“The Pull-Thro’: In which is incorporated The Noumea Nightmare, The Suva Sendoff and Samoan Sun.” - Printed in Samoa 1914

Transitionary newspaper printing Samoa:

“The Pull-Thro’: In which is incorporated The Noumea Nightmare, The Suva Sendoff and Samoan Sun.”

-Folio (290 mm). Six issues in one volume, No. I (October 14, 1914) – No. VI (March 9, 1915). Collation: 1-16, 1-12,1-12,1-12,[1],1-16,[1],1-16.

-Neatly bound in contemporary buff cloth, titled The Pull-Thro’ Samoa 1914–15 in manuscript to front cover.

-No. I printed by E. Luebke for the Literary Committee of the Advance Party of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. No 2-6 Printed by H.S.Griffin for the Literary Committee of the Advanced Party of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

An interesting example of transitionary printing - Volume I was printed on Emil Luebke’s German Press which had produced the Samoan German Language newspaper “Samoanische Zeitung” from 1901-1914. Volumes 2 onwards were printed by H.S. Griffin who had previously worked for the London Missionary Press in Malua, Samoa.

This printing change reflected the transition of colonial power in Samoa from Germany to New Zealand during WW1.

A rare run of six issues (of seven printed) of The Pull-Thro’, the unofficial newspaper of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force stationed at Apia, Samoa, during the opening months of the First World War. Produced on an 1860s handpress in Apia by “The Literary Committee of the Advance Party,” the paper provided humour, verse, and news updates. Tongue-in-cheek articles often poke fun at the trials and tribulations of daily life including mosquito bites, unit news, and sporting pastimes to try and pass boredom.

The Advance Party had captured German Samoa in August 1914 — New Zealand’s first military action of the war — and remained stationed there until relieved in 1915.

Rarity: OCLC records 9 copies only – with only 1 (NYPL) outside of Australia (2) and New Zealand (6).

£1250