PRESS WEEK.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 6

PRESS WEEK.

NEW ZEALAND PRESS

ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELE (iR AM.)

WELLINGTON, Februarv 27

The annual meeting of shareholders of the New Zealand Press Association was held this afternoon, Mr Fred Pirani (chairman of directors) presiding. Thirty-four members wero (iresent.

Tiio annual report mentioned the death of Messrs Gothard and Gardner, proprietors of the "Wcstport Times" and "Rotorua Chronicle" respectively, and of Messrs Cocks mid Marshall, members of the staff. The latter was recently killed at the front. During the year 654,054 words of original cables had been supplied to subscribers. These were drawn from the two great cable services now forwarding news to this side of the worid, hence it had been frequently remarked by visitors that New Zealand papers gave a better cable service than any paper in Australia. The New Zealand Press Association was able to do this by subscribing to both services. The removal of the Eastern Extension Cable Company's office from Wakapuaka to Wellington had not brought the improvement in transmission that v r .'»s expected for reasons that existed outside .of New Zealand. The discovery and removal of these obstacles nad taken some searching, but a great improvement had been effected, though there was still more delav at times than was desirable. A further alteration was likely to be made in the system of landing messages by the Pacific Cable in New Zealand, which would improve delivery and save time. Allusion was made to the possibility of tho Telegraph Department having to cuvtail the hours of attendance at night in consequence of the reduction of the staffs, and this would have tho effect of reducing the amount of news that could be transmitted, but it would not affect tho cables. The department, however, had assured tho directors that nothing would be done till it was positively forced upon it. In consequents of conditions brought about by the war. several papers had had to suspend publication, and the number now on the books of the Association was seventy-one.

Messrs L. Blundell (Wellington) and P. Selig (C'hristchurch) were re-elected directors unopposed, and Mr F. Shaw auditor.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted without discussion. The chairman's address was ordered to he printed and circulated. Wellington was selected for tho next place of meeting.

PROVINCIAL NEWSPAPERS

(rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, February 27. At a meeting of the provincial, section of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association, held to-day, tlio following executive was elected for the ensuing year: —Messrs C. H. Walker and H. V. Duigan, representingj;he North Island proprietors ; Messrs i'. Bond. C. East, and H. ,T. Gilmour, representing tho South Island proprietors: Mr F. Pirani, chairman ; Mr A. McNicol, hon. secretary ; Mr W. C. Weston, hon treasurer.