Recalling The Birth of "The Harvest Field"

"Crosslink" Nov 1999

By Yvonne Wilkie.

At the first united Presbyterian Women's Missionary Conference in 1905, “Mrs White proposed and Mrs Robertson seconded that a four page magazine in the interests of the work of the PWMU be published by the Union, printed quarterly and sold at 3d per annum.” So began the Harvest Field with the first publication in March 1906, edited by Mrs A. Kaye of Christchurch.

The first four issues cost $50.60 to produce and subscriptions reached $100. Such continued success saw the magazine increase to a 12 page bi-monthly publication from 1908 and monthly from 1911. By 1915 subscriptions had reached 4,175. Forty years later in 1955 the Harvest Field boasted a subscription list of 17,179 comparing itself favourably with the Outlook subscription list of 11,000.

The Church fathers recognized the significance of the Harvest Field as an important medium and requested that special issues be published focussing on Home Missions in the 1920s, the budget crisis of the 1930's and the New Life Movement in 1954 when 14,000 extra copies were published and distributed free of charge. On each occasion the circulation of the Harvest Field increased with new subscriptions.
For the first 50 years the editorial support and publishing of the Harvest Field was centred in Christchurch. The Christchurch PWMU provided four editors, six business managers and a number of secretaries. Not until 1949 did they form an official Committee. Throughout these years they fulfilled their aim of maintaining a cost recovery magazine, changing the quality of paper and reducing the use of photographs when necessary to retain costs.

A ‘golden jubilee' tea in 1956 was hosted by Weeks Ltd, the publishers from 1906, for all those associated with the production of the magazine. The same year the Harvest Field editorshipand committee transferred to Hawke's Bay beginning the rotation of the Editor and Committee that is presently in operation. The final minutes of the Christchurch Committee reflect the end of a very long and dedicated service. The vast majority of an extensive library of printing blocks were disposed of, guidelines and policies covering the previous years was compiled, a thank you letter written to Weeks Ltd for their loyal service and lastly, “[t]he Committee retired to the Farmers Tea-rooms to make their final farewells over a dainty afternoon tea arranged by Miss Batchelor.”

The Editor of "The Harvest Field", Miss Arnold & committee member Miss Batchelor participating in the St. Paul's Christchurch PWMU re-enactment of the first PWMU executive meeting.

Full names (from left to right) : Miss H Arnold, Mrs A Morrison, Mrs WH Kirk, Miss E Batchelor, Mrs WH Kirk, Mrs C Bradford, Mrs Bathurst, Mrs SC Francis, Mrs C Douds, Mrs SE McGregor.

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