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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 16 October 1920, Page 10

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PRESS DELEGATES JTETFIIN. “'ll has been iv great experience,” said i\!r -L Parker, of the Wellington Post, M’lio has just returned from the Imperial Press Conference *at Ottawa.. “Not only hare the delegates been profoundly impressed with the success which attended the conference-—the first representative Imperial Congress held outside of England hut the journey acioss the Dominion ,while revealing the vnstness of area and richness of resource of Canada, was marked by many happy incidents .and striking proofs of the..great accord existing between Canada and other parts of the British Empire. At the conference there were present representatives from all parts of the Empire, and the beneficial results obtained from a frank anfl full interchange of opinions should he far-reaching. We had the privilege of listening to illuminating addresses from the political leaders end other public men; many subjects of immediate concern to'the .newspaper world were debated; and the development of inter-imperial relation-drip was reviewed from all standpoints. # ln this connection it is interesting to mention that the conference was practice!iv unanimous in its opinion, that a vital factor in developing Empire consciousness centres in the provision of cables, Quicker and cheaper facilities for the exchange of news and opinions within llie Empire. Recognising that the distribution of news is one of the greatest of public trusts, the Australian and New Zealand representatives were very insistent...or: the impartiality and independence of such service, which, it was urged, should remai independent of Government control and dree from propagadist influences. A. resolution to this effect was adopted by conferenced*

Mr Parker was greatly struck with the rapid development of Canada, the advantageous utilisation of the country’s natural resources, and the magnificent syscoin of railways, of which ho speaks in terms of the highest praise. “The operations of the Canadian Faciiio,Railway are most extensive,” said Mr Parker, “This may 'he judged by the fact that it owns ’and controls 18.000 miles of track; operates over 100.000 miles of telegraph system; runs lines of steamships across the Atlantic to Europe, and across the Pacific to various parts of the Far East; owns a,large number of palatial hotels, and has a department lor providing larm lands for intending settlors. Enterprise has also found scope in the promotion of commercial transport on the lakes and rivers, ahd the const ruction of canals. Hundreds df miles of canals with their numerous locks, provide highways for vessels of till sizes, and the day is not far distant when the Canadians, with their intense and considerable belief in The future of their country and their healthy capacity lor achieving things, expect to see tie Great Lakes connected with the Atlantic. Certainly the list of ‘big’ things accomplished was an impressive eojet tlesson to visitors from over-seas.’’