NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15692, 26 February 1913, Page 5

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING, (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 25. The annual meeting, of tho Newspaper Proprietors' Association of New Zealand was opened last evening in tho Chamber of Commerce. The president (Mr P. Selig, of Chriatchurch) occupied the chair. The balance sheet showed a credit of £93 13s 2d for the year.

In the course of his review on the work of tho past, year tho President pointed out that in this, its fifteenth year, the association could have been said to have entered a new stage in its career. Since the establishment of the association its membership hs,d risen from 31 to 62, which was some indication of the pr&s development in the dominion. Referring to the unrest among employees in many departments, he spoke of the recent dominion award for linotype operators and' jobbing compositors as being fax from satisfactory to employers. In country offices especially its effect had been serious, one country proprietor having shown that it had meant an increase of £250 per annum in his wage sheet. Another matter was the demands of the journalists through the Journalists' Institute and the recentlyformed unions. He and other proprietors, went on Mr Selig, had no objection to the application of the Arbitration Act, but he was sure that the brilliant journalist, Mr Pembcr Reeves, had no intention when he framed that measure for the benefit of the dominion workers, that it should apply to other than mechanics and unskilled workers. As a general thing the professions were remunerative for those engaged in them, and. he thought that with few exceptions journalists as a whole were not dissatisfied with tho conditions ruling in New Zealand. Reference was also made by the president to the Telief given by the Government to the proprietors in the matter of conveying newspapers over railways, thus bringing the rates more in line with tho Australian rates. Mr Myers, when Minister, and Mr Herries, his successor, had both admitted the reasonableness of the proprietors' representations. Another matter for approval was the decisions of the Ministers of Public Works' and Finance' to supply annual statements of their departments in advance, and it was to be hoped that the Government would follow out this course in all cases where practicable. After dealing with a number of other matters of interest to newspaper proprietors, Mr Selig moved the adoption of the report, which was carried amid applause. A number of matters arising from the report were referred to the different committees, which met before the general meeting resumed in the Chamber of Commerce this morning. The Proprietors' Association accepted an invitation this mo.niing to attend the performance of the " Get-Rich-Quick-Walling-ford " Company at His Majesty's Theatre on Thursday night, and one from the president of the Auckland Bowling Club to visit the club's greens during the week. On Ffiday afternoon the visiting delegates will be tendered a harbour excursion by the proprietors of the New Zealand Herald.