Dr Niel Gunson, in his book The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (1) wrote this about local newspapers - The changes in the local press symbolize the role of towns in the community. From 1889 to 1902 the press within the Shire was located at Cranbourne. The Mornington County Herald (to 1893) and the Cranbourne County Herald (to 1902) reflected the prosperity of the centre of the Shire at the end of the century. The first editor, Phillip Pitt Nind, (1848-1891) (2) was also proprietor of the Warragul Guardian. His son Vernon moved to Lang Lang in 1902 where he printed the Lang Lang Guardian in a tin shed in Roseberry Street. In 1903, he sold out to J.C. Ryan, and the Guardian was published at Lang Lang until 1918. In that year the press moved to Koo Wee Rup. The ‘succession’ being continued in the Koo Wee Rup Sun which also incorporates the Cranbourne Shire Record (1927-1937) (3).
This is a list of all the publishers of the Lang Lang Guardian and the Koo Wee Rup Sun.
Vernon Pitt Nind - first newspaper February 22, 1902; last paper March 21 1903. Vernon was born in 1874 in Walhalla to Phillip Pitt Nind and Janet Elizabeth Cue. He married Sophia Cutbush (born 1885) of Caldermeade at Christ Church of England, South Yarra on September 28, 1903. After leaving Lang Lang they are listed in the Electoral Rolls at Walhalla, Warracknabeal and Mildura. He was in the printing industry until around 1921 when his occupation is listed as a Inspector; he was the Health Inspector at Mildura. In July 1924 Sophia sued Vernon for maintenance for herself and her youngest child and she said that since the birth of her child in June 1924, Nind had accused her of infidelity, refused to live with her or support her. The Court ordered him to pay maintenance. In November 1925 he filed a petition for a divorce from Sophia on the grounds of her 'misconduct' with Thomas Perry, Chief Engineer of the Power House at Mildura. Nind claimed £750 in damages. Sophia and Thomas denied the allegations and the petition was dismissed and Nind was required to pay all costs. From the 1930s to the 1950s Nind was listed in the Electoral Rolls at Gisborne, occupation was Health Inspector. He died at the age of 92 in 1966 and the death was registered at Cheltenham. Sophia was living in St Kilda at the time of the divorce hearing. She was listed in Albert Park in the Electoral Rolls until 1949, when she moved to Sydney, where she died May 18, 1954. I hope she had some happiness in her life (4).