EARLY DAYS OF THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4311, 14 January 1875, Page 3

EARLY DAYS OF THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.

To the Editor of the Otago Daily Times. Sir, —In the interesting account of the adjourned meeting o£ the Press Club, which you have published in your issue of the 2nd inst., a few things are stated, in the speech of his Honor Judge Chapman, which are not altogether in accordance with fact ; and as it is in my power to correct them, I venture to do so, relying on your courtesy to give what I now write due publicity in the columns of your paper. I feel the more inclined to address you—l. Because what I have to state is closely connected (historically so, I may say) with the introduction of the Press into New Zealand, a matter in which both yourself and the Press Club cannot but be deeply interested ; and, 2nd, because what has been publicly uttered by a gentleman of so long standing in our colony, and holding such a high position as Mr. Justice Chapman (on such an occasion, too), is sure to be received with great attention, and, most probably, be repeatedly published in all parts of the English-speaking world. While, however, I proceed to show some of the errors made by Judge Chapman in his speech, I would be understood as merely doing that which his Honor himself would undoubtedly have done had he been fully aware of it ; although some may be ready to detect a vein of the ad captandum genus running throughout this portion of the learned Judge's remarks. Judge Chapman says : —" He would now come to what would be of interest to his hearers, the early history of the press of this colony, particularly the newspaper press. . The first number of the paper (the New Zealand Gazette) was issued on the 18th of April, 1841. . . . Although this was the first newspaper in the colony, he did not mean to say that the press which printed the New Zealand Gazette was the first printing press. The missionaries had a small printing press at Pahia," (scil. Paihia), "many years before, which they used to print little books for the instruction of the Maoris—printing prayers and so forth—extracts from the Scripture printed in Maori, and a little Grammar and Accidence for teaching the Maoris English. He had seen some of the printing work done by the missionaries, and he thought that the printers of the present day would turn up their intelligent noses at it. (Laughter.) It was not very good press work, but it was useful in its time." Then the Judge goes on to say : " There was another little press in the colony ; Colonel Wakefield brought with him a little toy-press. ... It was the second printing press introduced into the colony of New Zealand." Now, then, for the facts :

The printing press of the Church Missionary Society, which arrived with me in New Zealand in 1834, was not a "small" one, it being a Stanhope press, royal size ; and this was soon followed by a Columbian press of the same size. These were constantly used, not only to print " little books—prayers and so forth, and extracts from scriptures, and a little grammar" —but to print tolerably large books, viz.: —ln 1835, the Epistles to the Ephesians and Philippians, and the Gospel of St. Luke, in 12m0., containing 79 pages ; in 1837, the whole of the New Testament in small pica, Bvo., containing 356 pages, of which edition 5,000 copies were printed ; in 1839, the Psalms; in 12m0., containing. 128 pages, of which 20,000 copies were printed ; in 1840, the complete Prayer Book of the Church of England, in long primer, 12m0., with its Epistles, Gospels, Psalms, Occasional Services, Articles, and Rubrics, and also 42 additional hymns, forming a book of 372 pages ; besides which there were large quantities of smaller books printed, such as Catechisms, yearly almanacs, daily prayor books, school lessons, primers, parts of the Old Testament, as of Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Daniel, Jonah, &c, &c, each containing from twelve to fifty-two pages in Bvo. and in 12mo. The first English book, being " The Report of the New Zealand Temperance Society," was printed in 1836, and the first Gazette in English was printed for the Government in 1840.

As all these were composited wholly by myBelf without assistance, and, in part, also printed—and that under great difficulties,* of which neither missionary nor printer of the present day. can possibly form any correct idea —I will not say anything as to the quality of the work ; yet, in again looking at the printing of those works (copies now lying on my writing table), I feel pretty sure that no " printers of the present day would turn up their intellectual noses at it." Moreover, should the members of the Press Club at Dunedin wish it, and also pay the expenses, I will, with much pleasure, Bend them, per registered mail, copies of the works for their inspection and opinion—but to be returned to me. I may further mention that those books were also bound by myself : tlie art of bookbinding, with many other xiseful arts, I was obliged to learn at that early and eventful period of our history. I conclusion, I may be permitted to add that I believe I shall—at least by all the members of the Press Club—be readily pardoned for saying that the first printing-press in New Zealand under my superintendency has much to bo fairly proud of, in having printed the first and only edition of the complete New Testament in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first English book and English newspaper in New Zealand.—l am, &0., j William Colenso. Napier, Nov. 28. _^____