NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOFS’ CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1917, Page 1

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOFS’ CONFERENCE.

Paper Prices, tc Rise.

(PER PEEKS ASSOCIATION. —COPYEIGHIJ. WELLINGTON, Feb. 27. In the course of his presidential address at the annual conference of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association Mr F. Selig said that newspapei; owners had grave reason for concern regarding the future of paper supplies. The first shock of the new year was •the failure of the initial shipment from Powell river ,which was not now expected till Alarch. Contracts made for 1917 and 1918 are , “freight at buyers’ risk.” > Twelve months ago lie liad referred to the fact that the cost, of output m newspapers had gone up by leaps and hounds. All materials which enter into trie production of a newspaper have continued to increase in price, and the principal offices have had to face an increase in itlie price of news to print their papers by nearly 125% compared with pre-war figures. * Metal (lead), ink, and other material, also wages and cost of cable services and telegrams were also largely increased. All over the world somewhat similar conditions prevailed, and .we must face here as elsewhere the question of raising the selling price of papers to the public to in some measure recoup these heavy additional expenses in production. After very full discussion by the largest meeting of newspaper proprietors held in the Dominion for many years it-was unanimously resolved:—“Thai this meeting of members of the Newspaper Proprietors Associaton of New Zealand is of opinion that in view ox the enormous increase in (the price of news printing paper and f*o the increased cost of materials and of working expenses in piactically all departments of newspaper production the time lias arrived when an increase in the selling price of New Zealand newspapers can no longer he avoided, such change to come into force on April 2nd.