BRITISH NEWSPAPERMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 November 1943, Page 4

BRITISH NEWSPAPERMEN

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND , AUCKLAND, November 21. Three leading British newspaperproprietors arrived on Satur lay from Sydney by Tasman Empn e ways flying boat. They were Sir Walter Layton, chairman ol the News Chronicle, Ltd., and Star Newspaper Company, Ltd., and tocmerly editor of the “Economist, Sir Neville Pearson, chairman of the world-famous publishing house . ol C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd., and vicechairman of the equally well-known firm of George and Mr Samuel Storey, Conservative member of Parliament for Sunderland, Parliamentary Secretary .to the Minister of Health, and chairman of Portsmouth and Sunderland News papers, Ltd. A fourth member of the party, Mr A. W. Wood, of the “Daily Express.” London, remained in Australia, with the object of visiting New Guinea. Mr Wood is an Australian by birth and a son of the late Professor of History at the University of Sydney. He served in the Bntisn Army earlier in the war until he was taken from the ranks for special work and attached to Combined Headquarters in the Middle East. Sir Walter Layton said that the group was invited to New Zealand by the Government, and gladly took advantage of the offer, so that its members could round off their impressions of a part of the world which was attracting ever-increas-ing attention. Sir Walter Layton added that there was not sufficient first-hand knowledge of New Zealand and Australia among members of the British Press, and the ideas about the two countries which were possessed by the average man in the street were vague. It was desirable, particularly for the sake of sound planning for the post-war world, that there should be first-hand acquaintance with the special problems and ways of thought of various parts of tne world, and as the eyes of the British people were turning more and more to the Pacific and the Far East, it was well to take advantage of the opportunity for an interchange of information, opinions, and impressions that such a visit contained. The members of the party would use such influence as they had to see on their return to Britain that their visit was turned to useful ends. The visitors were met on arrival by the Minister of Labour (Mr Webb), who welcomed them on behalf of the Government. At night they attended a reception given in their honour by the directors of Wilson and Horton, Ltd., and New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd. The visitors went to Rotorua to-day, and tomorrow they will go to Taupo. A fishing expedition is being arranged for Sir Neville Pearson, who began to inquire about New Zealand’s trout as soon as he arrived. ' To-morrow night the visitors are to join the Wellington express at Tcngariro National Park. SOUTH ISLAND VISIT WELLINGTON, November 21. The British Press delegation will arrive in Wellington on Tuesday, and will leave the next morning for Christchurch. From there Sir Walter Layton will go on to Dunedin. The delegation wj.ll return to Wellington on Friday and will leave the same day for Auckland.