IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1925, Page 1

IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

LUNCHEON TO DELEGATES.

LONDON. Juno 24

Harry ’Brittin, presided at a largely attended luncheon in the House of Commons to tho Imperial Press Conference delegates and read a letter from Air Baldwin wishing tho delegation success and saying no doubt tho conference would he productive of good results from the viewpoint of Imperial (•(.-operation as the Ottawa and London Conferences.

The Hon. L. C. M. fb Amen- (Colonial Secretary') in proposing the toast of the delegation. ami in recalling the profound effect, of the JOOf) conference, asserted the press of the whole Umpire had a great and common tradition in making the press of the Englishspeaking world stand higher and have a greater faith in onr own mission than the press of any other country. The curious collection of a Government. called the British Umpire, was kept together, not so Hindi !>.v the constitutional machinery ns by the idea the strength of which lay in looking forward and. not behind. The Bri'u' peoples were animated by the groat conception of what they could do by mutual co-operation, encouragement and defence, not. only of the economic welfare of the Empire, hut of the ideals they prize so highly. Lord Burnham, responding, addressed the Hon. Mr Ainery. as Secretary of Slate for the Dominions, which raised cheers. ITe criticised the action of the Imperial Treasury in postponing the reduction in the press cable rates to Australia. Lord Burnham paid a. tribute to the Western Union Cable Company for the increase in its facilities. Thev believed they were on the eve of a reduction in the charges of the present high rates which was one of the reasons given for the news of both sides 'being allegedly unsatisfactory. Unfortunately, this would ho put off at least till after the Press Conference. If was a little unfortunate. just before he went- away and when an agreement had apparently been reached the authorities at the Treasury should have put their foot down and said the matter should stand over. At present it was not merely a question of gain fo the newspapers, hut iho reduction would greatly help those who were trying to give a fuller service of news and comments. There might have been faults on their side, hut when they tried to correct and amend them thev looked for a little more co-operation on the part of the Government- at Home. "Without it. it was quite impossible to do what they hoped for increasing the luminous unitv of a- great Commonwealth.