NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18256, 18 February 1931, Page 3

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. THE ANNUAL MEETING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ROTORUA, Tuesday. The annual meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand opened to-day. The president, Air C. W. Earle, of Wellington, was in Ihe chair. A message of greeting was received from the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe. in his opening address Air Earle extended lo Sir Cecil Leys hearty congratulations on his knighthood. Air Earle said it was imperatively necessary that the conference should devote its main attention to the pressing problems associated with production costs. The position to-day was full of difficulties. Still greater efforts to cater for readers had been made at ever-increasing cost. “There should be as little delay as possible in -taking definite action in seeking a solution to the costs problem,” continued Air Earle. The Prime Minister has already given the country a lead in deciding on a 10 per cent cut in wages and salaries, but a cut in wages and salaries is only one movement toward reduction in costs. We still have a wide field to work on in feature and social services which cannot he justified in conditions which prevail to-day.” Air Earle said his view was that although circumstances might warrant fixing the price of daily papers at twopence, it was inadvisable to take a step of tiiis nature in the conditions prevailing to-day. it was preferable to carry an existing loss on the sales of papers for the time being at least, and concentrate on such economies as might be found possible without seriously diminishing the service rendered by the daily press.