office for the Southern papers. Each agency had a summary made up in San Francisco for despatch through New Zealand on the arrival of the steamer. There was no United Press Association in those days, the 'rival news agencies being the Greville Telegram Company (which represented Reuters) and Holt and McCarthy.

. “-Ttia steamers running at the time were, the paddle-wheelers Navada and Nebraska, 3000-tonners, with huge beam engines. The Navada was the first of. these- big side-wheelers to arrive. in Auckland. She made port on May 3, 1871, after a run of 23 days from San Francisco. Incidentally it may be recalled that the great spreading paddle-wheels were a source of much bother to the shipping reporters (one of whom was the late Sir Henry Brett), who used to go down in small boats to meet the steamers. There was great rivalry amongst the reporters to get the news first, and to do this all sorts of schemes were invented, regardless of expense. One successful idea of the late Sir Henry was worked out with the aid of an ordinary tin canister, made to float like an ordinary buoy, so that it could be sealed up. This was given to the- purser of the mail steamer when he departed from Auckland for San Francisco, and on the return trip he placed the report files of San Francisco papers into the tin, sealed it up, and as soon as the steamer anchored quietly dropped it over the stern into the water, when it was quickly brought into the boat, while other reporters were patiently waiting in watermen’s boats at the gangway for the doctor’s permission to go on board. In those days of journalism there was no cable service, and to get the news from Home was as difficult as it was dangerous. Very few cared to venture near the big paddle-wheels of the San Francisco steamers.”

At the time noted one of the staff of the’“Gazette” remembers quite well that there was no telegraph service between Auckland and Thames. There whs -what was termed a “pigeongram” service, which was very active between Auckland and Waihi, which in those days had a population of little more than a dozen people, who were considering whether or. not the now famous Waihi Gold Mine was worth bothering about. It was the duty of the writer to receive and despatch pigeons to Auckland. After he had written his messages upon pink paper, which he always used, the paper, was securely fastened with light cotton to the legs of the, carriers. The birds were then released from their box to find their way to their, homes i.n Auckland. Although sometimes the birds would wander round their starting point for a long time, taking their bearings, they would invariably find their, way to Auckland, where the news round their legs was anxiously awaited.

At this time the- Thames goldfield was in its- prime, and' upwards of. a dozen small steamers were trading daily between Auckland and Thames, but there was no telegraph service. At that time there were four daily papers at Thames-three morning and one evening. The reporters of these papers also ran great risks in search of news for their papers. The late Alfred George Horton, of the “Herald,” was part-owner of one of the journals referred to. The reporters for whom there was no charge, travelled regularly on the steamle.rs. At one time during great competition one could get a return ticket to Auckland from Thames for 2s 6d, a meal included, if it happened to be mealtime. This was before the opening of what was then termed the “Upper Thames,” which included T© Aroha, Paeroa, and Waihi. When the so-called Upper Thames was proclaimed a goldfield there were quite a number of small steamers trading in the river, which was then very deep and as clear as crystal—different to the Waihou to-day. The principal landing place was known as “ Thorp’s,” which became quite famous because some of the finest apples in New Zealand were- grown there by the late J. W. Thorp. It was generally supposed at that time that Paeroa would be- the centre of the mining industry, but it was soon discovered that there was no part of. it gold-bearing, except that a small reef was discovered somewhere in the vicinity of the racecourse. The same opinion existed with regard to Te Aroha, notwithstanding the fact that rich reefs were, discovered at Waiorongpmai. Paeroa, being the st place of call, soon obtained a large population, the late Messrs A. Cassrels, Brothers Thomas and James Shaw D. Snodgrass, Edwin Edwards (who then ran the, “Gazette,” while the late C. F. Mitchell published an opposition paper callfid the "Tribune ) being amongst the first settlers. Our esteemed townsman, Mr W. J. Ellis, was also one of the early settle, s. Rich gold was discovered at Owliaroa

by the Farmer brothers, with tlhe result that a small township soon sprung up, a battery was erected, and some highly rich stone was obtained. Waihi, Karangahakc, and Komata came next with profitable results. The two latter places are now dead worlds so far as concerns mining. Securing news for the papers in Paerog was not difficult, the regular steamer service to Auckland supplying the news daily by arrangement, while there was a daily coach service from Thames to Te Aroha over the. old road. There was. a time—when opposition coaches were put on the road —when one could travel by coacli from Thames to Paeroa and Te Aroha for two shillings. The coach service was well patronised. They were the principal means of getting to the- Upper Thames. There were six hotels between Paeroa and Thames, and upwards of seventy at the latter place.