The Auckland Research Centre has microfilm copies of most Auckland area newspapers. Ross Harvey's Union list of newspapers has details about newspapers published in and around Auckland, and where they may be found.
Short history of early Auckland newspapers:
The first English language newspaper, The New Zealand Advertiser and Bay of Islands Gazette, was published at Kororareka in the Bay of Islands between 15 June and 10 December 1840. It folded under political pressure, which also determined the fortunes of other early newspapers.
There were similar attempts to start newspapers in Auckland from July 1841. The Southern Cross finally brought some continuity to newspaper publication from April 1843, and continued as The Daily Southern Cross until 1876. The same company also published The Weekly News from November 1863. This later amalgamated with the Weekly Herald to become the Auckland Weekly News, widely known for its pink coloured covers.
The New Zealander survived from June 1845 until May 1866, while The Evening Star, later The Auckland Star, dated from January 1870. The New Zealand Herald dates from November 1863. Some of these are available on Papers Past.
There were a number of Maori language newspapers published in Auckland. The first was Te Karere o Niu Tirani, which was published from 1842 to 1846. This was continued in Maori and English by the well known The Maori Messenger and Te Manuhiri Tuarangi and Maori Intelligencer through to 1863. Unlike the English language newspapers, these were all government sponsored. See Māori newspapers online. |
