The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1094, 17 April 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883.

We publish to-day the Geraldine Guar dian in connection with the Temuka Leader. New ventures, especially in the newspaper line, are always attended with a certain amount of risk,, and consequently arc the cause of considerable anxiety to those who invest their money in them. In the case of the Geraldine Guardian, however, any such anxiety would appear needless, for the very reason that it is not a matter which has been forced upon tb e

people amongst whom it is intended to circulate. Ih order to explain the position which the new venture occupies jti relation to its supporters, we must go back to November last. Jn that month wo received a requisition signed by a large number of the people of Geraldine, asking us to start a paper for that district, Tiie idea originated with some of the Geraldine readers of the Tbmuka Leader, and we must confess that we felt extremely gratified by it. We felt we were doing good work for the Temuka district In the short space of six months two very important industries had been started, and we laid claim to having a good deal to do with setting them afloat. Still the services we bad rendered were completely ignored. There were too many ready to take al I the credit to themselves, so there was no chance of any of it being accorded to us. But we could get over the sentimental side of. the affair if appreciation came in a monetary point of view, but it did not. Notwithstanding how hard we had worked to get those industries started, printing, etc., connected with l hrm was given to outside papers although in all conscience we had the best right to them, and the people of the town did not give the ; slightest encouragement in the way of business. Of course this is a way Temuka people have of doing business, but it is a way which does not accord with our idea of the fitness of things, and it had just made us feel very dissatisfied with our lot at the time the requisition above referred to reached us. It may easily be inferred therefore, that to find recognition coming from a distant part of the district was to us a source of much comfort, and that it was with no p nail degree of pleasure we entered into the project. After conferring with some of the leading men of:'Geraldine, a public meeting was called j at which W. Postlethwaite, Esq., M. H.R., presided, and resolutions were carried pledging support to the proposed undertaking. At that meeting we offered to issue the paper as soon as ICO yearly subscribers could be, got’. We have taken very little action in the matter since. We left it all in the hands of the people themselves, and we are now glad to say that very nearly 200 subscribers have already pm their signatures to paper, pledging tlnraaolvoo to —oujifiorfc ilip ._p.fin.oi- .L>r_. .12, months, and that as nuny more have promised to do so as soon as the paper is started. This is very encouraging. When people come forward spontaneously like this and give their support without putting us to the trouble of canvassing them, we cannot but ,feol confident of success, and hence our reason for stating as above, that there appears no need for anxiety on that head. And it shall be our object to deserve success. The politics of the paper shall be liberal in the true sense of the term. It will advocate and support everythiug that will tend to progression without any r .’gard as to who may be its author It will not be a blind partisan, looking only through the spectacles of prejudice and self-interest at questions, but will rather discuss them in a fair and impartial manner. It shall nevei be| found bolstering up a bad cause for thej sake of a party, nor suppressing the* truth for the sake of a clique. It will,! therefore, be no parly paper as. regards politics, but will criticise independently, support what is worthy and oppose what is not. In local matters, it will be equally independent. It has not and it shall not have any connection with any party, sect orclique : to use a familiar phrase, it is under nobody’s thumb, and consequently it will always be in a position to deal fairly and justly with every one. This we think is the proper stand for a paper to take, and from this we shall never be found to deviate. We have taken for our motto “fiat justitia mat coelum,” and wo intend to keep as closely as our judgment will enable us to it.

But the great object for which the paper has been started is to set before its readers the advantages of fostering and developing local industries. It shall make that a special feature, and' if it fails to arouse the people ot Geraldine to the importance of this matter, it shall not be for the want of reminding them frequently of it. And now to conclude, we bare to offer our sincere thanks to many friends in Geraldine who have taken a keen interest in the starting of the Guardian, and who have rendered us assistance, without which we would not have been so successful. They have worked well, and success is their reward. May we not infer from this that we have a goml field in Geraldine, and that very little persuasion will induce them to go in heartily for establishing local institutions. We sincerely

trust that they will,"and that before 12 months are to an end there will be more local industries started in Geraldine than the last year has seen established in Temuka. With these remarks we send the Geraldine Guardian to the public with every confidence in its ultimate success.