'A paper of general, political, and social matters',
The Pilot was a vehicle for the strong opinions of its owner and editor,
Cas-Hamba (Mrs A. E. McDonald). She intended it 'to voice the wrongs of women and men, report meetings which are of great moment ... and to bring about reforms and more unity of womankind'. She declared it to be 'a woman's paper, but an advanced woman - not the raving, ranting, carping woman who, like many men, talk a lot - "there is nothing in it" - hollow as a jam tart and reasonless as the babbling of an idiot.' Her primary allegiance was to women's suffrage and to the technical and practical education that would allow both women and men to use their vote well.
The Pilot supported the employment of barmaids, took a stance on the drink question in favour of wine, and opposed the censorship of books while immoral newspapers proliferated. It contained articles about mining, forests, the tariff, political profiles, the Kanaka question, federation, unions, and labour, as well as fashions, short stories, and a serial.