Ashburton Borough Centenary/Spreading the News

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There were three early newspapers in Ashburton, but none of them survived for long. “The Evening Echo” began in 1878, lasted for 12 months and then its title was changed to “The Ashburton Herald”. Its last title was conferred in September, 1879, when it became “The Ashburton Guardian and Agriculture and Sporting Record” a small paper of four pages, published three times a week in the mornings, printed in a hand press at one penny a copy. Its first official editor, A. H. Hogg, later became Minister of Labour in the Ward Government. In 1880,

​the Company sold out to the Guardian Printing and Publishing Company. “The Ashburton Herald” was absorbed and the new evening daily paper was issued from Saunders Buildings, in East Street, later moving to premises next to Matson’s, in West Street.

In 1885, “The Ashburton Guardian” was bought by Major Steward who combined politics with editing and had also just bought Ashburton’s earlier paper, “The Ashburton Mail”. The move was made to Burnett Street where the present offices are. Major Steward became Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1893, and to celebrate, the staff held a “stop-work picnic” at the Lagmhor Estate to honour him and his family — the only day “The Ashburton Guardian” ever missed an issue.

Linotype machines were brought in in 1907, also a Dawson printing press and mechanical folders, speeding up the preparation of the paper and spelling the deathknell of the girl handsetters. In 1903, Robert Bell took over the company and soon increased its efficiency and paper sales, and in 1908 a brick building was constructed to make more room for the new machinery. The Ashburton Mail and Guardian Company Limited was formed in 1911. The price of the paper remained at one penny till the Great War, though it had greatly increased in size.

“The Ashburton Guardian’s” Fiftieth Jubilee was celebrated in 1930 and it is now well on the way towards its Centennial year in 1980.

The traditions have been carried on by members of the Bell family ever since 1903. The directors of the company in 1930, were R. B. Bell (Managing Director), Robert Bell (Chairman) and W. B. W. Bell (Secretary). The present J. M. Bell took over in October, 1968, following the death of his father, W. B. W. Bell. Bruce Bell, a fourth generation of the family descended from Robert Bell, joined the firm in 1975 as an advertising salesman.

Editors well-known and still remembered in the district have been H. J. Constable 1920-22, A. G. Sainsbury 1923-24, H. J. Constable 1924, C. M. Innes 1924 to 1945, R. N. Downes 1945 to 1967, M. Newton 1968 to 1974, J. W. Donlon 1974 to 1978, and the present Editor, is a descendant of an early Ashburton family: Mr M. W. Hopwood.

​The present modern building, on the old site in Burnett Street, was constructed in 1970-71, the office section being redesigned while the printing department remained unaltered and the office was transferred temporarily to the Arcade.

In August, 1975, a new Web Offset printing press was bought, replacing a printing press purchased in the Jubilee Year of 1930. The new press gives four times the speed of the previous one and produces four newspapers per second, much improved papers from the technical point of view. The traditional method of composing was replaced by new computerised photo-typesetting equipment giving “The Ashburton Guardian” a really modern set-up.

On The Air

As this Centennial booklet goes to press, a warrant has been granted to Radio New Zealand to operate a broadcasting station in Ashburton.