PRINCE AND THE PRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21621, 16 April 1932, Page 21

PRINCE AND THE PRESS

PUBLIC THOUGHT OF THE EMPIRE NEW CITY COMPANY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 1. The Prince of Wales was the honoured guest at the inaugural banquet of the Company of Newspaper Makers. The 300 guests who assembled at the Mansion House represented every phase of the newspaper industry and its allied interests. Mr R. D. Blumcnfeld, the first master of the company, presided. The Prince said he was not sure what were his qualifications .for proposing the newspaper makers. “ But Fleet street — and Shoe lane—” be went on, “ have always been very good friends indeed to mo, and if I can repay part of my debt by affording the newspaper-making craft a bit of additional copy I am only too glad to do so.” The company sought to create a closeworking alliance of the various sections of the newspaper industry, and to maintain and increase the pi - cstige of the calling. “In addition to the professional side it has benevolent objects, and in this connection it had made a remarkably creditable start for a new organisation by devoting during the past year nearly £4OOO to newspaper charities and personal relief. PENSION FUND. “ A pension fund for journalists nas already been established, and the whole weight of the company is being directed to help those in all departments of newspaper activity who have devoted their lives to the profession, and who for various causes may have just failed to reach the top of the tree—to ensure that they and th'eir dependents shall receive adequate pensions in their retirement.

“There were a few more specific aims which were detailed at the company’s first meeting last December, but, in short, this organisation was brought into being to promote the welfare of the profession and to co-ordinate the many interests of the various callings which go to make up this vast and influential industry—an industry which plays a most important part in modern life and whose heart beats very vigorously in this City of London.” “CHRISTCHURCH OR CALGARY.” The Prince said he had refrained from mentioning the press, as so many distinguished names figured on the next toast. “ But perhaps you will allow me. to say this,” he ment on, “that ns the press of London and the British Isles represents the centre of the Empire, so it may be said to represent the public thought of the Empire. “ Whether it be Brisbane or Bulawayo. Chris'tphurch or Calgary, the high standard. the spirit of enterprise, and the loyalty of the local press has always been a feature in which I think we should take a special pride. “I can only add that this company, which seeks to bring under one roof the social, benevolent, and professional interests of a great industry,, has my henrtfeli good wishes,” £70.000 RAISED IN THREE YEARS. Mr J. L. Garvin was elected president of the Newspaper Press Fund at the annual meeting in succession to Lord Rothermere,

Lord Rothermere, who was unanimously thanked by the meeting for his services to the fund, wrote that during his three years’ presidency of the fund the record sum of £70,528 had been raised. “ It is a sad consequence of the longcontinued trade depression through which our country is passing that the numbers of those who are obliged to invoke the aid of this fund has reached the highest total in its history. I urge upon all newspaper men, and especially upon my fellow newspaper proprietors throughout the country, the duty which they owe to their profession of contributing as liberally as they possibly can to the resources of an institution which is an indispensable stand-by and safeguard of the journalist’s calling.” The meeting expressed satisfaction at the announcement that Mr Neville Chamberlain. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would preside at the annua! festival dinner on May 12. The chairman, in conclusion, struck a note of hopefulness in spite of the prevailing bad times. He said that some months ago he took leave of a very dear colleague who died within a few hours of his visit. As he shook hands the dying man said: “In Fleet street we have all been a band of brothers.” That was true, and particularly true of the fund and its members.— ("Hear hear.”) Lady Houston intimated that she was sending a cheque for £IOOO towards the contributory pensions fund for journalists mentioned at the hanouct by the master. Mr K. D. Blumenfeld.