The local historian and the press.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Hierdie artikel ondersoek die waarde van 'n aantal 19de-eeuse koerante - in buitedistrikte van die Kaapse oosgrens - vir die navorser in plaaslike geskiedenis. 'n Ontleding van hoofartikels toon gemeenskaplike beleidsrigtings en opvattinge by die betrokke redakteurs, soos byvoorbeeld 'n strewe na objektiewe beriggewing en die uitgangspunt dat hul nuusblaaie moes dien as 'n kommunikasiemiddel tussen owerheid en onderdaan - as't ware dus 'n soort spreekbuis vir openbare mening. Ondanks hul verklaarde doelstelling van onpartydigheid het baie van hierdie koerante tog tot stand gekom met die uitsluitlike doel om bepaalde groepsbelange te bevorder of is hulle mettertyd ten nouste aan 'n sekere deel van die gemeenskap verbind. Die nuusblaaie dek verskeie aspekte van plaaslike belang soos dorpsbestuur, regspleging, sosiale vraagstukke, ekonomiese en landboukundige ontwikkeling asook die rassegevoel by koloniste veral ten opsigte van hulle vrese vir die veiligheid van hul lewens en eiendom. Plaaslike koerante bevat meestal heelwat meer inligting oor 'n verskeidenheid belangrike sake as ander dokumente. Die navorser in plaaslike geskiedenis kry uit sodanige nuusblaaie baiekeer ook 'n aanduiding van watter amptelike dokumente in argiefbewaarplekke geraadpleeg moet word, iets wat aansienlike tyd- en kostebesparing kan meebring.

• Summary: This article examines to what extent some 19th century country town newspapers of the Eastern Cape frontier can be used by the local historian. An analysis of editorials found certain common policies and ideas espoused by the editors, e.g. the pursuit of objectivity and the view that the local newspaper was a channel of communication between the government and the population, a kind of forum for the expression of public opinion. In spite of their declared aim of impartiality, many of these newspapers were however established either with the express purpose of furthering the interests of a particular group of they gradually became closely associated with certain sections of the community. Matters of local importance in these papers include local government, the administration of justice, social problems, economic and agricultural development, and the colonists' attitude towards race, as expressed in their fears for the security of their persons and stock. These are all matters which provide the local historian with valuable information which is otherwise unavailable in any other source. From these newspapers the local historian is often able to obtain a clear indication of what to look for in official documents kept in the archival depots, which can be of great practical value in terms of time and money.