COMING IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19373, 8 January 1925, Page 8

COMING IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

LORD BURNHAM’S REMARKS. (From Ocn Own Cor ur 3 ton dent.) LONDON, December 2. At the annual meeting of tho Empire Press Union, held this afternoon, Sir Hugh Denison proposed tho ro-elootion of Lord Burnham as president for tho ensuing year. By his re-election ho would automatically become president of tho Imperial Press Conference which is to ba held in Australia in 1925. Sir Hugh said that Australia wants some of the leading newspaper people to go out to sec that vast country, and to discuss -when they come Ixick what the Great Britain in the southern seas is going to mean to the British Empire in tho next century. The motion was seconded by Sir F. Newnes, who reform! to the groat tact possessed by Lord Burnham. It was unanimously carried. In his reply Lord Burnham said he greatly appreciated the magnificent offers of hospitality that had reached tho Empire Press Union from the Prime Minister and the Government of tho Commonwealth of Australia and the Prime Minister and the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand. Tho members who hoped to go wore looking forward to their visit not only as one of unqualified enjoyment, but also as one of genuine usefulness. The only fear that haunted them was that their delegation, not owing to want of goodwill, but through the pressure of life, might not be quite worthy of their invitation. At least they must try, even at the sacrifice of some of their interests—which probably would not suffer half as much as they made out, because it was wonderful how soon people, found that they were not indispensable in this world—to take advantage of tho wonderful opportunity that was now given them, rot only to sec what Australia anfl New Zealand really were like, but also of doing a service to our Commonwealth of nations that he did not think could be done in any other way,—a way which he honcrilv believed was equal to those which statesmen and politicians were striving themselves to do.