Taranaki Herald
Encyclopedia
The Taranaki Herald was an afternoon daily newspaper, published in New Plymouth
, New Zealand
. It began publishing as a four-page tabloid on August 4, 1852 and until it ceased publication in 1989 was the oldest daily newspaper in the country.
The newspaper was founded by William Collins and Garland William Woon, who hired William Morgan Crompton as its first editor. It began as a weekly paper, moved to twice-weekly publication in 1867 and began appearing daily in 1877.
Crompton was replaced as editor in 1854 by Richard Pheney, who in quit in November 1856 when he opposed the newspaper owner's support for George Cutfield over Charles Brown
as Taranaki
Superintendent. In May 1857 Pheney was appointed as the first editor of a rival newspaper, the Taranaki News
, which changed its name to the Taranaki Daily News when it began daily publication three years later.
Woon, who took over as editor following Pheney's departure, became renowned for his reporting of conflicts between imperial forces and local Māori in the First Taranaki War
, with his paper being sold by subscription throughout Europe. In May 1860 he was accused by military authorities of writing material that could give "information to the enemy" after criticising the defence of the town and he ran an issue with one offending paragraph removed, the white space being filled with fullpoints. It remained the one and only time the Herald was censored.
In late 1867 the paper was sold to Henry Weston and his family retained strong links with the paper for the next 111 years. Weston was sole proprietor until 1920; his nephew Walter C. Weston took over until 1930 when it was registered as a private company. Weston remained as chairman and managing director and his wife, Lillian Weston, was a director until her death in 1978.
In 1962, the Taranaki Herald and Taranaki Daily News, both of which were struggling with rising costs and the need for updated equipment, were amalgamated as Taranaki Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of NZ News Ltd, which owned the Auckland Star
and Christchurch Star. Publication was merged at the Herald building in Currie St, New Plymouth, which it had occupied since 1900, and while the administration and publishing activity was combined, the editorial departments were kept separate and stayed fiercely competitive. Taranaki Newspapers was bought by Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL) in 1989, which closed the Herald because of falling circulation and advertising volumes.
Other newspapers published by the Herald included the Budget and the Taranaki Weekly Herald (1877-1932), the Sports Herald (1926-30, 1946-1972) and during World War II a special weekly Overseas News Sheet for servicemen.
Editors included: William Seffern (1868-1895), Walter J. Penn (1895-1932), G. H. Dolby (1932-1937), A. B. Scanlan (1937-1965), Rash Avery 1965-1973), George Koea (1973-1987) and Lance Girling-Butcher (1987-89).
Its journalists have included June Litman, New Zealand's first female news editor,, broadcaster Derryn Hinch
, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki
(WITT) journalism head Jim Tucker, INL boss Rick Neville, former Dominion
editor Richard Long, Australian Seven Network
head Ray Cleaver and singer Lew Pryme.
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It began publishing as a four-page tabloid on August 4, 1852 and until it ceased publication in 1989 was the oldest daily newspaper in the country.
The newspaper was founded by William Collins and Garland William Woon, who hired William Morgan Crompton as its first editor. It began as a weekly paper, moved to twice-weekly publication in 1867 and began appearing daily in 1877.
Crompton was replaced as editor in 1854 by Richard Pheney, who in quit in November 1856 when he opposed the newspaper owner's support for George Cutfield over Charles Brown
Charles Brown (Taranaki)
Charles Brown was a New Zealand politician from the Taranaki area.-Personal life:Brown was born in London, England, the illegitimate son of Charles Armitage Brown and Abigail O'Donohue, an Irish house servant at Wentworth Place where Brown and Keats resided...
as Taranaki
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
Superintendent. In May 1857 Pheney was appointed as the first editor of a rival newspaper, the Taranaki News
Taranaki Daily News
The Taranaki Daily News is a daily morning newspaper published in New Plymouth, New Zealand.The paper was founded as the Taranaki News on May 14, 1857, by friends of former Taranaki Province Superintendent Charles Brown. Brown was the first proprietor of the newspaper and he appointed his political...
, which changed its name to the Taranaki Daily News when it began daily publication three years later.
Woon, who took over as editor following Pheney's departure, became renowned for his reporting of conflicts between imperial forces and local Māori in the First Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
, with his paper being sold by subscription throughout Europe. In May 1860 he was accused by military authorities of writing material that could give "information to the enemy" after criticising the defence of the town and he ran an issue with one offending paragraph removed, the white space being filled with fullpoints. It remained the one and only time the Herald was censored.
In late 1867 the paper was sold to Henry Weston and his family retained strong links with the paper for the next 111 years. Weston was sole proprietor until 1920; his nephew Walter C. Weston took over until 1930 when it was registered as a private company. Weston remained as chairman and managing director and his wife, Lillian Weston, was a director until her death in 1978.
In 1962, the Taranaki Herald and Taranaki Daily News, both of which were struggling with rising costs and the need for updated equipment, were amalgamated as Taranaki Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of NZ News Ltd, which owned the Auckland Star
Auckland Star
The Auckland Star was an evening daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, from 24 March 1870 to 20 August 1991. Survived by its Sunday edition, the Sunday Star, part of its name endures in The Sunday Star-Times, created in the 1994 merger of the Dominion Sunday Times and the Sunday...
and Christchurch Star. Publication was merged at the Herald building in Currie St, New Plymouth, which it had occupied since 1900, and while the administration and publishing activity was combined, the editorial departments were kept separate and stayed fiercely competitive. Taranaki Newspapers was bought by Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL) in 1989, which closed the Herald because of falling circulation and advertising volumes.
Other newspapers published by the Herald included the Budget and the Taranaki Weekly Herald (1877-1932), the Sports Herald (1926-30, 1946-1972) and during World War II a special weekly Overseas News Sheet for servicemen.
Editors included: William Seffern (1868-1895), Walter J. Penn (1895-1932), G. H. Dolby (1932-1937), A. B. Scanlan (1937-1965), Rash Avery 1965-1973), George Koea (1973-1987) and Lance Girling-Butcher (1987-89).
Its journalists have included June Litman, New Zealand's first female news editor,, broadcaster Derryn Hinch
Derryn Hinch
Derryn Nigel Hinch is an Australian media personality best known for his work on Melbourne radio. He is currently the host of 3AW's drive time radio show...
, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki
Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki
Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki is the largest Tertiary Education Institution in the province of Taranaki, New Zealand.The institute has two campuses around Taranaki; the Main Campus is situated in New Plymouth, and the other is located in Hawera. It is famed for its Zero Fee Scheme...
(WITT) journalism head Jim Tucker, INL boss Rick Neville, former Dominion
The Dominion (Wellington)
The Dominion was a daily morning newspaper based in Wellington, New Zealand.In 2002 it merged with The Evening Post, the other Wellington daily, to form the Dominion Post....
editor Richard Long, Australian Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
head Ray Cleaver and singer Lew Pryme.