Taupo Times Gains Place In C.N.A. Competitions

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 47, 17 June 1965, Page 1

Taupo Times Gains Place In C.N.A. Competitions

Taupo Times has been advised by the judge, Mr D. W. Hetherington, managing editor of the Hawera Star, that it has gained second place in the journalism section of the Better Newspap^jcs* competition run by the New Zealand Country Newspapers' Association. It was also highly commended for its entry in the community leadership section.

Mr Hetherington placed the Taupo Times among the top five in the "best all-round newrspaper" section and said it dealt with the Tongariro power plan, a major issue in the district, very wrell. On the subject of country newspapers generally, he said that readers of publications entered in the country newspapers' competition were exceptionally well served. "Ample evidence of this came before me in the entries submitted in the three classes. . . .the results achieved in many oases were most encouragJng." This brings the total awards won by the newspaper in the six years of the competition to 13 in variou,8 sections. In 1962, Taupo Times was awarded first place in four out of five sections available to it that year. The first year it entered was 1961. Commenting on the journalism entry, Mr Hetherington said the Taupo Times' articles "swdng along breezily and informatively and there was less waste of wrords than in some submissions." The series of articles he vras refemng to dealt with the earthquakes the district experienced last DecemberJanuary.

"Unfortunately, the subject, in the earlier stages anyway, did not lend itself to photography, but good use was made of the camera in the final articles. Layout was effective. . . . "Today the demand is for conci^se, bright writing, and I believe the Taupo Times in its brisk handling of a series of earthquakes succeeded best in this direction . . ." Four years almost to the day since the Taupo Times first opened its own printing establishment in Taupo (June 21, 1961), the firm has just completed the first stage of a plan of renovation designed to enable the 3800 sq. ft. building to cope with the extra staff employed to handle the growth of business. Some new plant has been installed and more is planned for the future. The Taupo Times has been established since Januarj^ 16, 1952— just over 13 years — but wras printed by various other country newspapers until 1961.