BRETT PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 109, 11 May 1927, Page 4

BRETT PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO.

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. STEADY BUSINESS EXPANSION. The annual meeting of shareholders of the Brett Printing and Publishing Com- , pany was held at the offices of the company , this morning. The directors' report stated • that progress in the enlargement and J reconstruction of the premises had been \ slow, because no branch of the company's activities had been curtailed in the ! process. It was hoped that twelve months ' would see the business installed in • entirely re-modelled buildings. Apart from " construction activities the year had seen a complete reorganisation of the newspaper plant. An octuple Hoe printing press with a capacity of 40,000 thirty-two " page papers per hour had just commenced running, and additions to plant, of which this was the principal, represented an expenditure of over £40,000. The chairman (Mr. W. Cecil Leys), in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said # that the directors' policy of main- 1 taining the finance of the company in a strong position was shown to be well justified at the present time in the ability of the company to reconstruct its premises and to instal a very large amount of new machinery without calling for fresh capital. Shareholders would, no doubt, expect to hear something ] of the effect that the advent of an opposition evening journal had upon "The Star." Over the period , during which it had been possible to make a comparison, circulation had declined only 0.72 per cent, or, in other words, for every 50,000 papers the company sold a year ago it was now selling 49,640—a differ- . ence of 360 in 50,000. Another satisfactory feature was that each day showed a further improvement in the position. Adver- ' tismg revenue for April last increased, 6JZ per cent compared with the same! month in 1926. These facts must be reassuring to advertisers and gratifying to ■ shareholders. A resolution of sympathy with the family of the late Sir Henry Brett, founder of the , ' company and actively engaged in its direction right up to the time of his death, was moved by Mr. P. H. Upton and • seconded by Mr. H. Caughey. Mr. J. H Upton also spoke. All three made feel;mg reference to the splendid record citizenship left behind by deceased, and his signal service to the Press, not only of Auckland, but of the ' rt A£ vidend °1 10 P» cent and a bonus T wrfE? Cen A 7 e S Messrs. J. H. Upton and A. R. Brett were elected directors, and Messrs. Gilfillan and Genties were re-appointed auditors to the company. tue