Wellington Harbour improvements, General plan; Drawing No.1

Map printing has always been a demanding facet of the printing trade. In the colonial setting, the requirements for specialist equipment and highly trained personnel could not always be met within a single firm. As this example demonstrates, Lyon & Blair had the expertise and plant to do quality colour lithography. They were often commissioned by the Wellington Town Council and frequently printed the maps drawn by the Survey division of the Government Printing Office. The new technology of photolithography enabled original drawings to be faithfully reproduced and this facilitated the perfect register essential for the accurate placement of colours and patterns as maps passed several times through the steam presses.