The More We Change

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 283, 24 November 1944, Page 7

The More We Change

\ 71TH this issue we return to the page-size with which we began five and a-half years ago. We chose such a size then partly because it was convenient for readers and partly because it was one of the sizes that could be printed ‘on the machines then available to us. We departed from it later because the | war left us no choice. Now selec-. tion is possible again and we return to a page-size that gives us two more columns at an opening. But we ask our readers not to suppose that we have again unlimited space. We have a little more space, but only a little more, and we are devoting it to those features that experience has shown 6ur readers most appreciate — coming events,

short-wave and BBC programmes, people in our own programmes, and fair and reasonable comment. There is nothing new in any of this, since the more we change the more we are the same thing, but it involves adjustments of emphasis as well as of space. We cannot go back yet to the spacious days of farm pages, sports pages, women’s pages, book pages, annotated programme pages, or pages filled with summaries and charts. Those days will come again with peace. But we draw particular attention to-day to the considerable extension in this issue of the space devoted to comment. We do not call it criticism, partly because the only useful criticism is the higher criticism of detached and independent judgment, while our comment is internal and partial; and partly because criticism in such a young country must creep before it runs. But we emphasise the fact that it is comment and not gossip or chatter. To begin with our Viewsreel is being conducted by about half-a-dozen persons, all careful listeners, and all equipped to listen with knowledge. If time shows the necessity we shall add to the number of contributors; but the important thing from the outset is a continually increasing number of readers of this comment-guardians of our guardians of taste.