PRESS JUBILEE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 903, 21 February 1930, Page 18

PRESS JUBILEE

ASSOCIATION MEETS IN TIMARU FOUNDED IN 1879 Press Association TIMARU, Thursday. The annual meeting of shareholders of the United Press Association was held this afternoon. The annual report contained a tribute to the memory of the late Sir George Fenwick, who was the last survivor of the founders of the association, and to Messrs. Kilgour and W. H. Smith, old members of long standing, and Messrs. Mitchell and N. Burton, old agents of the association. Resolutions of condolence were passed, members standing. The report stated that as the association was founded on December 19, 1879, this was its jubilee meeting. A large number of congratulations were received, including letters from the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, leading Australian newspapers and New Zealand local bodies, and a cablegram from the president of the Empire Press Union. During the year 979,086 words of original cable news had been supplied. The present contract expired this year and a new agreement had been made for ten years. It was intended to give a freer hand to some extent to use wireless news.

The chairman, Mr. A. G. Henderson, delivered an address dealing with the business of the year and added a number of interesting facts and statistics relating to the progress of the association during the past fifty years. Messrs. Henderson and W. Easton, the only nominees, were elected to the two vacancies on the board. Rotorua was selected as the next place of meeting. An extraordinary meeting was then held at which a number of amendments to the articles of association were passed. At a meeting of the directors later Mr. E. Abbey Jones was elected chairman for the ensuing year, Mr. Henderson tendered his resignation. Mr. A. M. Burns, of the Christchurch Press, was appointed to the vacancy thus created.

The Mayor of Timaru, Mr. W. Angland, extended a welcome on behalf of the. citizens to the visiting delegates this evening. He congratulated members of the association on having met to celebrate the jubilee of the association, which was formed in Timaru, and he paid a tribute to the great work done by the late Sir George Fenwick. The progress of the association would ever be a monument to him. Mr. Angland also stressed the great part newspapers played in the welfare of the country generally. Mr. C. W, Earle, president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, acknowledged the welcome, and expressed regret that Sir George Fenwick had not been spared to attend the jubilee. Members leave for the Hermitage, Mount Cook, tomorrow, where the remaining meetings will be held.