PRESS SERVICE CRITICISED

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18256, 18 February 1931, Page 10

PRESS SERVICE CRITICISED

MR HOLST SPEAKS HIS MIND. MESSAGES FROAI AUSTRALIA. Extreme dissatisfaction with the service the Australian Press Association xv»s giving the newspapers of New Zealand was expressed by Air U. Holst, speaker at the Wanganui R tary Club’s luncheon. People In New Zealand, he said, were suffering very greatly from the fact that -so much of our news was dished up through the Australian Press Association. He wished that editois would use the blue pencil on what came through. The Press Association he thought sent us what they Hiou o ht was good for us. The Press Association in Australia had very little idea of the value of news- He quoted some of the papers that had been mentioned In recent messages from Australia and said that these were not the Important papers. Lately he had been convinced that not onlv was the news sent out by the Association but the heading were sent out too. In a recent message the headings in all the papers in the Dominion were the same. * Getting a Wrong Idea. He did think that the Press, of New Zealand should look into it. He thought that the Press of the Dominion should send a reliable man to Australia. The New Zealand public was getting a wrong idea of Australia. Why should the New. Zealand newspapers get what some irresponsible youth thought to send. Ti speaker then referred to a message published on Saturday morning about “the Gibbons scheme.” He said there was no explanation of, or earlier mention 'of it by the Press Association. Australia was in a difficult economic position, but New Zealand was very little 'better. Proportionately we had even a greater amount of commitments in London 'than Austialia had. Proportionately we had a much greater amount of imports’ and a ‘smaller internal trade. Australia had an exchange rate of 30 per cent, and ours might go even further. How could our politicians do anything If the information was stopped at the very source? He thought that the New Zealand Press should fake up the question, and send able men to get the information and keep in close touch. It was about a week late when reliable papers arrived In the Dominion, and meanwhile the damage had been done with the little snippett pars that had been sent to New Zealand. Although he prefaced his remarks with a statement that he was going to “say a few words to the press,” at the end of his observations on the service of the Press Association, Mr Holst said that it was not for publication. Something Should be Done. In moving a vote of thanks to Air Holst for his address, Mr N. D. Campbell 'said that 'he thought that something should be done. New Zealand was very, very closely wrapped up with conditions in Australia. Mr Louis Cohen thought that what Mr Holst had said touched the Dominion nationally. The Rotary 'Club should not 'Only request that his remarks lie published but should give authority for the remarks to he published (Applause). The Rotary Club should give an unqualified endorsement for their promulgation. Mr Holst then said that it should come from the Rolary Club. He suggested sending it forward as a remit. It was pointed out that reporters were present and that the other course would result in delay. Mr Holst 'said that he did not mind at all if his remarks were considered worth publication. There was nothing Tn them to which exception should he taken.