1954 1964
10th Birthday

Yes, it's ten years since we published the first issue of "Gisborne Photo News", In the intervening decade, Gisborne has grown a lot. Not spectacularly, as some New Zealand provincial cities have grown, but steadily and surely. And so have we.

We were new to Gisborne when we came here to establish the first monthly pictorial magazine. We were shocked to find that access to Gisborne by road was, to put it mildly, primitive by comparison with other centres. We were pleased to find such an attractive town, with such enormous potentialities. We were delighted with the climate, which for our arrival was at its balmiest. And we were enchanted with the people. They were friendly, if a little conservative, but they quickly took the new magazine to their hearts and gave us the support we needed to survive.

Much water has flowed under the Gladstone Road bridge since then. Gisborne has become a city. New suburbs have sprung up to house the increasing population. Fine new buildings have appeared to change the skyline. Those terrible roads to north and south have gradually succumbed to the combined assualt of money, men and machines. And in many other more subtle ways, Gisborne has matured, to keep pace with the rest of the country. A major share of credit for this belongs to the local bodies of the city and district. Although Gisborne staggers under a heavy load of debt, its administration during these ten years has been sound and progressive, and the groundwork is well laid for the completion of such major undertakings as an overseas port, the provision of adequate water and sewerage facilities, and, more generally, arrangements to cope with the ever-increasing population. In one major respect only do we appear to be falling down on the job: our ability to attract worthwhile new industries to keep our young people here. The provision of an overseas harbour, and increased development of primary production, could be the keys to this problem.

On the occasion of this anniversary of our publication, we are bound to express our thanks to. all our readers, and many others who helped us, particularly in the early years. In the decade now completed, the magazine has become an institution in Gisborne and district -- we hope a permanent one. And from the success of "Gisborne Photo News" we have been able to launch similar magazines in six other New Zealand provincial centres. All these, amounting to something over 50,000 copies a month, are produced here in Gisborne. In our own small way, therefore, we are an example of an industry becoming established here and providing a measure of employment. May the future see the establishment of many other small industries: and a couple of big ones would be welcome, too.