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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Press

Press.

The “Timaru Herald (E. G. Kerr, proprietor), Timaru. This is a daily morning journal of four pages, and thirty-two columns, about thirteen of which are devoted to reading matter. The news comprises a full service of interprovincial telegrams and of cable messages, received through the Press Association. Few papers outside the four chief cities of the colony have more influence than the “Herald,” which daily circulates 3100 copies. Its special area lies between Ashburton and Oamaru, and extends back into the Mackenzie Country. A four page supplement is issued every Saturday, and contains, in addition to plenty of general reading, a large amount of information for the benefit of farmers. Politically, the “Timaru Herald” is against the Seddon Government. The offices of the paper are in a two-storey brick building in Sophia Street, opposite the post office. The ground floor contains the business offices and the machinery department, and the upper floor is occupied by the editorial and literary staff, and the composing and linotype rooms. Three linotype machines are in regular use, and there is a full jobbing plant. Mr. G. G. Fitzgerald is the editor, and Mr. E. G. Kerr, junior, a son of the proprietor, is manager.

Mr. Edward George Kerr, Proprietor of the “Timaru Herald,” was born in 1845, in Glasgow, Scotland. He arrived in Lyttelton by the ship “Sebastopol,” in 1861, page 989 and engaged in storekeeping at Kaiapoi for some years. For ten years he was on the staff of the “Lyttelton Times,” as its agent and correspondent for North Canterbury. In 1877, he removed to South Canterbury to extend the circulation of his paper in the district, and in North Otago, and there he acted as its agent and special correspondent till 1881, when he bought the “South Canterbury Times,” an evening paper, which he carried on for six years. He acquired the “Timaru Herald” in 1887, and ran it and the “Times” together for twelve years. In 1901 he discontinued the evening paper, and has since confined his attention to the “Herald.” Mr. Kerr was mayor of Kaiapoi for five years, and was connected with the Waimakariri Harbour Board and other public bodies. He was chairman of the Kaiapoi school committee from the time of its institution until he left Kaiapoi. He resides at “Harlan.” Kingsdown, where he owns 650 acres of land, on which he keeps sheep and grows grain. Mr. Kerr was married, in 1861, to a daughter of the late Mr. S. Goldthorpe, of Cheshire, England, and has four sons and six daughters.

The “Timaru Post was originally established as a morning journal, in October, 1899, but, by arrangement with the proprietor of the “South Canterbury Times,” it was changed, in September, 1901, to an evening publication. The “Post, which is a supporter of the Seddon Government, has four pages of eight columns each; and fourteen columns are devoted to reading matter. The premises in Stafford Street were built in 1900; they are of brick, and are two-stories in height. The offices and machine rooms are on the ground floor, and the editorial, composing and jobbing rooms in the second storey. Two linotype machines are in use. A weekly supplement is issued on Saturdays. The paper is owned by the Timaru Post Company, Limited, which was incorporated in 1899. The directors are Messrs J. Craigie (chairman,) R. H. Bowie, A. Beck, J. McNab, J. J. Grandi, C. H. Tripp and T. D. Young. There are about 700 shareholders.

Mr. William Harold Munro, Manager of the “Timaru Post,” was born in 1857, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Calypso” in 1876. He gained experience of the printing trade, and was afterwards in the service of J. Wilkie and Co., for whom he acted as manager until he took up his present position in 1901. Mr. Munro was married, in 1888, to a daughter of Mr. A. Risk, of Dunedin, and has three daughters.

Mr. Charles Langstone Newman, Editor of the “Timaru Post,” was born in Lyttelton, in 1864. He was educated in Canterbury, and began his connection with newspapers in 1882, as a reader in the “Lyttelton Times” office, Christchurch. Latterly he was assistant sub-editor on the “Times,” and served as such until he was appointed to his present position on the “Timaru Post” in September, 1901. Mr. Newman was married, in 1887, to a daughter of the late Mr. W. Fryer, of Oxford, and has two daughters and one son.