PRESS ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 131, 27 February 1919, Page 5

PRESS ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. — At the annual meeting of the Press Association yesterday the following were present:—Messrs. P. Selig (acting-chair-man, Christchurch "Press")* G. I'enwick ("Ulago Daily Times"), V. Pirani (Peilding, "Star"), H. Horton ("New Zealand Herald," Auckland), L. Blundell ("Evening Post," Wellington), C. S. Smith ("Evening Star," Dunedin), W. C. Whitr lock ("Hawke's Bay Tribune," Hastings), A. E. Copping ("Stratford Post"), J. Coombe ("Manawatu Standard"), W. Dinwiddie ("Hawke's Bny Herald"), W. C. Weston ("Taranaki Herald"), Robert 801 l ("Lyttelton Times," Christchurch), Hon. AV. J. Geddis ("New Zealand Times" and Napier "Daily Telegraph"), Messrs. W. It. Kettle (Greymouth "Evening Star"), W. Atkin ("Westport News"), George Worth (AVanganui "Chronicle"), Hugh W. Crawford ("Northern Advocate," Whangarei), Thomas C. List ("Taranaki Daily News"), R. P. Fnrncss ("Alnrlborough Express - '), Cuthbert East ("Timaru Post"), C. H. Walker (Hawera "Star"), R.. J. Gilmour ("Southland Times," luverciirgill). A. M'Nicbl (Danneyirke "News"), P. Bond (Nelson "Colonist"), H. V. Duigaii (Wangnnui "Herald"), A. A. Lucas ("Evening Mail," Nelson), E. G. Kerr (Timaru "Herald" and Oamnru "Tixnes"), E. Abbey .Jours ("Southland Daily News" and Oamarn "Mail"), A. L. Jtuir ("Poverty Bay Herald"), and j<!. C. Hitio ■(Chrislchureh "Sun"). The annual rep»rt congratulated tho shareholders on at last being able to meet free from the shadow of war. The Hbsonco of the chairman, the Hou. G. Carson, through illness, was deplored, also the death of Mr. Dinwiddie, of the Napier "Herald," a. very old member of the nseociation. The number of original words of cable supplied during the year was stnted at 800,727, which in respect of cue amount of international news was p. record. In October last 90,332 words were supplied, which is a record for a single month. Reference was made to the probable renewal of the cable contract with the Australian Cable Association, which was understood to be practically arranged at a satisfactory price, ahe report also alluded to the phenomenal interruptions of telegraphic communication by snow and thunderstorms and the dislocation of work during the epidemic. The Telegraph Department was warmly complimented on tho way it had camcu out its work under the worst conditions ever experienced, and the directors stated that they had specially conveyed the thanks of the association to the Department. Exception was taken to the action of the Government in interfering _ with and preventing publication of- the signing of the armistice till long after it was known in other parts of the world. The report and balance-sheet were adopted without opposition. Akaroa was selected as the next place of meeting. ■ , The following resolution was passed. "That members of the United Press 4ssociation express strong resentment at the unwarranted action of the Government in retaining the association s cable news of the signing of the armistice, received on November 11, until the next day, and after having done this in not taking precautions to prevent the news leaking out." . 4. resolution was passed expressing sympathy with the Hon. G. Carson, ot Wan-mnui, in his illness, and regret at his enforced absence from the meeting. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the staff 'for their work during a peculiarly Jiarassiug and difficult year.