COWAN PRIZE IN JOURNALISM

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 6

COWAN PRIZE IN JOURNALISM

AWARDS ANNOUNCED (P.A.) WELLINGTON. February 23. For his coverage of the Mount Cook tragedy in which two trampers lost their lives and six others were injured. Mr J. P. Kennedy, of the “Christchurch Star-Sun,” has been awarded the Cowan Memorial Prize in journalism. The judges' recommendations of this story were: “Enterprise in news gathering, and speed in transmitting it, together with pictures, to the office.”

The second prize has been awarded to Mr I. W. T. Munro, also of the “Christchurch Star-Sun.’’ for two special stories on the eradication of St. John's wort by insect parasites in the Upper Awatere valley. The third prize is shared by Mr lan Mackersey. of the “New Zealand Herald." for a story in the “Weekly News” entitled “A Day in Rua’s Stronghold.” and Mr David N. Lawson. of the “Manawatu Evening Standard,” for his coverage of a fire at Pahiatua.

The judges (Messrs L. J. Cronin and J. H. Hall) said in their report that they were disappointed at the number and quality of the entries. They had the impression that journalists were not entering their best articles. A difficulty encountered was that of deciding on the relative merits of straight news stories and feature articles. They suggested that the competition could, with advantage, be divided into two sections.