The New Zealand Tablet was a Catholic periodical published weekly in Dunedin from 1873 to 1996. It was founded by Patrick Moran, the first Catholic bishop of Dunedin, as a means of representing the interests of Irish Catholics and during its first fifty years or so was one of the most significant religious and political journals published in New Zealand. Articulate and outspoken in his criticism of the government, Moran was also a staunch supporter of Irish nationalism and he used the Tablet to express his views: he often edited the paper and was a regular contributor to it. After his death in 1895, the Tablet pursued a more moderate line under the editorial management of Henry Cleary. After taking over the position in 1898, Cleary distanced the magazine from the cause of Irish nationalism and continued this approach until he left in 1908.
The Tablet returned to its more strident political voice in 1917 following the appointment of James Kelly as editor. Possibly even more outspoken on Irish issues than Moran, Kelly was a supporter of Sinn Fein and used the Tablet to promote its cause. His support for Irish nationalism and the anti-English comments he made in the magazine during the war offended many New Zealanders. This in turn became a factor in the rise of Howard Elliott and the Protestant Political Association, a sectarian organisation that enjoyed widespread support throughout the country during the war and through the 1920s. Former Tablet editor Henry Cleary also took offense at Kelly's vitriolic attacks and founded in 1918 The Month, a moderate Catholic journal that set out to oppose the Tablet. Nevertheless, Kelly managed to hold on as editor until 1931 when he was finally forced to resign.
The Tablet continued to be a prominent and often outspoken advocate for Catholic and Irish issues after Kelly but it did this in less strident and provocative ways. It also remained an influential periodical, particularly under the editorship of John Kennedy (1967-1989). He was well known as a political commentator and some believe his support for the Labour party (expressed in the magazine) played an important role in helping them win government in 1972. The Tablet was eventually wound up in April 1996.
Source: Papers Past: The New Zealand Tablet. National Library of New Zealand. (Sighted: 12/07/10)
