NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 72

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS.

REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING. ENTERTAINMENT AT THE SAVOY. The Exhibition has been the means of attracting many conferences to Dunedin, and the press of New Zealand has fallen into line with the general practice. The directors and members of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, the United Press Association, and the Empire Press Union, have been holding, or will hold, their annual conferences here for the first time for 22 years, and the gatherings are large and strongiy representative. On the 22nd ult. the delegates and their wives and lady friends were the guests of the proprietors of the Otago Daily Times ana Witness Company and of the Evening Star Company at a dinner in the Tudor Hall of the Savoy. The function, an extremely wellattended one, was presided over by Sir George Fenwick, and others present were the Mayor (Mr H. L. Taplev, M.P.), Messrs G. L. Denniston, C. Stanley Smith, Charles Earle, W. 11. Atack, Cecil Leys. Peter Barr, and Henry Horton. Mr Tapley, in extendino- a civic welcome, said that he would like to thank their hosts for the privilege of being included in the list of those present to do honour to the delegates and members of the United Press Association, the Newspaper Propriettors’ Association, and the Empire Press Union. “That sounds rather a formidable list to a public man like myself, and an embryo politician,’ he added. “Public men, whether politicians or members of public or local bodies, like to stand well with the press. They like to pick up the paper m the morning and see their names in print, though sometimes it is with a certain amount of fear that they open their newspaper. We feel a reverence. I might say. an awe, for the press (chorus of “Hear, hear! ’)” Mr Tapley said that it afforded him very great pleasure, as Mayor of the city, to extend a warm and sincere welcome to lhe delegates of the various organisations representing the press, and to their ladies. Sir George Fenwick, in proposing the toast of “Our Visitors,” said that it afforded the Newspaper Proprietors very great pleasure in welcoming the members of the various organisations with which they were connected, and more particularly so because of their wives and daughters and sisters. Tho holding of this conference was really a notable event, for it was no fewer than 22 years since the Press Association had last mot in Dunedin. Twenty-two years was a long time in their lives, and there had been many changes of directors and membership since then. The time certainly had arrived when the associations should again hold their conference in Dunedin. There was a time years ago, he recalled, when they had many bright gatherings at Nelson, Rotorua, Greymouth, and even Queenstown—they did not altogether ignore the small towns. The gatherings were very happy ones, though they were not all pleasure, because in the rnsin they were business men and much of their work was very arduous. They had had opportunity of meeting men from abroad, and one, Mr Henry Collins, had been connected with Reuter’s. There were many others, but time would not permit him to go into detail. Ho would like, however, to give on outline of tho early days of Reuters, and how it first became a great service in England. It was Mr Robinson, manager of tho Daily News, who told the story. It was when Reuter was a young man that he called into the Daily Nows office. “I have formed a sort of service for press news,” ho said, “and in that way we will give a very good service of news from the Continent and all parts of the world. lam not making this offer to you alone, but also to other large newspapers, and my service will provide such news that everyone ought to know. Mr Robinson wanted to know what his terms would bo. “Nothing,” replied Reuter. “Nothing? What do you mean? What do you exneot to make out of it: “The esteem of tho British people, whom I admire,” was the reply. “Will you accept?” “Yes, certainly we will accept.” The service continued very worthily for 12 months, •nd at the end of that time Reuter again •ailed at the Daily News office. Was the Daily News prepared to keep the service

for another 12 months? The Daily News was prepared. Certainly, certainly. Well, the terms are not quite the same,” said Reuter. “I want £H)00 a year to continue the service.” He got his £IOOO from th 6 Daily News and from the other papers too. Sir George said that the last meeting of the associati/us in Dunedin was in 1904, and the time before then, curiously enough, was during the first New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in 1889-90, though the gathering was not like this one. Indeed, at that time there was quite a difficulty in getting a quorum, and they had to ovolve some means of overcoming this. They felt that it was right to pay the expenses of the members, and since then the conference had been most successful. “ I want to take you back further still,” said Sir George. “ I want to take you back to 1878, because it was then that the great body, the Press Association, was formed in this city. In the old minute book in the secretary’s care it is recorded that at the meeting in the Otago Daily Times office on November 17 there were present the Hon. W. Reeves, Mr G. M. Reed (my partners), and myself, and after some discussion we came to the conclusion that the press of New Zealand should have some service of its own, and should not have to depend on outside sources of news. One month later, on December 17, we met in Wellington, and that meeting was attended by Hon. W. Reeves (Lyttelton Times), Mr J. L. Wilson (New Zealand Herald), Mr Senior (New Zealander), Mr Bannehr (Nelson Colonist), Mr Anderson (Wellington Chronicle), G. M. Reed (Otago Daily Times), and myself, as chairman. Mr E. Gillon was appointed manager. Thereafter followed a hard fight between the Press Association papers and those not included in membership. In December, 1879 the association met in Timaru, and conferred with the other proprietors. It was then decided to take in the other papers, and the Press Association became the United Press Association. Sir George concluded by expressing the gratification of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association at the fine gathering, and he extended to the visitors a cordial welcome. Mr Charles Earle made a humorous speech in reply. As president of the N.P.A., he said he had not a very high opinion of Dunedin. Personally, however, he had the highest possible feeling for Dunedin and the highest possible regard for the people and the newspapers. Foi 22 years the N.P.A. had avoided Dunedin. As president, he could quite understand that. They could not possibly get od with their business in Dunedin. What with the attractions, the distractions, and Exhibition, they simply could not get on. They were all very grateful, and had been extremely well treated, especially by their newspaper confreres in Dunedin. " Most of us,” he added, “ know the great part the Otago Daily Times and the Evening Star have played in this country. Year after year they have been pouring out their thousand., of papers among those thousands of people, and they have dealt out a sentiment which has been referred to by the Empire Press delegates The early papers in this country are very largely responsible for the sentiment which exists to-day.” During the evening two songs—“ Home Song ” and “ Still As The Night ” —were sung by Miss Lorna Smith, Miss Gawne playing the accompaniments.