PRESS ASSOCIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1920, Page 4

PRESS ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

£1,748 PROFIT

WELLINGTON, Feb. 25

The annual meeting of shareholders of the United Press Association, was attended by forty members. Tlie report of the Directors regretted that two members of the Board, Mr H. Brett, and Hon. T. G. Carson, had been obliged to resign on account of illhealtli. Tlie former had been on the Board since the establishment of the Association, nearly forty years ago. Sir G. Fenwick was congratulated on his knighthood. The report explained that it was intended to hold a meeting at Akaroa, but the venue had been altered, as for several reasons Akaroa was found to be unsuitable this year. The balance sheet showed a profit of £1748, principally owing to the lessened cost of cables ,of which during the year 675,886 words had been supplied. Allusion was made to the prolonged congestion on the cable routes, which had not yet been removed. This was owing to damage to the lines during the war, that could not be at once repaired, and to the heavy pressure of the English Government messages to India and the East.

A new feature of the cable news was the offer of the Imperal news service which was open to all newspapers who chose to publish it, and was being supplied free of cable charge. It was mentioned that the text of the Peace 'treaty, containing 13,098 words, was said to bo the longest cable the Press had ever sent over the wires. This had been franked to all papers. Some concessions had ’been obtained from the Telegraph Department in New Zealand rates which would give a certain aount of relief, especially to the small papers. The Chairman (Mr L. Blundell) delivered an address on the business of the year, which was ordered to be reprinted and forwarded to the shareholders. Messrs H. Horton mid W. C. Beys were re-elected directors, and Mi. R. W. Gilmour was elected in the Hon T. G. Carson’s place. Mr W. C. Weston was elected as representative of the Provincial evening papers. Wellington was selected as the place for the next meeting. The Chairman brought up the question of a. memorial to members of the staffs of New Zealand newspapers who had fallen in thin war, and on his motion the question referred to the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, with a recommendation to act. At a subsequent meeting of directors, Sir G. Fenwick was elected chairman and Mr Atack, manager. They were deputed to represent the I rets Association at the Press Congress of the world to be. held at Sydney in Octobei next. .