PRESS CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1935, Page 7

PRESS CONFERENCE

N.Z. DELEGATE RETURNS [PEB PBEBS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, April 27. “South Africa, though young in years, is already steeped in tradition and has made great strides along the road of nationhood. Her people are filled with a deep sense of pride in their achievements. They like to think of South Africa as the nation, but they are imbued by the most friendly and co-operative wishes for the commonweal of the commonwealth of the British Empire.”

Such was the impression received by Mr T. M. Geddis, of Napier, who, with Mrs Geddis, returned to-day, after attending the fifth Imperial Press Conference in South Africa, and participating in seven weeks’ tour of the Union, Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Basutaland. Mr Geddis spoke enthusiastically of the generous hospitality of the South African Government, and the people. The conference and tour were successful in every detail, and every delegate would long remember the experience. The establishment of a permanent committee to meet annually and keep an eye on the development of inter-imperial news services and other matters affecting newspapers of the Empire, was an important step. What was possibly more valuable than the instructive debates was the contacts established between representative editors and newspapermen from various parts of the Empire, England, Australia, New Zealand. South Africa, India, Ceylon and the Straits Settlements. All foundthey had much in common on many subjects, and all had formed friendships and gained first hand knowledge on many matters. The other New Zealand delegate, Mr E. G. Kerr, of Timaru, went from Capetown to England, where he will spend some months.