PRESS ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 130, 26 February 1920, Page 6

PRESS ASSOCIATION

BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of shareholders of the United Press Association was held in Wellington yesterday. It was attended by forty members. Tho report of the directors regretted that two members of the board, Mr. H. Brett and the Hon. G. Carson, had.been obliged to resign on account of ill-health. Tito'former had been on the board since the establishment of the association nearly forty years ago. Sir George Fenwick was congratulated on his knighthood. Tho report explained that it was- intended to hold the meeting nt Akaroa, but the venue was altered, as for several reasons Akaroa was unsuitable this year. The balance-sheet showed a profit of ■Cli-l-S, principally owing to tho lessened cost of cables, of which during the year G7G.BBG words were supplied. Allusion was made to the prolonged congestion on the' cable routes, which had riot yet been removed. This was owing to damage to tho lines during the war that could not bo at once repaired, and to the- heavy pressure of English Government messages to India and the East. A new feature of tho cable news was the. offer of an Imperial news service, which was open to all newspapers who chose to publish it, and was being supplied free of' cable charges. It was mentioned that the text of the Peace Treaty, containing 13,098 words, was said to be the longest press cable ever sent over the wires. This had been franked to all papers. Some concessions had been obtvned from the Telegraph Department in the Now Zealand rates, which would give a certain amount of relief, especiallv to the small papers. The chairman, Mr. L. Blundell, delivered an address on the business of the year, which' was ordered to be printed and forwarded, to shareholders. Messrs. H. Ilorton and W. C. Leys were re-elected directors, Mr. E. J. Gilmour was elected in tho Hon. G. Larson's place, and Mr. W. C. Weston as representative of tho provincial evening papers. ' ■ , Wellington was selected as thoplaco of the next meeting. The chairman brought up the question of a memorial to members of the starts of New Zealand newspapers who had fallen in the war, nnd on his motion the question was referred to the News, paper Proprietors' Association with b. recommendation to act. • . At a subsequent meeting of directors, Sir George.* Fcnwick was elected chair. The chairman nnd Mr. W, A tact (the manager) were, deputed to represent tho Press"Association nt the Press Congress of the World at Sydney in October next.