NEWS CORP <NWS> STARTS HARPER/ROW <HPR> BID News Corp Ltd of Australia said it has started its previously announced tender offer for all shares of Harper and Row Publishers Inc at 65 dlrs per share. In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer is conditioned on received of at least 51 pct of Harper and Row's shares. The offering and withdrawal rights expire April 29 unless extended. A merger at the tender price is to follow the offer, which has been approved by the Harper and Row board. Harper and Row has granted NEw Corp an option to buy up to 800,000 new shares or a 15.4 pct interest at 65 dlrs each. News Corp said if the merger agreement were terminated under certain circumstances, News would be entitled to a 16 mln dlr cash payment. Last month, Theodore Cross offered to acquire Harper and Row for 34 dlrs per share but was soon outbid by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc, which offered 50 dlrs per share. Late in the month, Harper and Row said its board had received expressions of interest from a number of domestic and foreign companies.