West Coast Times.

West Coast Times, Issue 163, 27 March 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times.

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 18CG.

Our issue of this morning is marked by a somewhat unusual feature — tho paucity of auctioneers' advertisements. Hitherto the West Coast Times, as tho leading and the only morning journal within the district of West Canterbury, has been chiefly used by the auctioneers of Ilokitika as tho medium of publicity for their sales. They have adopted this course, not, we are well assured, from any love of us, but from a simple conviction that by it they were best consulting their own interests and those of their clients whoso goods they were employed to sell. The auctioneers have lately, however, sought to impose conditions of advertising upon this journal, which we have had abundant reasons for resisting : and the consequenco is, that a combination has been formed to secure the publication of their trade announcements in a mode that will be less expensive to them, however detrimental it may prove to the interests of their clients. The whole value of advertising depends upon the measure of publicity obtained. A well conducted newspaper, full of the current intelligence of the day, commands a wide circulation on its own merits. It penetrates every circle, is read in every household, and thoro is scarcely a man who proceeds to his business in tho morning who has not previously mado himself master of its contents. It is not, as a rule, bought or subset ibed to for the sake of its advertisements ; but tlioy pass into the hands of its readers and attract their attention, especially where, as in the case of auctioneers' advertisements, the trouble is taken of drawing specific notico to them by a carefully prepared abstract placed over ! the leader head. That more advertise-ment-sheets are utterly valueless, although they may be distributed gratuitously and largoly — we do not say circulated, for they nre genorally regarded as scraps of waste paper, and applied, as such only, to bnso uses-— is abundantly proved

by the history of all the attempts that have hitherto been made to establish publications of this kind. Many of our readers will, no doubt, remember the rise and fall of the " Auction Mart " in Melbourne — a very well got up thing of the sort, with an astounding " guaranteed circulation." It was started by a combination of auctioneers—and the auctioneers of Melbourne in those days were mighty men. It was designed to deal a death blow to the " Aligns" — and the auctioneers' accounts on tho •' Argus " books, represented, wo fancy, some thousands of pounds a month. But it came to grief, and died after a fitful and rieketty existence. It was discontinued simply because tho auctioneers found that it failed to onsuro the one essential condition of publicity for their advertisements. The general public never road it. What was thcie to read in it? The sheet, no doubt, proved convenient to many, but in no way very flattoriug either to its proprietors or its conductors. It was hot the auctioneers who first fouud out tho blunder of forsaking; a well circulated paper for such a medium. It was tho clients of tho auctioneers; tho owner*! of tho goods they were engaged to sell ; who could not see the fun of having their property sacrificed) merely to support an auctioneers' combination to obtain cheap advertising terms, in tho benefits of which they were never allowed to participate. Precisely the same thing occurred when tho auctioneers— determined to coerce the " Argus " — withdrew tho whole of their advertisements front that journal, and bound themselves by solemn covenant hot to send a single announcement of salo to it under penalty of a heavy forfeiture. Persons who had an excusable anxiety to get their property sold to the best advantage, would not have it; and insisted on tho insertion of their advertise ments in tho only paper that enjoyed a very geneiv.l circulation. The public must understand that tho whole of these disputes are based, not on any question as to tho prices charged for advertising, but simply upon a question as to the amount of discount or drawback to be allowed to the Auctioneer, by the newspaper. In tho present ease, the Wkst Coast Times has given umbrage to tho Auctioneers! because it has refused them twenty-five instead of twenty per cent, discount upon tho charges appearing on the face of their accounts. Tho whole secret is now out — and since the revelation has been made, it only remains lor tho public who have property to put into the market, to advkhttse it tiefjMsdlviss. In that case, they will be able to put into their own pockets the discount on advertisements which has hitherto been allowed to the Auctioneer, viz. — four shillings in every pound of the advertised scale. By adopting this course, they will not only effect an appreciable saving in this particular item, but will secure a publicity for the announcement of their properties, which Oon on'y be obtained by tho employment, as an advertising medium, of a nowspaper which is widely circulated both in town and country, and which is subscribed to for tho sake of the value of its general contents. We have declined to submit to tho demand of tho Auctioneers for an increase in their discount, because the demand itself is, on the face of it, imrcasonublo; and because the rates charged for advertising are by no. means too largo to defray the necessary charges of maintaining a journal which aims, as the" West Coast Times does, at some measure of efficiency. Wo do not protend to have no interest to serve, and no profit to seek. Tho business of a newspaper proprietor must, like that of an Auctioneer, be based upon solid commercial calculations, or it cannot stand. The Auctioneer seeks an adequate remuneration from his client. Tho newspaper owner socks a fnir return for his enterprise and the capital he has expended in tho purchaso of a costly plant, and tho engagement of skilled labor. A journal conducted without any ability, and employing no machinery for the collection aud publication of news, may be issued under very inexpensive conditions, aud advertisers may find its terms sufficiently " cheap." But a daily newspaper, in any way well conducted, must necessarily involve a large expenditure. Advertisers, however! reap the full benefit of its wide circulation, and that is their principal consideration. We aro satisfied that, notwithstanding the combination ngainst this journal, its columns will still be preferred for tho announcement of Auction Sales and other trade transactions ; and that the Auctioneers will find they have gained no'hing by causing tho heavy discount hitherto allowed them, to piss into their clients' pockets instead of th-ir own.

Mr Barfl* announces a mooting for this aftovnoon at tho Shaksporo, whon ho proposes to address the electors. Tho first appearance of Mr Thomas Lenton lost night at tho Princo of Walos Thoatro, and of tho little John Lonton, lont a special intorcst to tho povformanco. Tho former is an experienced actor in his many purts ; tho lattor mndo his debut for tho first tiino on any stago. Tho two young brothors, Frank and John, us tho juvenile clowns, mndo a great hit, and " brought down " tho houso. Tho very clover net of the four' globos was an ontiro novelty, and was gracefully porformorl by Mr Lonton, assisted by Mr Snmwolls. Tho crowniug performance of tho evening was, however, tho doublo somersault ofl'ootod by Mv George Eidgway iv tho flying trapeze. Wo believo it was tho second timo only that this clejor and daring actor ever accomplished this astonishing foat. Last night his euccosa was porfeot. Wo may add that Mils Rostv

Cooper and Mr Lionol Harding oponed the porformnnco with Albert Smith's skotch of L.M.N.O.P.Q. Thoro was an oxccoeliugly good house, amongst tho visitors boing his' Honor tho Superintendent, tho Soovotary for Public Works, Mr Stownrt, Mr Moorhouso, M.H.R., Mr Sale, and other oftleials. Thoro seems every probability that frosh gold discdvorics will shortly bo made in tho Coromaudol district, Auckland, for tho New Zealand Herald etatos that tho Wardon of fcho above district had written to tho Superintendent-, informing hini that Mv Mooro had, under certain restrictions, thrown his land, on Iho north sido 'of tho Matawai Crook, 'open to prospectors.' This trnct has always boon looked upon as " likely country^" hut hithorlo has never boon tested. Wo understand on action for falso imprisonment is likoly to aviso out of tho lato charge Against Mr Princo (of tho firm of Prince and Lyons), that gontlomau haviug already, lakon preliminary stops to obtain ground on which to bring his action. Information was recoived ftt tho Camp .that a woman had boon brutally assaulted by hor husband on Suuday last, but as the woman hersolf laid no information, steps were not taken to orrost him. Yoslorduy morning, howovor, she appeared and drow out a warrant against him, which the polico at onco proceeded to sorvo. Whilst looking for tho rascal they woro mot by anothor woman whose appearanco was perfectly frightful, as her head and face was bruised, swollon, and bloody, and her dross torn to ribbons. Sho informed tho polico that a man, after having bcaton and robbed nor, had oriminally assaulted hor. Sho staled that ho had succeeded in offocting his purposo. Sonrch was at onco mado for tho villain, who was diicovored drinking at Iho Bar of a public house. Ho wns at onco arrcstod. and it was then ascertained ho was Iho idontical scamp who had so ill treated his wife tho provious day, and for whose arrest tho above warrant had boon issuod. Whilst securing their prisoner tho nolico obsorvod ft man run out ©f a neighbouring tent and seize a shovel lying bssido it A woman, with hor hair disliovellod and dress disordered, almost immediately followed him, when ho lifted tho shovel to striko her, but bofftro tho blow foil ho was in tho hands of tho polico, and wna at onco convoyed to tho logs in company with "tho othor. Both casos will bo honrd before tho Resident Mngistrato this morning, when wo trust, that, stern juatico will bo moled oul to tho dastardly offenders. Last wcok'B criminal calendar is somewhat heavior than that of tho ono preceding it, although the inoroaso of crime is not po marked ns to occasion any serious apprehension. During tho wcok' onding Saturday, March 21th, thoro woro 4 prisoners committed for trial in a higher court, 5 sentenced to different terms of imprisonment and hard labor, and ] remanded fov further heaving, 2 males woro imprisoned for debt and 1 woman, 1 lunatic wa? also placed in Eafo keeping ; total 14. During tho Bamo period 9 sentenced mon were discharged and 2 debtors. Tho numbor of inmates iv gaol at tho abovo dato was 41, classed aq follows : uudcr committal, 13 ; sonlonced, 16 j on romand, 1 j dobtor, 1 ; lunntio, 1. Tho Improvement Committee and tho promotors of tho tramway between Hokitika and Oroymoulh, lmvo received information that his Honor tho Suporintendont will recoivo a a deputation from oaoh this day, at ton and twolvc o'cloolt rcspcotivoly. 'iho former body will havo many important subjects to submit to his Honor, upon which ovory individual in this community would liko to know tho intentions of tho Government. Wo trust that much good will result from tho iutorviow, although Mv Boalov's term of administration is drawing to a close. Ho has, howovor, both heard and soon something of Wostland, aud to ono iv his position, and possessing onlight oncd viows, such oxperionco cannot fail in bearing good fruit. Tho Gonoral Government Gazette announces that John llnll, Esq., has resigned his seal ns a mombor of tho Legislative Council of tho Colony. Wo oxtract from an Auckland papov, lalor intelligence from Amorica than is contained in our English telegrams. David Johnston, Esq., is appointed Collector of Customs and Liconsing Ofiicor, nndor tho Anus Act, of tho port of Groymouth. Messrs Morison Law and Co., agonts for tho schooner Sangalier, which sailed from this port on tho 21st Octobor last and has not sinco been hoard of, havo issuod a notico to inavmors earnestly requesting them to keep a sharp look out for ilres and other signals of distress nlong tho const, nnd promising ft reward for any information or for tho rescue of tho crow, who aro supposed to havo been wrockod. •