PRICE OF NEWSPRINT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 57, 1 December 1920, Page 8

PRICE OF NEWSPRINT

—« — MEETING OF METROPOLITAN PROPRIETORS

A meeting of representatives of tho metropolitan newspaper companies of New Zealand was held in the looms of the United. Press Association yesterday morning, 'i'iiero were nine present, representing Tun Dominion, "Evening Post," "New Zealand Times," "New Zealand Herald," Christchurch "Press" Co., Ltd., "Lyttelfon Times" Co., Ltd., and Dunedin "Evening Star" Co., Ltd. Mr. P. Selig was voted to the chair. Sir George Fenwick ("Otago Daily Times" Co., Ltd.) notified that he could not bo present owing to being engaged on Prisons Board business in the north. Mr. Henry Brett wrote apologising for absence, and protesting strongly against the price asked by the distributors of Canadian paper. The chairman explained the nature of the business before the meeting, the principal subject being future supplies of newsprint and the new price. He explained the position so far as he had gathered it on his recent visit to Canada. The price then at the mills (which wero in combination in Canada, and refused to supply as before the war, direct to the publishers here) was only about half that being now asked by those who had control of the Australian and New Zealand market. New Zealand, in fact, was penalised by specially high charges.

The general opinion of the meeting was that at the figure now quoted it would be difficult to avoid increasing the prico of the daily papers to 3d. per copy, a course which all were reluctant to adopt.

During the meeting a representative Norwegian mills interviewed those present with a view to future supplies from Norway.

In view of this it was unanimously decided to wait upon the Minister of Customs and request tnat the 20 pel cent, duty on Norwegian and other foreign paper should be either temporarily abolished or reduced to enable proprietors to import paper from Scandinavia.

Later, the whole of the members present waited as a deputation on the Act-ing-Minister of Customs and fully laid the position before him. Mr. Leo promised to place the matter before Cabinet at its next meeting.

It was resolved to send a cable message to the of Canadian paper protesting against the extravagant prfce now asked for this commodity.