TO REPRESENT N.Z. PRESS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2281, 15 October 1914, Page 6

TO REPRESENT N.Z. PRESS

SOME QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. • Some discussion took place in the House of Representatives yesterday regarding the employment of a Press correspondent to accompany the New Zealand Force at the front. , Sir Joseph Ward referred to the fact that tho Commonwealth Government had appointed an official correspondent, and he thought something of the sort should be done in New Zealand. Ho knew that a Press correspondent, Mr.. Scholefield, was to go to the front with the New Zealand Force, but ho would like to he assured that his news would be available to all sections of the Press. , ~,,,■ The Hon. J. Allen said that on August 12 the Government had received a dispatch from the Colonial Officii conveying the information that one correspondent could accompany the British forces at the front-one correspondent to represent the whole Press of tho Dominion. Shortly after this dispatch arrived a cablegram was received from the High Commissioner suggesting that Mr. Scholefield, who was then in London, should be appointed to the post'. Upon receipt of that, cablegram the Prime Minister sent a memorandum to His Excellency recommending the appointment of Mr. Scholefield, and asking His Excellency, if he approved, to. submit Mr. Scholefield's name to the War Office. His Excellency duly approved, and tho appointment was made. Sir Joseph Ward 6aid ho' had been informed by a well-known newspaper proprietor that a section of the Press supporting the Opposition had been asked to contribute £000 to the Press Association for a resume of the reports to be furnished by the correspondent Mr. Massey: Is that to pay Scholefield's expenses? ~'-, , Sir Joseph Ward said he had no idea what the arrangement was. His own opinion was that the Press of New Zealand should have been consulted, and they should have been allowed to select a man to represent them all. Mr. Massey: He is appointed,to represent the whole Press cf New Zealand. . ■ *• '.-■ , ... Sir Joseph Ward said that this did not appear to bo consistent with his information, whioh waß undeniably accurate—that a section of the Press were being asked to pay £600 for their share of< the news. ■ • Mr. Fisher: Would that amount be for. cabling? Sir Joseph' Ward said that no correspondent should bo appointed by the Government who did not undertake to send the same report to every paper. . Mr. Allen said he had not hoard _of any demand for £600 from any section of tho Press. Mr. Scholefield would go to represent not' a, section of the Press, but the whole .Press of New. Zealand.' The desire of the Government was simply that accurate information' should be sent to everybody in Now Zealand. With regard to the method of appointment, he did not agree with Sir Joseph Ward. There could be no doubt that Mr. Scholofield was a capable journalist.; Sir J. Ward asked whether Mr. Scholefield was being paid by the country. . , • : Mr. Allen: We have no information about that. ' Sir Joseph Ward: Because the honourable gentleman will see at once that unless the Government are going to. pay him, and he is to be paid by one

section of the Press, this Beqtion of the Press will want to control him. Mr. Allen: There is no seo'tiori of the Press going to pay him. You may bo sure of that. Sir Joseph Ward recommended , the Prime Minister to inquire exactly as to the terms of Mr. Scholefield's appointment, and to make a statement to the House about it later. If there should be any misunderstanding on the matter, the Government should issue to Mr. Scholefield definite instructions to send his reports to every newspapor that was prepared to pay its Bhare of the expenses. Mr. Massey said that he would make the inquiries. He added .that the Government's concern in the matter had ended with the appointment of Mr. Scholefield ,as the representative of all the papers of New Zealand. Mr. Russell: Is the Government incarring any financial responsibility P Mr. Massey: The Government is not incurring expense, even of the hundredth part of a farthing. Mr. J.. B. Hino asked by what method the news sent by Mr. Scholefield would bo circulated through ■ the Dominion —whether it would como through the Press Association' or not? There wore some country papers who were not in the Press Association, and ho thought some arrangement should be made to sond tho news to these papers as well as to the largor papers:. Mr. Massey said that as ho had indicated, all tho arrangements were in the hands of tho High Commissioner, but ho would bo very glad to send a cablegram to the High Commissioner, and later inform tho House exactly what tho arrangements were. The Wellington Gas Company insert an announcement in this issue of interest to users of fuel in town and country. Tho Associated Auctioneers will hold, a eattlo snlo at Foilding and Jlnsterton on Wftbox 23 and, 31 JJBSSHg^tiTfily.