Passing of the RR Herald

Mr. J. A. Polson, Hon. Sec. L.C. Scottish Association, . Maclean, writes, deploring the passing of the “R.R. Herald”.
“I can only say that the Lower Richmond can ill afford to lose such a stalwart mouthpiece as the Coraki paper has been for over half a century. As far as my knowledge goes it is without a peer amongst weekly or bi-weekly newspapers in the state.
What I more particularly wished to do, though, was to express regret that circumstances made the editor’s departure from the Northern Rivers necessary. The loss to Coraki will be great, but he was more than a citizen of one town and district — he was a friend of our district as well. This was well exemplified in his devoted friendship to our Scottish Association and members, and our Pipe Band and members. His support of our Burns Night gatherings has been most helpful, and we deeply appreciated his attendance and that of the friends he brought with him. His organising work and the publicity that he gave our efforts will not be readily forgotten.

Mr. F. W. Pulling: I feel there are hundreds of every-day folk who, like my self, regard with consternation the prospect of losing our “Pink ‘Un.” It is more than the loss of a friend. It is the loss of a common centre, round which the entire social, business and sporting life of the district revolves.
I have admired most of the forthright articles, written in the inimitable style of your allegedly Scottish editor, whilst others, I am sure, must have been written by that worthy gentleman with his tongue in his cheek and the after effects of a “Byrnes” hanging around his liver. At least he has always written as he felt, and I trust that the old paper if it must cease publication will meet its end with its colors still flying – another victim of the war.

From the Diggers Publicity Officer: The Diggers of Coraki wish to pay a sincere tribute on the passing of a true friend and stalwart supporter. Ever since the last war we have experienced the benefit of the co-operation and assistance of your paper in our undertakings. Never has space been begrudged us when appeals were lodged, or our cause required publicity. We feel that in this, your last issue we would like to say many things, but realise you will understand what we mean when we say ‘Thanks a lot old PAL!’

Mrs. Jas. Campbell, of Maclean, formerly Mrs. J.M. Cameron, of Codrington and Coraki, recalls that the ‘R.R. Herald’ was first published about the time that her eldest son, Hugh, was born — in July, 56 years ago, and that she had been taking the paper ever since. From an esteemed Tuckurimba subscriber of many years standing: ‘In a few words I would like to express the regret we Tuckurimba people feel at the passing of ‘our own paper.’ It seems little short of a calamity. For so many years Tuckurimba ‘en-joyed’ publicity at the hands of our local correspondent, and the paper really seemed a part of ourselves. Now we have to realise, when Friday comes round, that it is no longer ‘Pink Paper Day.’ I am sure I am voicing the sentiments of all subscribers when I say that if the subscriptions were twice what they were, we would readily pay to be able to still read and enjoy the ‘R.R. Herald.’

In the course of a private letter to the editor Mr. J.T. Reid, M.L.A., says: ‘ . . .I think the cessation of the ‘R.R: Herald’ a very great loss to the Richmond River generally and to the Mid and Lower Richmond particularly, and I am at a loss to know how the public will obtain any information of a public nature, or in regard to administration, as your journal seemed to be the only means Mid Richmond people had of obtaining such knowledge. …. The ban on advertisement of certain goods will, I am afraid, mean the end of many other papers in the smaller centres. Personally I think the loss of your paper to the district is so serious that we scarcely realise how great it is, because while it provided the district with current news the free and independent manner in which all its paragraphs were written, and its educational criticism on all public and local matters, put the paper in a field by itself and the cessation of its publication I deeply regret.

Mrs. H. Coop, of East Coraki, who celebrated her 77th birthday this week called in on Wednesday to say that the closing down of the ‘R.R. Herald’ was “One of the biggest disappointments of my life. Some time ago,” she went on, “I sent a copy of the ‘Pink Un’ to my cousin in U.S. A., who lived just across the street from President Roosevelt. She gave him the paper to read, and he said it was an astonishingly newsy and brightly written newspaper. I have seen the first copy and now I am going to see the last. I have been terribly upset about it.”

‘The Richmond River Herald’

Courtesy of Trove Richmond River Herald 26 June 1942

(By F. A. Fitzpatrick, editor and proprietor of “The Wingham “Chronicle”).

I have read with the keenest of regret that ‘The Richmond River Herald’ will be ceasing publication after the 30th of June. And, if I deplore the need for such a step, how much more should those people on the Richmond River do so, seeing that the journal in question has served those now living — not forgetting those who have fallen by the wayside — right down the years. ‘The R.R. Herald’ has been printed and published by the late Mr. L.F. Benaud, and his son, Mr. W.L. Benaud, all the long years since, it was first launched on the stormy sea of journalism. It has been ever a paper with a policy, and a paper with a punch. There was no beating about the bush when it came to giving expression of opinion to the faith that was in it. The paper ranked amongst the brightest and best so far as the Provincial Press of N.S.W. is concerned. The Benauds have played their part in N.S.W. journalism — and played it well.

For about thirty -five years Mr. H. A. McCallum has occupied the position of editor of ‘The R.R.Herald,’ and how well he has done the job is common knowledge wherever the paper circulated — and, particularly, we would say, on the Richmond River. The writer and Mr. McCallum were located in Molong for some four years— the while the latter edited “The Molong Express,” and the writer worked on the staff of “The Molong Argus.” The late Hon. J.C.L. Fitzpatrick was running “The Argus” those days — and running it breezily, fiery and successfully. The writer well remembers the departure of Mr. H.A. McCallum from Molong, and the send-off accorded him in the Molong School of Arts long over thirty years ago. The United Friendly Societies of the town rallied round him— he had been, a “live” Secretary to the U.F.S. annual sports and ball, just as he has always been a ‘live” and brainy newspaper man. Mr. McCallum has brought out a paper at Coraki that was not only readable and interesting to the folk who reside in that district, but it was also a publication that could be picked up by a stranger in the train, or in a School of. Arts, or in a military camper out of one — and every item could be perused with an interest and pleasure that was remarkable. “The Pink ‘Un,” was known far and wide — that is to say, when light pink paper was easily obtained — and its lively colour was in keeping with the breezy and interesting matter discussed on its excellently laid out pages.

Fearless in all its public criticisms of men and movements, the passing of ‘The R.R. Herald’ honestly can be termed a calamity so far as Coraki and its surrounding centres are concerned. The people will miss the honest and earnest help it has rendered to public movements right down the fifty-six years of its vigorous championship of all that tended to help and maintain the progress and prosperity of a fertile district. It might be said that there, are other papers near by— a daily at Lismore, another at Casino, and so forth. That does not matter. The country daily papers of N.S.W. cannot fill the bill or do the job for country towns with the same effectiveness and ability that is characteristic of the ‘local journal.’

The reason for the passing of ‘The R.R. Herald’ can be summed up in very few words. Lack of advertisements difficulty in getting paper, and the high cost of everything due to the present disastrous and devastating war. The paper will join respectable company when it ceases to function, for quite a number of other journals have closed the shutters since the war broke out — and the end is not yet.

We have always admired the ‘The R.R. Herald,’ its proprietor and its gifted editor. Today we join with the people on the Richmond River in their regrets for the loss that is coming to them — a paper that stood four square for country interest, truckled to no one, and passes out enjoying the respect and admiration of every brainy and progressive country press-man in N.S.W.

We understand that Mr. and Mrs. McCallum will be settling in Sydney, and we wish them both the best that can possibly come their way. With “Mac” we have had many good humored arguments down the years, but beneath all this there was a friendship and a brotherhood that trifles could not dim, and an appreciation for honest ability that nothing could tarnish or destroy. Similar sentiments go out to the proprietor of the paper in question — Mr. William E. L. Benaud. Well might his legion of friends say to him: “Well done — good and faithful servant.”

To “Mac.” we would say, in conclusion: —
We worked and we toiled together —
In the years long ago;
No matter how fickle the weather —
We’ve driven through frost and through snow.
Over thirty long years we’ve been parted —
But our friendship is certain and sound;
Those were days that they built ’em big hearted —
From the Molong district right round.
We’ll meet again, Mac., ere the bugle —
Sends out the Last Clarion Call;
Though our ways have been humble and frugal —
We may meet in Good Gabriel’s Hall.
Good luck to you both in the city —
May your years there be happy and bright;
You ran a bright paper and witty —
And were always at home in a fight.
— “Fitz o’ Wingham.”

It is more than the loss of a friend. It is the loss of a common centre, round which the entire social, business and sporting life of the district revolves.

I have admired most of the forthright articles, written in the inimitable style of your allegedly Scottish editor, whilst others, I am sure, must have been written by that worthy gentle-man with his tongue in his cheek and the after effects of a “Byrnes ” hanging around his liver. At least he

has always written as he felt, and I trust that the old paper if it must cease publication will meet its end with its colors still flying – another vic-tim of the war. From the Diggers Publicity Officer: The Diggers of Coraki wish to pay a sincere tribute on the passing of a true friend and stalwart supporter. Ever since the last war we have experienced the benifit of the co-operation and

assistance of your paper in our under-takings. Never has space been be-grudged us when appeals were lodged, or our cause required publicity. We feel that in this, your last issue we would like to say many things, but realise you will understand what we mean when we say ‘Thanks a lot old

PAL!’ Mrs. Jas. Campbell, of Maclean, formerly Mrs. J. M. Cameron, of Codrington and Coraki, recalls that tlie ‘R.R. Herald’ was first publisli-ed about the time that her eldest son, Hugh, was born — in July, 56 years ago, and that she had been taking the paper ever since. From an esteemed Tuckurimba subscriber of many years standing: ‘In a few words I would like to ex-press the regret we Tuckurimba people feel at the passing of ‘our own paper. ‘ It seems little short of a calamity. For so many years Tuckurimba ‘en-joyed’ publicity at the hands of our local correspondent, and the paper really seemed a part of ourselves. Now we have to realise, when Friday comes

round, that it is no longer ‘Pink Paper Day.’ I am sure I am voicing the sentiments of all subscribers when I say that if the subscriptions were twice what they were, we would read-ily pay to be able to still read and enjoy the ‘R.R. Herald. ‘ ‘ In the course of a private letter to the editor Mr. J. T. Reid, M.L.A., says: ‘ . . .1 think the cessation of the

‘R.R: Herald’ a very great loss to the Richmond River generally and to the Mid and Lower Richmond particularly, and I am at a loss to know how the public will obtain any information of a public nature, or in regard to ad-ministration, as your journal seemed to be the only means Mid Richmond people had of obtaining such know-ledge. …. . The ban on advertise-ment of certain goods will, I am af-

raid, mean the end of many other papers in the smaller centres. Per-sonally I think the loss of your paper to the district is so serious that we scarcely realise how great it is, be-cause while it provided the district with current news the free and inde-pendent manner in which all its para-

graphs were written, and its education-al criticism on all public and local matters, put the paper in a field by itself and the cessation of its publica-tion I deeply regret. Mrs. H. .Coop, of East Coraki, who celebrated her 77th birthday this week called in on Wednesday to say that the closing down of the ‘R.R.

Herald’ was ‘One of the biggest dis-appointments of my life. Some time ago she went on, ‘ I sent a copy of the ‘Pink Un’ to my cousin in U.S. A;, who lived just across the street from President Roosevelt. She gave him the paper to read, and he said it was an astonishingly newsy and brightly written newspaper. I have seen the first copy and now I am going to see the last. I have been terribly upset about it.’

His Worries! — War conditions have apparently not affected the Austra-lian’s characteristic casualness. The

officer in charge of a military patrol in Grafton during the weekend notic-ed the front door of a shop in a side street open. With the thought of burglars in his mind he flashed a torch inside and carefully made an examina-tion of the premises. Then he knock-ed on the door leading to the living quarters. A sleepy voice inquired: ‘Who’s there?’: ‘Your front door is open,” the officor called. ‘Slam it as you go out ‘ the voice directed equally sleepily. And (remarks the ” Examiner” that was that.