"The Inky Way "

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 6

"The Inky Way "

THE passing years have mellowed, rather than aged, Alexander Mcl-

vln Burns, manager of the Christchurch "Press." His eyes retain their kindly twinkle of twenty odd years ,ago, when he was the live- wire of the New Zealand Press Association.

At that time Alex, had no abiding city, but was required to alternate between Wellington and Cable Bay (Nelson) with his heavy-weight sparring partner, the late George Humphries. '

Alex, represented his association m the press gallery of Parliament Buildings, and for a time held the office of president of that company of "stout fellas."

Then every six months he would collect his family, fold his tent, and like unto the Arab silently steal away to Cable Bay, where he attended to the dissemination throughout the Dominion of the condensed "copy" that represented the world's cable news.

He was on duty for twenty-four hours a day at Cable Bay, and it took him all his time to sneak away to Nelson — fifteen miles distant for a hair-cut!

Then came the call to the subeditorship of the Christchurch "Press," and quite recently his elevation to the managership.

His managerial title can never rob him of the rig-ht to. be called a pressman, nor, indeed; to be described as other than "a very perfect gentle knight of journalism.'.'