As we do not believe in professions, but prefer to be rather judged by practice, we shall be extremely brief in our opening remarks.
The TIMES is designed to supply the want now generally felt of a daily journal containing an account of all passing news of interest, and full commercial intelligence.
We do not desire to reflect on or come into collision with the two weekly papers already existing. Our sphere and theirs will be widely different, and although in size we cannot compare with our big contemporaries, we trust we shall not be behind in the race of usefulness.
Experience of late years, in another arena, has shown that activity and energy more than compensate for a deficiency of size.
It is not our purpose however to limit ourselves to the present size, on the contrary we propose, almost immediately, to come out as a full double demy sheet, as soon as the necessary materials can be procured from Melbourne.
One feature of the DAILY TIMES will be full details of commercial intelligence. In this we include publication of manifests, latest shipping news, accounts of large sales, late quotations, and other information of the same character.
The latest procurable news from the Diggings, and all matters affecting the interests and welfare of the miners, will find ready and acceptable insertion in our columns.
Nor will we be unmindful of the great producing interests, of the agriculturist, and of the follower of pastoral pursuits.
No pains will be spared to obtain intelligence of all news that occurs in and around town, and arrangements are being made to obtain correspondence from country districts. An able and frequent correspondent has also been engaged in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, and Southland.
With politics we desire to meddle as little as possible. Our interference will be limited to a detail of facts and to a treatment of those matters which have a direct bearing on the religious, social, or material condition of the Province.
It is hardly necessary to say that our columns will not be open to sectarian controversies, but it will always be our aim to encourage everything calculated to promote the sacred interests of religion.
And now let us make an appeal partaking of a rather egotistical character; one which we trust we will never again have occasion to make.
The cost and expenses of bringing out a daily paper are enormous, far more than people generally suppose.
The benefits arising from a daily paper are not to be exaggerated. Independent of the opportunity it affords to the community of making its wants felt and its wishes known to the outside world, and so asserting its dignity and advancing its importance, the moral, social, and commercial influences of a daily journal are strongly marked.
It brings the members of a community into closer unity; knits bonds of fellowship between them, not lightly severed; facilitates business; advances the value of property, and in short mixes itself up so intimately with the daily events of life that once having experienced its benefits, its absence is nothing short of a public calamity.
To the community, as a whole, then we appeal to assist us in carrying out what to themselves we hope will be beneficial. We do not fear for the result commercially when the paper is once started, but a beginning is very difficult. The French wisely say ce n'est que la premier pass qui coute, and we feel sure that after once obtaining a start, the rest will be plain sailing.
Let the public foster the first days of the young bantling, not only with copious supplies of advertisements, but with assistance in enlarging in every way the circulation, and we promise on our part, that the infant shall advance to rapid development, and become a journal calculated to reflect credit on those who aided its earlier days.