NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 7

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OPENED.

LORD BLEDISLOE’S GOOD WISHES.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Rotorua, Last Night. The annual meeting of th© Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand, opened at Rotorua to-day. There were present: Mr. C. W. Earle (Dominion and New Zealand Referee, Wellington) president, Sir Cecil Leys (Nqw Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., Auckland and. Christchurch), Messrs. H; Horton and G. C. Codlin (New Zealand Herald and Auckland Weekly News), L. Blundell (life member), W. J. Blundell and E. Blundell (Evening Post, Wellington) , J. Montgomery, A. M. Burns and F. H. Walls (Press, Christchurch), E. C. Huie (Sun, Christchurch), W. Easton (Otago Daily Times and Otago Witness), C. S. Smith (Evening Star, Dunedin), P. Selig (life member, Christchurch), A. L. Muir (Poverty Bay Herald, Gisborne), A. E. Mannihg (Waikato Times, Hamilton), E.-Abbey ■ Jones (Southland News, Invercargill), T. C. Ligt (Taranaki Dally News, New Plymouth), W. C. Weston and F. S. Varnham (Taranaki Herald, New Plymouth), R. H. Billons (Manawatu Daily Times, Palmerston North), A. J. Allport (Tiinaru Herald), R. B. Bell (Timaru Post, Ashburton Mail and Ashburton Guardian), E. Darroch (Timaru Post), R. W. Roydhouse (Daily News, Cartertori), A. McNicol (Evening News, DanneVirke), P. Bond (Star, Hawera), H. W. Crawford (Northern Advocate, Whangarei), Kelieher (Mirror, Auckland), W. G. K. Wright (Now Zealand Dairyman, Wellington). The president read the following message from Lord Bledisloe: “Will you be good enough to convey to those assembled at th© conference of the NewdSapbr Proprietors’ Association my.corial greetings arid earnest good wishes for the success of the conference. The continued 1 welfare of th© profession of journalism is supremely important, for by no other agency can so powerful an influence on public opinion and action be exercised. I am confident that in no part bf the world are the high traditions of the profession more jealously guarded and efficiently maintained than in New Zealand; indeed, the. high standard of merit, and excellence often, which characterise most of the leading articles in the newspapers of the Dominion can never fail to evoke the high, admiration of visitors from overseas, particularly in the days of. difficulty and stress through which New Zealand is passing. A clean, patriotic Press, directed by those who have genuinely at heart the future welfare and prosperity of tlie country and the happiness and contentment of all sections of the population is an invaluable national asset.” It was resolved by acclamation to forward to His Excellency an expression of appreciation bf his message arid good wishes. Mr. Earle, in the course of his opening address, extended to Sir Cecil Leya very hearty congratulations on the. honour recently conferred by His Majesty. He said Str Cecil came of a family long associated with the newspaper" life of the Dominion and had himself ovfer a long period of years played a prominent 0 part in th© progress and development of one of the leading metropolitan journals. A matter less pleasing to* touch on, Mr. Earle proceeded, was the outcome of the tragic earthquake shock in Hawke’s Bay. Three important provincial daily newspapers, the Daily Telegraph, the Hawke’s Bay Herald and the Tribune. (Hastings) had had their businesses wrecked and. plant more or less ruined by the collapse in whole or in part of their buildings, and,in the two first-named cases by the after effects of fire. It was a matter for pride that members of the newspaper profession should have been almost the first in the heavily stricken community to rise superior to their misfortunes and set about the colossal task of rehabilitation. Their combined effort had resulted in the early publication of a modest news sheet, which had proved of great service in disseminating information and instruction to people dazed arid confused by the ruin and desolation Which ha 4 so unexpectedly come upon them. Jn a few days the Daily Telegraph had secured now plant and was in a position to issue a more imposing, publication of its own and offer facilities for the Herald to do likewise. The Hastings Tribune alsb was quickly in the field, and happily it was expected most of its machinery, and plant would be salvaged and again put to use. The sympathy of all members went, out to the proprietors of these publications and their associates in the calamitous blow which had struck them. He desired also- to express admiration of the splendid -spirit in which they had faced an emergency unprecedented in the history of the Dominion and sincere good wishes for the successful outcome of the heavy task with which they were still faced.