PREMIER & THE PRESS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10521, 24 February 1920, Page 5

PREMIER & THE PRESS

POLSTBGAL COGNATIONS MR MASSEY ON THE NORTHCMFFE PAPERS.

The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) delivered an address to tho New Zealand Newspaper Proprietors' Association last evening.

Mr P. Selig, president of tho association, welcomed Mr Massey. He f.aid that in Australia it was the custom for the Governor to attend the Press conferences, and in his absence the Prime Minister usually attended. All were pleased to see the Premiex pro scut that evening. Mr Massey said ho had not boen able to attend meetings of the Press Association on previous occasions, but they would realise that his timo was much occupied. He was glad to meet the nicmlbers of the association, which was a body with important responsibilities. He had had opportunity of meeting a good many Pressmen on this and the other side of the world, lie hoped we would hare tho representatives of the British Press in this country before tho end of the year. In 1909 a number of New Zealand journalists went to take part in the conference held that year, and he thought that perhaps there had never be*n a more so tisfactory conference. Ho noticed that every Pressman who went away came back imbued with the true Imperial spirit. Th-sy preached it to their readers, and he thought that preaching was of value to New Zealand in raising its forces to help to. defend the Empire recently. He did not think we had much t<» learn from the English papers. Son« of those he 'had seei* at Home would not do for a country town in New Zealand. He did not liom refer to the best papers, 'but to the second-class English papers, which wors unfortunately often quoted as authorities.,

He did not like the idea of ii combination of newspapers being formed for political purposes. They had i'l in England, and to * small extent here, but the influence was not for good. He was thinking of the Northcliffe papers, which had at times combined to upset Governments. He would not like to see much of it in New Zealand. He recollected an occasion on which it wae being said in England that the Northcliffe Press was going to do .something serious to Mr Lloyd George, and >' r Lloyd George went into the Housen" Commons and said he would defy them. Mr Lloyd George gained a lot by that. "The Times" was in many rqspects a great paper, and it was surprising the number of people who swore by r*. H* thought the "Daily Mail" the last word in journalism. Its paragraphs were short and snappy and ib had no long-winded leaders. He djd not think the Northcliffe Press held so great an influence now as a few years ago, and ho admitted that it did good work during the war. Reverting to the con> ing visit of the British Pressmen to New Zealand, Mr Massey said that he had often met Lord Burnham, who said he was anxious to come to New Zealand. Mr Massey hoped he would |be given a good reception. He thought Lord Buniham's paper, the "Daily Telegraph," was the best all-round paper in England. • It *never went to extremes. Lord Burnham himself was rv very well-informed Imperialist, and without him the Empire Parliamentary Association would not last more j than a fcw months, if it lasted a few weeks.