James Ross with George Terry Howe, as joint government printers, established the Hobart Town Gazette on 25 June 1825. The partnership between Ross and Howe was dissolved in early 1827 and Ross continued to publish the Gazette until new laws in 1827 for the control of newspapers meant that government notices only could be published in the Gazette. This event led James Ross to establish the Hobart Town Courier.
The birth of the Hobart Town Courier is explained in the editorial to the first issue: 'It having been found expedient by the Government in consequence of the late Newspaper Acts, to publish the Hobart Town Gazette distinct from all editorial matter, news, or private advertisements, excepting such notices, etc. as are required by law to be inserted in that Official periodical document, we are reduced to the alternative of this week presenting ourselves to our readers under a different name and form.'
The new newspaper included government notices from the Gazette and the editorial reassured readers that '[a]lthough our dress be changed, we need not tell our readers that the same consistent spirit embodied in it remains unchanged as from the commencement of our career, and though some may think our head a little heavy, we assure them there is a great deal in it. We beg to apologize for any imperfections which may appear in our journal of this day, incidental to every new undertaking. We have not had issue, even to make the necessary calculations for fixing the price to our subscribers, which we shall do in our next number, at as moderate a rate as the times will admit.'
John Alexander Ferguson in his entry for the newspaper in Bibliography of Australia: Volume I: 1784-1830 (1941): 414-415, no. 1126a, describes the newspaper as '[a]n important source of Tasmanian news and influential organ of public opinion for many years.'
William Gore Elliston became proprietor and editor of the newspaper from 6 January 1837 by, according to an announcement in that issue, 'purchase of Dr. James Ross, taking effect from the 2nd day of Jan. 1837.' 'The Stationery, Book-binding, Job Printing and Copper-plate departments' were also to be continued by Elliston, 'together with the Bookselling'.
