PRESS CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1392, 19 March 1912, Page 6

PRESS CONFERENCE.

DELEGATES AT AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, March 18. Tho Victoria brought from Sydney last evening the delegates from Now South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland to the fifth conference of tho Australasian Provincial Press Association, which is sitting this year in Auckland. The proceedings open to-day. This morning the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) officially welcomed the visitors at tho Council Chamber in tho Town Hall. A number of Auckland journalists and nowspapcr proprietors participated in the reception. Tho Mayor, in extending a hearty welcome, on behalf of tho citizens of Auckland, to the delegates, remarked upon the great influence for good exerted by the press of. Australia aud New Zealand. Mr. H. Horton, as president of the NewZealand Press Association, extended, on behalf of that association and of newspaper proprietors of the Dominion, a very hearty welcome. Pressmen in Now Zealand had looked forward to this visit, ho said, aud one and all trusted that their visitors would spend a thoroughly pleasant and satisfactory time while in the Dominion. (Applause.) Mr. T. W. Leys, endorsing previous remarks, expressed his pleasure ■ that the association had decided this year to hold the conference in New Zealand.'. ,

Mr. W. S. Sommerville, of Diine'din, in adding his welcome, pointed out that the Government had granted free railway passes to'the delegates for a month over all Dominion lines, and had also provided free accommodation at all those resorts where the Tourist Department had hostelries, besides offering every other assistance which was possible, an announcement that was greeted with applause. Mr. S. W. Brooks, responding ae president of tho association, espresfod the appreciation of' the visitors at tho heartiness of the welcome accorded them.

After a civic reception, tho conference was opened in the Town Hall. At the first; business meeting of tho conference, held to-day, the following resolutions were carried:— "This conference emphatically protests against tho provisions of tho Federal Electoral Act, 1911, relating to newspapers, and considers that they aro not only oppressive and impracticable, but an unwarrantable interference with the right and freedom of (he press." "The conference recommends the executivo of the association to adopt uniformity of action in dealing with conditions arising under the Federal Electoral Act, and to organise. a campaign for its repeal." ' ■ ... A discussion regarding competitive press cable services led to the following unanimous resolution:—

"This conference takes the opportunity of the first general meeting of tho association sines tho Commonwealth Parliament granted the cable subsidy, to express the approval and appreciation of. tho federation" which enabled a second cable association to exist, and in coiiscruiont competition gave freedom to tlie press' in tlio matter of cable contracts and supply! and provides the general public with a largely increased and greater variety of cable news."