Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a feeding of paper has a reflector which is mounted on a bottom of a switch lever. The switch lever, in turn, is slidably mounted on black paper retainer plate which has poor reflecting properties, and a light emitting element emits light which is reflected by the paper towards a light receiving element. When paper which has good reflecting properties is being fed, the reflector is slid so that it is no longer located opposite the light emitting element, and any light passing through holes in the paper is thus poorly reflected by the black paper retainer plate, thereby enabling the light receiving element to readily detect the presence or absence of a hole in the paper. However, when the paper being fed has poor reflecting properties, the reflector is slid so that it is located opposite the light emitting element, and any light passing through one of the holes in the paper is strongly reflected by the reflector.