BY HERBERT H EATON, M.A., M. COMM. ^ 



which the Gazette was to be the official organ for the publi- 

 cation of Government notices. In return, he was to re- 

 ceive a small annual subsidy from the authorities, and the 

 paper was to be entirely his o\vn property. Any space 

 available w'hen the Governor's demands had been met 

 could be filled up wuth general news, advertisements, etc. ; 

 but the Governor was to have a final voice in the choice of 

 editor, thus exercising a kind of censorship. On this un- 

 derstanding Bent set to work, obtained a small supply of 

 type and a press, and the first number appeared in due 

 course, to be followed regularly by an issue every Satur- 

 day. Bent's trepidation does not appeal' on the surface, 

 but eight and a half years later, in the fii'st number foi' 

 1S25, he tells of the fears and doubts entertained at the 

 outset. "Our type was so limited that we could not com- 

 pose at once more than is contained in one of our present- 

 sized columns. There was no printing ink in the colony, 

 but what we were necessitated to manufacture in the best 

 possible manner for ourselves, and common Chinese paper, 

 no more than half the size of foolscap, and of which two 

 sheets were consequently obliged to be pasted together for 

 each Gazette, cost two guineas sterling per ream ! Exclu- 

 sive of all these things, where w^as the public, whose cash, 

 correspondence, and countenance are necessary to support 

 a weekly press? Where could readers be found, except in 

 some thirty or forty dwellings? Was it likely that a paper 

 could flourish, where the only intelligence bore reference 

 to crime, and the usual records were of infamy? It was 

 not !" Whether possible or not. Bent decided to take the 

 risk (4). 



The first number (5) is of some interest. A single 

 sheet, llins. by Tins., printed in two columns, on one side 

 of the paper only. It is 'Tublished by Authority, ' and 

 bears the royal arms, with the lion and the unicorn fight- 

 ing for the crown. Underneath comes an official intima- 

 tion of Government support: — ''His Honor the Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor has thought proper to direct that all pub- 

 lic communications which may appear in the Hohart Town 

 Gazette and Southern JReporter, signed with an}^ official sig- 

 natiu'e, are to be considered as official communications 

 made to those persons to whom they may relate. By com- 

 mand of His Honor, 



"THOMAS ALLEN LASCELLES, Secretary." 



Tlien follows a notice of a festive character. Tuesday. 

 4th June, is the anniversary of the King's Birthdav, and 

 is, therefore, to be regarded as holiday throughout the 

 settlement. The troops will parade in front of Govern- 

 ment House at noon, and fire a "Feiu de Joie" (sic), followed 



