EMPIRE PRESS UNION

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 75, 24 February 1930, Page 9

EMPIRE PRESS UNION

NEW ZEALAND SECTION. ANNUAL MEETING. Per Press Association. TIMARU, Feb. 22. The twentieth annual meeting of the New Zealand section of the Empire Press Union was held at the Hermitage, Mt. Cook, on Friday night. Those present were Messrs C. W. Earle, C M.G. (president), H. Horton, A. A. Lucns, P. Selig, AV. J. Blundell, A. L. Muir, H. W. Crawford, P. Bond, E. G. Kerr, F. A. Clarke, E. A. Blundell, T. Geddes, L. J. Berry, W. Easton, AV. C. Weston, L. Blundell. AV. H. Atack, R. Furness, G. C. Cocllin, T. C. List, A. M. Burns, It. B. Bell, J. Coombe, E. C. Huie, F. A\ r . Petterd. C. S. Smith, G. R. Evison and AV. F. Bisset. Mr Earle, in moving the adpotion of the annual report and balance-sheet, referred to the lamented death of their late chairman, Sir George Fenwick, who had been the guiding spirit of the New Zealand section of the union since its inception in 1910. AA’ithout the great interest and enthusiasm displayed in' the activities of the union by Sir George Fenwick the New Zealand section would never have reached the high position it had now' attained. Mr Earle stated that at a meeting of the executive held in AA r ellington a resolution had been passed recording the sincere sympathy of the members of the union with his family. In concluding his remarks, the chairman said that the principal work of the executive during the year had been the selection of delegates to represent the Dominion at tho fourth Imperial Conference in London in June, 1930 Those members who had been selected would, he felt sure, be a credit to the newspapers of the Dominion. Mr H. Horton (Auckland), in seconding the motion, said that in his recent trip home he had met many Pressmen who had expressed regret at the death of their old comrade Sir George Fenwick, who not only had belonged to New Zealand, but also was regarded as an outstanding newspaper man in all parts of tire Empire. He knew by personal contact that the regret expressed by members in other countries was as sincere as that of members of the union in New Zealand. Respecting the forthcoming conference in London this year, Mr Horton said that the members in the Homeland were doing everything within their power to make the trip interesting and instructive, and in Major J. J. Astor the union were fortunate in securing as chairman a worthy successor to Lord Burnham. Mr P. Selig also expressed personal regret at the decease of his old friend Sir George Fenwick. The adoption of tho report and bal-ance-sheet was carried.

Messrs R. Furness (Blenheim), T. C. List (New Plymouth), A. L. Muir (Gisborne), and P. Selig (Christchurch) were elected to full membershipment, and Mr Trevor Geddes of the Daily Telegraph, Napier, as an associate member. In proposing tho election of Mr 11. Horton as chairman, Mr P. Selig said that he knew of no other newspaper proprietor so well qualified to succeed tho late Sir George Fenwick. His prominence in the Dominion and his closo association with members of the union throughout the Empire, combined with his keen interest in the work, would be of advantage t'o the union as a whole and to New Zealand branches in particular. Tho following office-bearers were elected:—Clwirman, Air H. Horton; executive, Messrs AV. Cecil Leys. L. P. Blundell, P. Selig, AV. C. AA’eston, C. AV. Earle, J. Coombe, A. McNicol, R. J. Giimour, C. Stanley Smith and E. C. Huie; secretary, Mr G. C. Codlin ; auditor, Air D. A. Taylor. A vote of thanks to Air C. AV. Earlo for his services as acting-chair-man in the interim since the death of Sir George Fenwick was passed. Eulogistic references were made to the services of Mr AV. Dow, who was retiring from the secretaryship after 19 years’ service.