Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Press

Press.

Pahiatua Herald (Mr. Alex. Baillie, proprietor). The history of the Pahiatua Herald is really a continuation of that of the Pahiatua Star, which latter paper is incorporated with the former. The Pahiatua Star was established in 1886 by Mr. Alex. Black, and was first published twice a week. After a short time it appeared three times a week, and continued to do so until its absorption by the Herald. In April, 1893, through a series of misfortunes, Mr. Black was compelled to relinquish the business, and the Star was sold in the following month. Meanwhile, between these dates a number of ocal people decided to start another paper, and on the 24th of May, 1893, the first number of the Pahiatua Herald appeared. The directors of the company were: Messrs. W. Tosswill (chairman), H. W. Briggs, J. Vile, D. Crewe, and A. Baillie. Mr. Black was appointed manager, and Mr. Baillie editor. At the end of the year Mr. Black severed his connection with the company, and Mr. Baillie took up his duties. On the 6th of September the Pahiatua Star was purchased by the Herald Company and incorporated with the Herald. The paper had an open field for a couple of years, but in September, 1895, Mr. J. Ivess started an opposition journal, The Argus, which, however, expired after a feeble life of six months, leaving the Herald once more alone. In April, 1896, the business was purchased by Mr. Baillie, and the Pahiatua Newspaper Company, Limited, was dissolved after an eventful existence of three years. The Herald has been several times enlarged, and is one of the most progressive country papers in the North Island. It is a subscriber to the United Press Association, and is thereby enabled to give its readers the latest intelligence from all parts of the world. The journal is the only one published in the Pahiatua county, and serves a large and thriving district.

Mr. Alex. Baillie, the Proprietor and Editor, was born near Reefton in 1870, and served his apprenticeship to the printing trade in the office of the Wairarapa Daily Times, Masterton. On completing his term of apprenticeship, Mr. Baillie left New Zealand for New South Wales, where he soon exchanged the “stick” for the pen. He served on the reporting staffs of several metropolitan and country journals in Victoria and New South Wales, and was for some time teacher of shorthand, under the Department of Public Instruction, at the Technical College, Armidale (New South Wales). In 1893 he returned to New Zealand and took up the editorship of the Pahiatua Star, relinquishing that position to take up a similar one on the Herald, which paper he purchased in April, 1896.

Mr. A. Baillie.

Mr. A. Baillie.