BRITISH PRESS UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 233, 2 October 1925, Page 7

BRITISH PRESS UNION.

CONFERENCE IN MELBOURNE.

IMPERIAL TRADE POLICY. NEWS, VIEWS AND OPINIONS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 1 0.30 a.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. Encouragement of inter-Emnire trade formed the dominant note at'the Press Conference to-day. Need of an Imperial trade policy was urged. One British delegate believed that Australia should develop primary industries only, and buy manufactured goods from Britain, whose trade was suffering. Other British delegates ridiculed the idea, and emphasised the importance of the Dominions being self-contained in case of war.

Major Astor (London "Times") suggested that British manufacturers should give more attention to Dominion markets and mass production or they would lose their place in the future. He urged the Press of the Empire to take all possible measures to promote trade. Empire Governments should give more thought to changed conditions arising out of the Great War. Australia and New Zealand, he said, were virtually the sole outlet of the British people, whose only capital was their industry.

A motion was pnssed lvrging "hire British Press to give accurate information regarding settlement in the Dominions.

Lord Apsley, who came to Australia as a migrant, praised the chances of success in Australia, He said he got as good a reception a« a migrant in the back blocks as in the front door.

Mr. Hugh McTntosh emphasised the point that American films depicted Englishmen as monocled idiots, and were a bad advertisement. He suggested that all Empire picture shows should be compelled to exhibit a set percentage of English films.

It was resolved that the Empire Press use all possible methods to promote inter-Imperial trade and impress its importance upon the public.

A motion was passed that the Empire Press Council consider what action was desirable to give more copyright protection to newspapers.

Sir Edw. Hiffe said weekly and monthly papers suffered most from the infringement of copyright. Large sums of money were spent on special articles and photographs, whose value lasted longer than ordinnrv news. Action could be taken in England for an infringement of copyright, but damages must first be proved, which was a very difficult task. In the United States it was necessary only to prove that copyright had been infringed.

Sir George Fenwick said that New Zealand papers largely used British periodicals. He would be prepared to pay, but he thought an annual amount should be fixed.

Other delecates pointed ont that it would he inadvisable to prevent smaller papers liftintr matter.

Tt was decided to hold the next conference in "London in the summer of 1930.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)