EFFICIENT SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20568, 30 May 1941, Page 4

EFFICIENT SERVICE

DOMINION NEWSPAPERS REDUCTION IN SIZE NEWSPRINT RESTRICTIONS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. “Our problem ifor the immediate future,” said the president, Mr. C. W. Earle, addressing a general meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, “is to maintain an efficient service in spite of the fact that we shall have to issue smaller papers. “The Government, in its anxiety to conserve exchange funds, insisted on a reduction of newsprint consumption, and we are complying with its demand. From June 2 every newspaper will have to conform to the new schedule of rationing, but we must not sacrifice the news.” Mr. Earle went on to say that the meeting had been called because many questions had been asked concerning the method in which advertising space should be rationed and how various classes of advertising should be compressed. There was not one formula that would cover all newspapers or all the classes of advertising in a single newspaper, but it was obvious that material readjustments would have to be made. Production Costs

The Price Tribunal which had investigated the question had decided that newspapers would be permitted to increase their advertising rates by 25 per cent, but it should be made clear to advertisers and the general public, as it already was clear to those in charge of newspapers, that the purpose of this decision was to cover production costs a.nd compensate for the space restrictions imposed, and not to increase profits. The authorised increase in rates might not, and indeed would not, relieve them of their financial worries, but they must not lose sight of the objective, which was the conservation of paper, while at the same time ensuring to the public the very full news service which the papers of this Dominion had been accustomed to supply to their readers.

Advertisers, particularly those concerned with large-scale publicity, who had already been approached on the subject of possible space restrictions, had shown ready appreciation of the changed conditions and had displayed a very welcome attitude of willing co-operation. Faced in this spirit, there should be no great difficulty in ensuring that requirements of all classes of business should be reasonably and satisfactorily met.