Thank you Papers Past.
The exercise I have just done these last few wet days, was looking into the Re-hab settlement of Hikuai, on the Corromandel. In the end I had collected well over 100 newspaper clippings [or computer screen parts thereof] which I notated with source details.
For a start I did a newspaper search using:-
Hikuai and another identifier word [ballot – settlement- lease etc] (all words)
Confined to a search period 1920 – 1930 inclusive.
Editorial – advertising – pictorial.
And either “All available newspapers” OR some times restricted to local region prints.
Resulting search hits were relatively small, and I set results for date order and 100 per page. This gave me my foundation research.
Then I moved on to a more comprehensive search using only:-
Hikuai
1920 – 1930 inclusive.
Editorial – advertising – pictorial.
Selecting only Auckland, Waikato & BOP Regions print. [Waikato Times online does not extend far into this period. Plus the NZ Truth.
Hits for the period were only some 1100 BUT a large proportion in the mid 1920’s were the near daily shipping column adverts in both the NZH and the AS. Then from about 1928 Overseas Mail or just Mail; classified mail schedule’s took over. If I attempted to exclude these repetitive hits from the PapersPast selection, I was/am concerned I could be missing that odd small classified slipped into that classified’s column. Upon first reading I chose to ignore one such small classified advert, but now that I would like a copy of it [as with further knowledge it has some relevance to my research] I am yet to rediscover it.
The automated optical reading can be a bit arbitrary, as to where it chooses to make the cut, even where the published type, under scrutiny, is crisp and clear.
Hence my venting a little frustration at my incompetence, when I saw the above post. But as hopefully implied, I am ever so grateful to the National Library and it’s PapersPast service direct to my own home. Especially so when I think back to former days, and spending them in libraries, up and down the country, seeking info about our pioneering history.
Regards,
Alan.
