“THE JOURNAL.”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1938, Page 7

“THE JOURNAL.”

AN EARLY WAIRARAPA PAPER. AN OLD IDENTITY’S ACCOUNT. The following particulars of the early Wairarapa press were given by -Old Identity" in a letter which appeared in the “Wairarapa Age’’ on July 27, 1927: “One of the first papers published in the Wairarapa was 'The Journal,’ in about 1866, by the late Richard Wakelin, an early New Zealand journalist, once editor of the ‘lndependent,’ author of 'History and Politics,’ which gives the best account extant of the establishment of the Wairarapa Small Farm Settlements. ‘The Journal’ was printed and published in a small building on the Moroa Plain, still existing. About the same time Messrs. Edward and Charles Grigg started the 'Wairarapa Mercury’ in Greytowh, and 'The Journal’ ceased publication. Mr. A. K. Arnot bought out Mr. C. Grigg’s share and later became sole proprietor. On his death, Mr. Wakelin, who. from his home at Moroa, edited

the 'New Zealand Mail’ (the ’lndependent's' weekly) for some years, bought the 'Mercury' and renamed it the 'Standard.' Some little time later he was joined by his son-in-law, the late Joseph Payton, who made the 'Standard' a prosperous concern by good business management, supported by Mr. Wakelin's able editing. The 'Standard' was still for some time the only newspaper in the whole district. There was at first only one apprentice on the 'Mercury,' W. F. Roydhou.se., who afterwards became the owner of the paper when it was the 'Wairarapa Standard.' Later W. H. Smith and W. McKenzie, boys of Masterton, were taken on as apprentices.’’