THE KAIPARA and WAITEMATA ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE" HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, July 24, 1919 THE PRESS AND COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 July 1919, Page 2

THE KAIPARA and WAITEMATA ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE" HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, July 24, 1919 THE PRESS AND COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS.

A MATTER which has caused comment and oceans of criticism in Helensville, and is not yet satisfactorily solved, is the custom cf giving—or, as is the general rule locally, not giving— complimentary tickets to the press. We understand that some years ago it was generally understood by the majority of residents that the press helped themselves to tickets from any supply they were fortunate enough to print for local entertainments. How that idea got about it is hard to say, but that it is a ridiculous one is obvious. The law provides that any printing firm who tikes advantage of this method of obtaining cheap entertainment, is liable to a substantial fine for

so doing, and although cases of printers transgressing in this direction are not numerous, they have occurred, and fines of £5 and £10 have been inflicted on | the person or persons so caught. That is by the way, and by way of enlightenment. A very real cause of complaint lies in the fact that promoters of local entertainments hold a very strong conviction that the press should pay its way into any social, 2soirree, picture show, or anything else that is going, along with the rest of the populace. Such is not the case. The custom of forwarding the press complimentary tickets (and double ones at that) has existed as long as newspapers have, and is recognised wherever newspapers (from the great dailies to the small weekly sheet) exist. Travelling theatrical companies, even the two-horse road circus, recognise it, and would no more think of omitting the local newspaper's press ticket than they would of admitting the public to their show for nothing. Although it amounts to almost a tradition that newspaper (especially country newspaper) men are proverbially " hard-up," they are always able and willing to contribute with the rest when occasion demands. To expect a scribe (be he reporter or editor) to attend a function,- spend half or more of his time getting details and receiving suggestions, with the prospect of spending a couple or three hours after it is all over "writing up" the matter, and to cheerfully pay for the privilege of so doing, is (to use a popular term) "over the odds." When a "complimentary" doesn't arrive, and a report appears that has been gathered from the ''man in the street," with that mysteri- | ous person's usual " wealth " of detail, there is usually sharp criticism if the report is not all that it should be.