ROYALTY AND PRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20598, 24 June 1930, Page 9

ROYALTY AND PRESS.

DUKE OF YORK'S SPEECH.

TRIBUTE TO EFFICIENCY.

"MY OWN HOME NEWS."

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, May 16.

Tho Duke of York was in the chair at the 67th dinner of tho Newspaper Press Fund. Ho read a special message from the King. The chairman said that under his presidency the fund had benefited by subscriptions and donations to tho extent of £33,ooo—moro than £SOO in exccs3 of any previous total.' Included in that total were gifts of £IO,OOO by Viscount Rothermere and £SOOO by Mr. Esmond Harmsworth.

Responding to thp toast of "Tho Royal Family," proposed by Mr. Gordon Robbins, tho Duko of York said it gave him great pleasure to preside at tho function, and to recall the associations which members of his family had had in tho past with the 'Newspaper Press Fund. Since the fund was started in 1864 tho newspaper press had expanded in a marvellous way. Tho whole system of newspaper production had been completely changed, and tho number of men and women employed in tho editorial depaitments of tho press had been enormously increased. Strain on Journalists. " Only those who havo gone through tho mill can realiso how great is the strain on the staff of a modern newspaper," continued the Duke. "I ho high pressure at which reporters and subeditors, critics and leader-writers work is probably greater than that demanded—at alt events, as a continuous effort—by any other profession. A newspaper man is supposed to 1)0 first with tho news and at tho samo time correct in every detail. He is supposed to know everything, and to verify every date and allusion. If bo is a writer in tho gossip columns I fancy ho must also bo called on to develop his powers of imagination. 4 * If I am ever in doubt as to what is happening in my own home I need only turn to tho gossip in the Daily Wonder and I find all the information I need, whether it be the latest remark or action of my daughter, though probably unknown to myself, or the fact that we have changed the decoration of our London house some 10 or 12 times since wo first occupied it threo years ago. However, I wish to pay my tribute to the courtesy and efficiency of the press and its representatives, of which I have had so much personal experience and which I am glad to take this opportunity of acknowledging. " I know what difficulties the reporter has to meet. Ho is frequently working while the 1 rest of mankind is playing or sleeping; he is out in all weathers trying to obtain stories which everyone seems to be conspiring to keep from him. He has, of course, compensations. He is present at the shaping of great events, and in close contact with tho most interesting phases of life which are going on around him. Donations to the Fund. " Thero is no other society which is labouring in the same effort. At the same time tho subscriptions of the members have so far never reached a sum sufficiently large to meet the demands. Liberal donations from the different units of the newspaper industry swell tho total, but the final figure is only reached after tho annual appeal to that section of the public which recognises how much it owes not only to the newspapers, but to tho men and women who make their regular appearance possible." Viscount Rothermerc, president of the fund, said he regarded the Duke's presence' as further testimony of the kindness with which members of the Royal House always treated tho newspapers and journalists of this country. In his long journalistic career he could recall instance after instance of kindness on the part of the King toward individual members of tho profession. The same spirit actuated all tho members of tho Royal Family.