PRESSMEN AND THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1915, Page 5

PRESSMEN AND THE WAR.

OVER A HUNDRED SERVING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Al,ont thirty pressmen now in camp or waiting to be called up wore entertained at a social gathering last night by their Wellington confreres and representatives of papers north and south. Mr. Fred Earle, president of the Journalists' Institute, presided. Apologies for absence, coupled with good wishes for the welfare of the soldiers, were received from the editors of leading papers. The Prime Minister also forwarded ii letter expressing his warm appreciation of the manner in which pressmen had responded to the call of the Empire ajid had initialled their names In letters of blood. This was the biggest assignment they had ever been put ilown for.

The chairman said the 107 journalists of New Zealand known to have enlisted included one lady, who was a member of the nursing division jiow serving in the Mediterranean. About a dozen had been killed and nearly a score wounded. Captain Shand (Thames Star) was the principal respondent to the toast of "Our Guests." He pointed out that the pressmen, like men from ofelrcr walks of life, had made big sacrifice* in order to enlist. They cheerfully began at the bottom of the ladder and wont through ill the drudgeiT of training in order to fit themselves properly to do the new work which they had set their hands to. He believed every man would be ready when the supreme test came to uphold the honor, not only of pressmen, but of the land of their birtlt and adoption. Privates Swiney (New Zealand Herald) und Field (Dominion) also responded.