EMPIRE PRESS UNION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 117, 2 March 1950, Page 7

EMPIRE PRESS UNION

N.Z. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

(P.A.) ROTORUA, February 28. “Although the newspapers of: the Commonwealth generally are not now subject to severe war-time restrictions and censorships, the need for unity and vigilance in preserving press freedoms remains as great as ever; this is perhaps the. strongest reason for the world-wide support the Empire Press Union continues to receive,” said Mr W. A. Whitlock, of Hastings, in his report as chairman to the annual meeting of the New Zealand section of the Empire Press Union in Rotorua to-day. “The work of the union during the year has been mainly directed toward preventing encroachments upon the liberty of the press. The New Zealand section has not been directly involved, for the reason that public opinion here has shown itself to be very strongly opposed to anything savouring of repressive laws against the press.” Representations had been made to the appropriate authorities concerning various enactments which were or might become repressive in Pakistan, Jamaica, Malta, Uganda, and South Africa, said Mr Whitlock. Dr. Malan, Prime Minister of South Africa, had proposed an inquiry into the South. African press, which, he had said, was “the most unruly in the world.” There might, of course, be instances when the vernacular' press in colonial territories must be subjected to some control to prevent it disseminating false and inflammatory information. During the year the committee had selected eight delegates, three of whom would be accompanied bv their wives, to attend the seventh imperial press conference to be held in Canada in June. These were Messrs R. D. Horton (Auckland), leader of the delegation, S. D. Smith (Dunedin), P. R. Scoble (Wellington), George Burns (Christchurch), John Moffett (Dunedin), E. G. Kerr (Timaru), E. G. Guy (Rotorua), and R. D. Bell (Auckland).