CALL TO SERVICE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 465, 24 February 1933, Page 5

CALL TO SERVICE

PRESS OF N.Z. 4 INSPIRING APPEAL BY PRESIDENT OF N.P.A. NECESSITY FOR COURAGE The annual conference fof the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of New Zealand, was held in Princes Gate yesterdciy. Mr. C. W. Ea^e,' C.M.G., presided oveir a full attendance of d'elegates. On behalf of 'the citizens of Rotorua, Mr." Thomas 'Jackson, the Mayor, extended a welcome, and stated that Rotorua felt honoured to entertain such a representative gathering of press-.4 men. M*\ H. H. Sterlihg. chairman of the Railways Board, delivered a very interesting address to tKe meeting on the Railway , Board^'s ? policy and some of the difficujt>®s* which are confronting them. In the course of his'presidential address Mr. Earle said: "The conditions which prevail in New Zealand to-day have thrust on the daily newspapers of the Dominion a heavy responsibility. We find our country weighed down under a burden of depression, economic and mental, which is tending to warp our judgment, and generate a spirit of pessimisni unworthy of the traditions of our raee. "To a large extent, we in"'N'ew Zealand have for the time being lost our sense of proportion. ' Our real troubles are had enQUgh, but thex-e is 'a very geixeral tendency to maglxify thexn; to lceep them too prpminently in the forefront of our daily lives; and to make them an excuse for gloom and despondency, instead of seeing in them a challenge to our fortitude and courage to master and surmount.them. ' Conflicting Factions "It is not surprising and not unnatural that in such an unwh.olesome atxxxosphere, discontent and faultfinding should he widespread aud a,ggressively active. But what is pex:haps in existing circumstances still worse for the welfare of the- comxxxunity, is that its people are being divided into conflicting factions. "At a time when 'it is most necessary in the common interest that the difficulties which cpnfront us should he faced with the united strength of the nation, un'weakened by internal dissension, we find' city and country interests at active warfare with the other. Different Spirit "It seems quite evident that if we [ expect tq make the progress all would | desire in overcoxning the financial and \ economic difficulties which confront the country, a quite different spirit , must prevail — a spirit of confidence; a spirit of service; and where neces- ij sary a spirit of sacrifice for the com- | mon good. It is here that the press ii is under a heavy obligation to xender l! whole hearted service. There has jj been, and still is. too great an em- j] phasis given in the press of the Do- jj minion to the more gloomy aspects | of the situation. Instead of acting *') ■ as a brake on the tempestuous flood : of fault finding which has swept the j | country, our newspapers too frequ- j ently have assisted to swell its vol- 'j ume. • | j

"It is right and proper that our ^ public policy should he freely cri- i ticised when occasion requires, and the press would he failing in its duty if it neglected to draw attep- ;; tion ito such shortconiings apd weaknesses as may he apparent. "But the constant " reiteration of ; complaints and grievances; the re^ petition over and over again of the j sanxe disnxal prophecies; the piling up [• of the agony as it were by gloomy j ; reeapitulation of our hardships arid |! worries is not only unhelpful, but is |i unhealthy. ; "No greater service could be rexl- ' dex-ed New Zealand to-day than to arouse in its people that patriotic fervour which is evoked in time of na- , tional crisis when the danger is clear to all and the way to victory plainly laxd down. Then would we have the - unity of purpose, the spirit of service apd sacx-ifice, which brings out the best in a nation, mxxltiplies mani- . fold the weight of its power and in-j 1 fluence and carries it steadfastly head; , high to success. That is what New Zealand needs most of all to-day. Unity of Effort "Unity of effort instead of sec- ^ tional strife; a spirit of service in ( stead of a too narrow regard f or in i dividual interests; a greater toleranci and a more helpfql attitude toward: _ those carrying the thanjcless and re * sponsible tasks of Government; axx ■ ' ft xnore cheerful and hopeful spirit , "There is a great oppox-tunity her ^ j for the press of New Zealand. It i , within its power, and in my opinion j I it is its plain duty to. seek to creat * ; i a more healthy and more . helpfu ! 1 atmosphere; to stimulate public con ^ I fidence and to inspire in the individ ] ual a higher conceptxon of his pei . sonal obligation to play a worthy pai ' so far as lies within his power, in th , great fight to win a way out of ou ipresent difficulties. J . i

Racing Dividend's . | ■ ' At the conclusion of his addres • Mr. Earle was heartily applaudet £ and the x-eport and balance -sheet Wer | unaninxously adopted. *. jiil Various remits from the differei (j 1 sections of the association which ha), i been considered during the weeSjjil were approved, and after a keen | cussion, wherein the claims of var: ous towns were advocated, it was r~ solved to hold the next annual co ference in Napier*. It was also -deci ed unaninxously that strong repr sentations should be made to the' Gc ernment to secure to the press ' t right of publication of racing div: . ends. It was pointed out that this j i formation was readily available | anyone who cared to apply to 1 1 right souree by telephone. and th 1 the restriction in puhlicatton was If xnfririgement of the' prineiple of fl free press. * | — — jag" '3H