The Wanganui Herald

John Ballance arrived in Wanganui in August 1866; he was to become New Zealand's prime minister in 1891.

[1] Ballance aimed for a career in journalism, had strong political views, and occasionally wrote for the Wanganui Times.

[2] On 3 June 1867, Ballance published the first issue of The Evening Herald after having purchased a printing press.

[4][5] On the occasion of commissioning a new printing press that enabled an "enlarged paper", the title was changed with the following rationale:[6] A slight modification of the title has long been pressed upon us by numerous friends, who think that the word Wanganui should form part of the name, their contention being that the place from whence the paper issues should appear prominent to those at a distance.

After careful consideration, and not without reluctance arising from an early bias, we have acceded to the suggestion, The Wanganui Herald being now the designation of our daily issue.From 1869 to 1906, the evening newspaper was supplemented by a weekly edition.