PHŒNIX.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 1, 24 October 1887, Page 2

PHŒNIX.

To-day* we appear before our readers under the new name, tlie “Patea Mail ” having died of inanition, tho “Patea County Press” has placed itself in the gap, in the hope of furthering the interests of the town and district. The loss of the local journal was found to be more severe than had been considered possible and the impossibility of local interests being served by other journals became each day more apparent and it is more especially so since our political position has also turned somewhat in a new direction, and in one that no power but that of a local journal could beneficially watch. As might be expected tho lines of the “ County Press ” will be very similar to those of its predecessor excepting that more attention will be paid to strictly district matters, and less prominence given to tho doings of the outside world —with the exception of the telegraphic intelligence which will be found almost as full as that in the •‘Mail.” Our solo object will be to secure tho advancement of the district and unity of town and country interests ; as without such unity prosperity is impossible and for such a district as this to lack prosperity is one of tho crudest proofs of want of unison in action that it is possible to conceive. To suppose that a town can prosper without the earnest assistance of the surrounding district is to suppose an absurdity while for a country to give its support to a dispirit town instead of its own centre is equally condemnatory. Tho interests of the tw*o are one, and are inseparable, as the warmth from the summer or tho cold from tho winter. Tho first object of tho country should be to foster as reliable a market as possible close to its own centre, as, what ever settlers may think to the contrary, it is an undeniable fact that the cost of ' transit to the market, be the distance I long or short, must inevitably bo borne by the producer, and when settlors support markets away from home they must do so at their own immediate disadvantage It may be that prices will load to tiro opinion that tho larger to urns’ markets are ho i more profitable, but, let settlers, bo- j I re deciding for themselves on this question, carefully add or deduct, as their business may have been purchase

or sale, tho cost of carriage to or from . the market, and the value of their own time spent in travelling the greater distance, and wo venture to think that tho result will bo a very direct verdict in favour of tho nearest market, a verdict which would be amplified and intensified by every increased measure of support granted, while the very extension of support will act and react to the mutual and direct benefit of both town and country. To those who hold opposite opinions, wo simply say withhold your judgment until a fair and impartial trial lias been given, and wo have no fear for tho result. Our remarks have already wandered far beyond our primary intention, and we would therefore draw them to a close, in doing so, however, we ask for ourselves a reasonable measure of support from every portion of the community It is an old sayiug that man cannot live on broad alone, and it«is an admitted fact that civilised man cannot live without broad, and ho likes it all tho better with a fair projJortion of butter. Our time and energies will be willingly nd freely placed at tho dis posal of all classes, both town and country, but at tho same time it can not bo so done without recompense, and our readers both of the business and farming community may rest as sured that the proprietor of tho County Press has no intention of dissomina ting news simply for then* benefit or amusement, tho venture must receive support enough to render it profitable or it will bo discontinued, like every other business, it is absolutely in the hands of tho public, and its life in their keeping Without liberal sup port it cannot exist; if such support bo granted no stono will bo left unturned to keep pace with the growing im X»ortanco of the district, and the requirements of tho times.