THE PAPER FAMINE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 169, 28 April 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE PAPER FAMINE.

AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. NEWSPAPER TROUBLES IN ENGLAND. The war-pinch is in journalistic evidence this week. The 'Standard.' alter nearly a hundred years of life, is, if net moribund, at least in the '•anon of the Official Receiver, and hy him was yesterday offered at auct'er, to whomsoever would buy it. Aftir vain effort to realise the reserve fixed by the Court, the property was passed in unsold. £IO,OOO was bid for the goodwill, copyright, r_icivet's interest in the machinery, and book-debts aggregating mere than £SOOO, while no more than a poorly insignificant sun: was offered l*o/ the subscriptions .and the advertising contracts. The next stage in the lalien fortunes of the "Standard" will be that of private negotiation tor purchase. In 1910 this paper was making a net profit of .(129,1)00. By 1912 that aggregote had dioppe-d to £12,000, while in 11) 1 t the slump of war-time reduced it beyond salvation.

Our other journalistic excitement is a controversy, involving bit•er attiets, personal and otherwise, between the 'Times" and the "Westminster Gazette." it arose out of the "V'ftstminster's" quotation of an article from a German newspaper, wherein the recent agitation by the "Times," and the journals associated with it, in the matter of air raids on L'ng'and, was shown to be very welcome in Germany. The "Times" seems U- have been much angered by

tin.', doubtful publicity. At any rate. i| t.t once fell heavily upon the "W'o. tieiivate'r Gazette," a, raising tliat 1.1; oral journal of any number of m'seakulttlions before the war end wannesses during the war. v. hat time the "Evening News," also ol the Nort'iel'ffe piei.-, proceeded to ■/:• }w that German interests are behind U: "Wesitmi'lnstet Gazette. ' i'iiat paper accordingly disclosed .-(■me oi i:i' "Times's" present shareholder.- as German, an'; ctherwlse impre vcti the occasion D>' ;i lament over the 'Times" as we u rv know it and lie dignilied and aui: oritative r 'j.w, ■. i.,M-ii to be. Tim <e; llict is ;.: :c„'! ihal :i will grow r....0r than dimiti'i-*? >:i fierceness. ji-.eupond-err. "!•••<!ney Morning Hi;aid. '