EMPIRE PRESS CONGRESS IN LONDON

Chronicle (Levin), 8 March 1946, Page 7

EMPIRE PRESS CONGRESS IN LONDON

■ - ^ ARRANGEMENTS PINALXSED fOR DOMINION DELEGATiON. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand section of the Empire Press Union, held last week at Nelson in con--junction with the annual eonferenee of tlie New Zealand Newspaper Pro • prietors' Association, tinal arrange ments were made for representation at the Empire Press Oongress which opens in London 011 June 3rd. Mr. R. 11. Billens, chairman of directors and editor of "The Times," Palmerston North, ^was elected presidcnt of the Uiuon in ' succession to Sir Cccil Leys and was appointed leader of the New Zealand dele gation of eight city and provineial editors and exccutives who will attcud the Congress in Londou. The Empire Press Union is the only organisation wlvich embraccs in its inembership all the countnes of the Empire, and the Congress will be at tended by delegates from Great Britaiu, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Xew Zealand, India and the eolonies and de pendencies of Britaiu. Its purpose is to guard the intorests'of the organs oi public opinion, improvc the facilitifs • for the gathering and dissemination of news, encourage the interchange of ideas and information on tecluiical matters connected witli the industry, and gencrallv improve the standard of the Empire 's press. The Congress is held at five yearlv intervals in clitrereiir paris of tlie Empire, and tliis year's meeting will be the lirst sinee the wai started in Europe. Xew Zealand s delegation eomprises Messrs R. H. Billens (chairman), Pahu erston North; L. K. Munro, LL.M. editor N.Z. llerald. Auckland; G. C. 1'. Wcbster, news editor Auckland Star, D. P. C. Saxton, managing editor Taranaki News, New Plvmouth; H. X. Blundell, D.F.C., editor Sports Post Wellington; R. V. White, generai manager Press, Christchurch; W. R. Sinclair, generai manager Otago Daily Times, Dunedin; and lirian Cranford, managing director Northern Advocatc, Whangarei. Tlie party will lcave Wellington by the Rimutaka on Apnl 13. The Congress programmc include? two weeks. of inetings in London, a Leu days ' tour of Britaiu in a special tram with sleepiug aceominodation and restaurant for the delegates, and a week's conducted tour of the Con tinent.