SHORTAGE OF NEWS PAPER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16729, 12 January 1920, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF NEWS PAPER.

A REASSURING STATEMENT. (By Cable.—Preas Association. —Copyright.) (Rcuter'e TclegTamt.l (Received January 11th, 5.5 p.m.) OTTAWA, January 8. The Acting-Premier has received from London copics of urgent representations from New Zealand newspapers for an adequate supply of newsprint. Tho officials statu they h;ivo no reason to suppose that shipments to Australasia will be less than last year. The Commissioner of Customs 6tates that thero will bo no intorfercneo with shipments to Australasia unless tbe mills refuse to supply the Canadian papers. This is a. vorv remote possibility.

fA previous message from Ottawa said: —An official denial is given to tho report that tho Government i-ontem-plato entirely prohibiting tlio export of newsprint. The Canadian newspapers use 20 per cent, of the output, and tho remaining fit) per cent, must bo exported, or the industry would have to close down. Tho Government's only object in interfering was to teo that the Canadian papers got fair supplies as tho first call on tho output. It will not interfere with the balance. There is reason to believe that tho Pacific Coast mills will continue supplying Australasia this vear substantially on tho samo basis as last vear, but publishers everywhere realise that prices are rising with the acute scarcity, and all stocks have been wiped out, oven the richest newspapers havini: to bo content with hand-to-mouth supplies. Certainly there is no hope of Australasia getting more paper (linn it has been receiving from Canada. This explanation was no doubt the result of il"e representations mado to the Prime Minister of Canada by Mr Ma<sey. at the instigation of Mr P. Selic. President, of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of New Zealand.]