Compositors at Work

This scene is in the compositor's room at New Zealands Government Printer in Wellington (Bunny Street, 1949)

The compositor in the left middle of the picture gives some idea of how picture blocks and types were clamped into a 'chase' to make a forme. The type letters would be difficult to read in the forme otherwise.

Hand composition of type was a labour-intensive task which has been lost because of industry changes.

From the days when type was set by hand, this young compositor is carefully selecting and placing on the 'stick' individulal letters to make the heading for the draft report which is in front of him. He is certainly "minding his p's and q's".

Photo: Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand