JOURNALISTS' INSTITUTE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 107, 2 November 1909, Page 2

JOURNALISTS' INSTITUTE.

Yesterday afternoon the eighteenth annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists was begun, with the president, Mr. F. K. Reeves, in the chair, but two hours were not sufficient to complete it, and the meeting was accordingly adjourned to next Monday, at 4 p.m., in the Press Gallery. Most of 'the time was devoted to a discussion about a question of professional ethics, over which the Wellington and Auckland Branches have a difference of opinion. The committee of the Wellington branch, about two months ago, adopted the following resolution :— -."That this branch of the institute views with disapproval the recent action of an Auckland reporter in obtaining admission by a fake pretence, to a meeting which was not open to the press, and reporting the proceedings thereat." The alleged false pretence was the use of labourer's clothes to gain an entry to a meeting of workers. The Auckland branch apparently misunderstood the intention of the other branch; 'and, while reserving its own opinion on the case in question, the Auckland branch was inclined to resent the^action of the other body in propounding an opinion on a question which, in Auckland's opinion, should have been left solely to the Council of the Institute. On the evidence so far placed before it, the council's opinion is that Wellington was "justified in attempting to uphold the status of journalism, which was prejudiced by the action ciSinplained of." At yesterday's meeting a motion was passed expressing a hope that in the interests of the whole body of New Zealand journalists, the dispute between the two branches would be amicably settled. The annual report, which was adopted, contained a note of regret by the council that "in the selection of delegates to represent New Zealand at the Imperial Conference, the literary side of journalism did not receive sufficient consideration." The balance-sheet showed receipts, £12 8s 3d, and expenditure, £9 17s 7Ad, leaving a credit-balance of £2 10g 7id. The institute's membership is about 110, of which Wellington's quota is 52. '