NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 18

NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHARE- / HOLDERS. WELLINGTON, February 27. The annual meeting of shareholders in the Press Association was held this afternoon. Mr Pirani (chairman) presiding. There were 34 members present. The annual report mentioned the death of Messrs Gothard and Gardner, proprietors of the Westport Times and the Rotorua Chronicle respectively, and of Messrs Cooks and Marshall, members of the staff. The latter was recently killed at the front. During the year 654,054 words of original cables had been supplied to subscribers. These were drawn from the two great cable services now forwarding news to this side of the world; hence it had been frequently remarked by visitors that the New Zealand •papers gave a better cable service than any paper in Australia. The Press Association was able to do this by subscribing to both services. The removal of the Eastern Extension Company from Wakapuaka to Wellington had not brought the improvement in transmission expected, for reasons outsido New Zealand. The discovery and removal of these obstacles had taken some' searching, but a great improvement had been effected, though there was still more delay at times than was desirable. A further alteration was likely to be made in the system of landing messages bv the Pacific cable in New Zealand, which would improve delivery and save time. Allusion was made to the possibility of the Telegraph Department having to curtail the hours of attendance at night, in consequence of the reduction of the staff, whicsh would have! the effect of reducing the amount of news that could bo transmitted, but would not affoct the cables. The department, however, had assured the directors that nothing would be done till it was positively forced upon it in consequence of conditions brought about by the war. Several papers had had to suspend publication, and tho number now on the books of the association was • 71. Messrs L. Blundell (Wellington) and P. : Selijr (Christchurch) were re-elected directors unopposed, and Mr F. Shaw was re-elected auditor. i The report and balance sheet were adopted j without discussion. ! The chairman's address was ordered to be printed and circulated. Wellington was selected for tho next place of meeting. j