Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA : 1905 - 1952), Saturday 26 August 1905, page 2


The

Northern Times

PASTORAL, MINING AND PEARLING NEWS.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 1905.

OURSELVES.

IN presenting this our first issue to the reading public of the North we

make n0 apology for the egotism of , the heading to this article, for it is necessary that a few words of ex-planation concerning our aims and ambitions should be made. Before proceeding further we wish to express our gratitude to the very many wellwishers who hare accepted our pre-tensions to public support on trust, and who have by their hearty and practical support placed the venture on a sounder footing than falls to the. initial number of most country newspapers. We are not entirely unknown in the North, and to those whose personal acquaintance we have not so far had the pleasure of making we can only say we hope the confidence shown by them will in the future be proved to have been justified. As most of our readers can imagine, the establishment of a newspaper is a costly undertaking, and unless the proprietary is in the happy position of being independent, ways and means must necessarily be carefully considered to prevent the risk of riding for a fall. The present enterprise has

been under consideration for several

months past, and thanks to the generous response from the advertising public we feel assured that THE NORTHERN TIMES will have a lengthy, and we trust a useful, career. There certainly appears to be scope for a coastal newspaper in the North. From Carnarvon to Wyndham we have a coast line of 1,500 miles with several ports of more or less importance which act as outlets for the areas—rich in grazing capabilities and minerals—lying behind them. In selecting the title of the newspaper

we decided on the one which to our mind savoured least of parochialism. The paper certainly is published in the Gascoyne district, but it will be our aim to make it a paper for the North as distinguished from any of its com-ponent divisions; to voice Northern sentiment; and to, so far as lies in our power, safeguard Northern in-terests. There are many matters affecting the North which require to be kept prominently before the public and especially brought under the notice of our State and Common-wealth legislators. The pastoral industry is now and has always been the mainstay of the North, and it is only right that due consideration should be given to the pioneers who have fought and are still fighting to open up the country and place flocks and herds where the foot .of a white man was unknown. They shonld be supported in their laudable enterprise by the opening of well-watered stock routes, provision for the economical and speedy shipment of stock from our seaports, by the opening of roads where necesiary, and by a more

liberal service of mail communication.

In this latter respect we think the Commomvealth Parliament made a big mistake in dispensing with several

of the Northern inland mail services.

Probably the reason when it took over the State Postal Department a few years ago for this drastic applica-tion of the pruning knife was to save expense, but certainly this is another verification of the old adage " penny wise and pound foolishIt is equally to the advantage of Commonwealth and State Parliaments to settle tbe vast tracts of our Australian hinterland, and mail communication certainly plays no inconsiderable part in extending the confines of civilization. The interests of the miner and the

pearler will also be carefully watched by us. There is plenty of room for both pastoralist and miner in the North; in fact they are inter-dependent to a great extent. The pearling industry is another valuable asset of the North and one to which we

shall endeavour to give due prominence, Tbe trend of recent Common

wealth, legislation has been to hamper the pearlers, and if we can in any way assist them to obtain fairer treatment we shall not neglect to do so. The paper will be conducted on independent lines. It aims, primarily, of course, at voicing public opinion with regard to the three leading inindustries mentioned, but matters affect

ing the social well-being of the community will not be lost sight of. In matters political as in social, we in

intend taking our stand as independents, and we hope to do our duty to the community at large, rather than to become the mouthpiece of any particu lar clique or , faction. Our readers will be the better judges as to whether we live up to our ideals or not, and we trust that time will show

the paper now launched on the sea of journalism has aided the advancement of the Northern interests and has

dealt fairly and impartially with all

classes.