HIGH STANDARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20966, 19 February 1938, Page 12

HIGH STANDARD

NEW ZEALAND PRESS COMMENT ON LABOUR ATTACKS By 1 elegraph —Press Association ROTORUA, February 18. The annual meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand was held this evening. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year; President, Mr C W. Earle, C.M.G.; general committee, Messrs R. D. Horton, F. A. Clarke, Wm. Easton, W. J. Blundell, C. W. Hodge, R. H. Billens and H. W. Crawford; advertising committee, Messrs E. A. Blundell, A. G. Gardiner, F. H. Walls, Wm. Easton, A. Muir and W. J. Woods (Messrs H. E. Bell and F. W. Pettard associate members); labour committee, Messrs J. M. Hardcastle, Wm. Easton, E. A. Blundell, H. E. Bell, R. H. Billens and L. A. Ablett (C. S. Smith and P. R. Scoble associate members); paper committee, Sir Cecil Leys, Sir Henry Horton, Messrs W. J. Blundell, J. Montgomery, J. H. Nash and C. W. Vennell; parliamentary committee. Sir Cecil Leys, Messrs W. J. Blundell, E. A. Blundell, C. S. Smith, W. A. Whitlock, R. P. Furness history i nd bibliography of New Zealand; press committee, Messrs C. W. Earl, J. M. Hardcastle, F. A. Clarke, A. G. Henderson and D. F. C. Saxton; treasurer, Mr N. J. Blundell; auditor, Mr W. L. Page; secretary, Mr L. J. Berry; chairman of section 2, Mr C. W. Hodge; chairman of sections 3 and 4, Mr H. W. Crawford. Presidential Address In course of his presidential address Mr C. W. Earle made reference to the attacks made from time to time on the press by members of the Government Party. These attacks, Mr Earle said, were no doubt designed to undermine the influence of the press and also, perhaps, in a hope to intimidate it. When the present political party unexpectedly came into office with its policy of socialisation, he, as president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, had made it perfectly clear that whatever the views of individual newspapers might be the new Government would be afforded the fullest possible publicity through the press of the Dominion for its political views and its policy measures. This had always been the practice of the New Zealand press in the past, and that practice would be continued. Readers of the daily newspapers would know whether or not that declaration made on behalf of the press in 1936 had been honoured. He had not the slightest hesitation in saying that the present political party in office had received wider and more generous publicity in the news columns of the press for its political views and policy measures than had been accorded any previous Government in the ; history of New Zealand. This publicity had been extended tr the Government not because of any belief or disbelief in its political philosophy, but because the issues at stake were matters of interest and concern to the general public, and it was the duty of the press, as a purveyor of news, to keep the public fully informed of the course of events. In th ; s respect he would like to emphasise the fact that any attempt to undermine and weaken the newspaper press of the Dominion must, if successful, inevitably result in lowering the standard of service which the press was able to render to the people through the extent and value of its news gathering organisations within the Dominion itself and in countries

Many Difficulties To-day newspapers were beset with many difficulties and, perhaps, some d ingers. They were threatened by rival forms of publicity sponsored by the Government of the Day; they were hampered by restrictive legislation affecting then- enterprise and working conditions. Rising costs in wages, materials, transport asd news services imposed an increased drain on their resources, and they had hanging over them the threat, of the curtailment of the free and unfettered expression of opinion through their columns which, in the past, had beer, regarded as an unalienable right in liberty loving British commui.itielt was not only desirable but he thought it was essential that the public which looked to the newspapers for a daily record of the news affecting tb?ir interests and welfare should be made aware of these facts. The standard of the press in New Zealand admittedly was high, ft was in the public interest that that standard should not be lowered. The attacks on the press designed to restrict its liberty and weaken its capacity to render the fullest possible service therefore were not merely the concern of the newspapers immediately affected ; they were the concern of every member of the community.