EMPIRE PRESS UNION

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 February 1937, Page 5

EMPIRE PRESS UNION

ANNUAL MEETING. [PEB PBEBB ASSOCIATION.] TIMARU. February 18. , In his statement to the annual meeting of the New Zealand section of the Empire Press Union at the Hermitage. Mount Cook, the Chairman (Sir Henry Horton) said that the year had been a difficult one for the press of the Dominion. Newspapers had to face greatly increased labour costs, higher cost of newsprint, and competition from advertising over the air. In spite of the drawbacks, it was gratifying to notice that all publications had endeavoured to maintain the high standard that in the past had brought praise from all intelligent visitors to the country. This standard, he was sure, had done much in the past to assist in the development of New Zealanders along solid lines, and was in striking contrast to much unwholesome matter that was now permitted over the air from some minor stations. Liberty in many cases had descended into license, and some action should be taken in the matter in the interests of the people as a whole. Since the last meeting in Napier he attended in London as a delegate from the first of the recently inaugurated annual conferences of the union. Sir Henry reviewed the conference, referring to the suggested amendments to the law of libel, and said that the new bill had been introduced into the House of Commons, but failed, because of its low place in the ballot, to reach discussion on the second reading. He read resolutions passed at the conference dealing with Empire communication for press purposes, newspaper postage rates, censorship. property right in news, a co-operative Empire news service, the interchanje of journalists, and free publicity. Sir Henry said that the second annual conference of the Empire Press Union would open in London on Many 24, and he hoped that they would be able to secure a representative delegation. He expressed pleasure at tin* appointment of Mr. G. C. Codlin, a former secretary of the section, as general manager of the Melbourne “Argus." The conference ended to-night with a general meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. A special dinner was provided to-night, when tributes were paid by delegates to the generous treatment and hospitality accorded by the Mount Cook Tourist Company. The delegates had a splendid view of the sunset on Mount Cook. Sir Cecil Leys said he had seen nothing finer in the mountains of India.