New Zealand’s First Newspaper

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 2, 24 March 1927, Page 11 (Supplement)

New Zealand’s First Newspaper

remarkable progress made in New Zealand journalism within less than a century is marked vividly to-day by the advent of THE SUN. From the simple and necessarily crude publication of the early colony’s pioneer newspaper to this first issue of the Dominion’s latest daily metropolitan journal In circumstances of the highest development represents a giant’s stride in press production. The contrast is the vast difference between a raupo whare and a commodious steel-and-concrete structure; between the old ‘ comp”, and the modern “1in0.,” and the mechanical transformation of the laborious hand press to the mighty high-speed rotary printing machine. The distinction of having published New Zealand’s first newspaper is held by Wellington, which beat Auckland in journalistic pioneering by the narrow margin of two months. It is not practicable to review the whole history of New Zealand journalism; but a few brief facts should be of general interest. A BOLD ADVENTURE According to the late Dr. Wacken, F.L S., in a paper read before the Otago branch of the New Zealand Institute, Mr. Samuel Revans was undoubtedly the father of the press in this country. The first paper had its birthplace on the banks of the Hutt River and was printed in a raupo whare. It was there that the chief surveyor was engaged in. planting the earliest township, which was first called “Britannia,” but afterwards by its present name, Wellington. Mr. Revans’s previous history was stirring and marked him as one well-suited to participate iu the foundation of the young settlement. Born in England and

associated with the printing business, he emigrated to Canada in 1833, where he joined his friend, Mr. H. S. Chapman, so well-known later as Mr. Justice Chapman. The two engaged in newspaper ventures and brought out the first daily journal published in British North America—-the “Montreal Daily Advertiser.” Becoming mixed up in the so-called Canadian rebellion Mr. Revans had a price put upon his head, but eluded pursuit and afterwards met Edward Gibbon Wakefield and cast in his lot with the scheme for settlement of New Zealand. They purchased a press and type and two editions of the paper were first published in London, one dated August 21 and the other September, 1839. A fortnight later the ships “Aurora,” “Oriental,” and “Adelaide” sailed, and the latter carried Mr. Revans and his plant. The voyage took six months, but there was no delay in getting out the paper ou April 18, 1840. It wasuTssued in four pages, demy folio, and called ‘*The New Zealand Gazette,” but with the twentieth number the further title of “and Britannia Spectator,” was added. It was issued weekly, the subscription rates being £2 a year, or Is. a copy. In 1841 the paper was issued twice a week, but it reverted to the weekly issue before its final disappearance.

The journal warmly supported the Wakefield system of colonisation and was antagonistic to Auckland as the seat of the British Government. These two features tended to bring about the “Gazette’s” decay and final death on September 25, 1844, after publishing 363 numbers. Mr. Revans then commenced sheep farming in Wairarapa. For a time he represented his district in the Provincial Council and died at 80 years of age in Greymouth

in 1888. The old press went into service in one or two printing offices in Wellington and then found its way to Masterton, where it printed the local paper until the whole plant was destroyed by fire. An old pressman who had worked on it from the first issue secured the remains and exhibited them at the N.Z. Exhibition, 1889-90. A rival to the “Gazette” was xne New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser,” published twice weekly at 6d. a copy, but the paper died in 1576 after 105 issues. HOBSON AND THE PARSON In the North the first paper printed was “The New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette.” The first issue appeared on June 15, just six months after the institution of British Government here, and tw'O months after the birth of its contemporary in Wellington. It was published at Kororareka, adjoining Russell, where Governor Hobson had selected his seat of> administration. The editor was the Rev. B. Quaife, a Congregational minister. The contents of the paper were eminently respectable, but poor. He was. however, gradually drawn into criticism of the Government’s land policy and finally had an interview with Governor Hobson, who threatened him with the pains and penalties of sedition. This proved the death knell of his paper. Then appeared a foolscap folio paper, “The N.Z. Government Gazette,” wherein the Governor found an organ for his proclamations. It was published from Febrv. try 19 to July 15, 1841, when it was superseded at Auckland by the “New Zealand Government Gazette” of today.