THE “BLACK ” PAMPHLETS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3244, 14 June 1911, Page 6

THE “BLACK ” PAMPHLETS

PUBLISHER BECOMES BANKRUPT.

“ FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE.”

EDITOR AT FIVE SHILLINGS

WEEKLY

ISPECIAL TO TIMES.]

AUCKLAND, June 13

The first meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Pierrepont Black, who for some time conducted a small paper called the “Leader,” and incidentally published what have become known as the “Black” pamphlets, was to have been held at the rooms of the official assignee this morning, but the only one present besides the debtor was Mr. Richmond, representing Mr. E. J. Carey, of Wellington, the principal creditor. The assignee decided to put Black under examination.

Bankrupt stated in reply to Mr. Richmond that up till about two years ago he was an auctioneer in Auckland and elsewhere, just travelling. Mr. Richmond: How did you come to start a newspaper? Bankrupt:. Well, I have been in the Labor movement for over 22 years, and when a split took place in the “N.Z. Worker” party—the Political Labor League—l started the “N.Z. Loader.” Who backed you ? No one. Did you print anything besides the paper ?

Oh, yes, I printed a pamphlet about Sir Joseph Ward, tbe Premier. I published the matter first in the paper as a serial.

Mr. Richmond: Have you any record to show what you made out of it? Oh, yes. Showing what you have received in connection with it?

Yes; about 20,000 copies of the pamphlets were sold. In further reply lie stated that be got between £8 arid £lO per thousand for the pamphlets. How he came to publish the matter was through going to Wellington, where a spiritualist and socialist presented him with a document, remarking in doing so, “Black, if you are true to the cause you should publish this document.” “I got a hit of a shock when I read the matter,” went on the bankrupt, “so I published it, and in a little while people used to come along and ask for back numbers of the ‘Leader.’ I did not have enough in print, so I decided to bring it out again in the shape of a pamphlet.” Mr. Richmond : And you received absolutely nothing out of the pamphlet except what you got by the sales ?

No. I did the printing and sold it in bulk for about £S or £lO per thousand. Some used to pay as much as £l2 a thousand, but the average would be about £9 or £lO.

And you say that you did not get any lump sum of money from anyone in regard to the sales of this pamphlet? No; I did not print them to get any revenue. I printed them first in the paper.

The Assignee: Was there any profit to you in that pamphlet at all? No; I was giving them away in dozens. As a matter of fact, workers out of work would come along and I would give them a few dozen copies of the pamphlet to sell on their own account. How can you prove you gave them away ? The men to whom I gave them could prove that. I iust did it to help them. I used to give away “Leaders” also in order to help workers out of work. I know that all sorts of yarns penetrated to the House. Why, it has been sheer persecution I have suffered from over it. Mr. Richmond asked tbe nature of bankrupt’s present occupation. “I am a canvasser for a little paper organised by my wife,” answered the bankrupt; and he went on to sav that the paper produced between £2 os and £2 10s per week, of which he as editor and canvasser got 5s a week for pocket money. Whether his wife expected to make more than this out of the paper he did not know. Mr. Richmond: And do you intend to go on working for 5s a week for your wife? Yes; I will go on for the sake of the cause, but I do not say it will always be for 5s a week. Tbe meeting adjourned sine die.