Fremantle's Herald newspaper was established by James Pearce in 1867. According to the Oxford Companion to Australian Literature, Pearce was joined in this endeavour by James Beresford and James Roe. The newspaper was politically active and agitated for representative government and for a constitution. In an obituary for Pearce, the West Australian wrote that the Herald attracted a 'phalanx of literary experts' and was 'a powerful influence in moulding public opinion'. The obituary states that Pearce, under the name 'Sandalwood Cutter', wrote a regular, satirical column, as did Wallace Bickley. Pearce's column was titled 'Chips' while Bickley's bore the heading 'The "Moabitish Inscriptions'.
Source: 'The Late Mr James Pearce. A Chapter in Australian Journalism', The West Australian (11 March 1916): 7.
