A QUESTION OF ADVERTISING.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1920, Page 7

A QUESTION OF ADVERTISING.

DISCUSSION AT EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL. There was considerable discussion at the Eginont County Council's meeting on Monday relative to advertising, caused by a letter from the proprietor of the Opunake paper, alleging unfair treatment at the hands of the clerk, who had entrusted the advertising of the balance sheet to the Taranaki Daily News, and other advertisements to the same paper and the Hawera Star, and not to the Opunake paper.

The chairman said that it was necessary to economise as far as possible in advertising without doing anything to impair its efficiency; consequently the advertisements were inserted in the papers that circulated most in the riding to which the advertisement referred. Regarding the advertising of the balance sheet in the Daily News, he stated that, as many people had complained that they knew nothing about the financial aspect of the county, he had decided that it should be published where the greatest number would have an opportunity of seeing it. It had served its purpose, as was evidenced by the letters in the Press attacking the council. The council, however, could not be dictated to as to where it placed its advertising, and while he was as anxious as anyone to give the Opunake paper a share, he also wanted to advertise so as to do the greatest good to the greatest number, and circulation must be considered. He assumed the fuil responsibility for the publication of the balance sheet in the Daily News.

Cr. O'Brien said that it was a pity friction had been caused. The Opunake Times was the county paper, and for 20 years the county balance sheet had been published in that paper. Now it was advertised in another paper on the score of economy. It appeared that the chairman was the only pejrson blameworthy. He favored the three papers getting equal advertising except in the small jobs, which should only bt advertised locally, .but for bigger jobs there were more men available in New Plymouth and Hawera. In this connection he noted that the Wirerau Road job, on which £750 wa9 to be expended, with considerable further amounts later on, was only advertised in the Opunake Times, and it seemed to him that the work was being neglected, as that advertisement should have appeared in the three papers. In. the ensuing discussion the action of the chairman was generally approved, Crs. Green and Campbell referring to the attack of the Opunake paper upon the county clerk, who had merely done his duty and whose past actions proved him to be as fair and as unbiassed an oMcer as they could possibly have. The clerk (Mr. Rogers) stated that he had always been instructed to incur as little expense as possible in advertising, while at the same time not cheeseparing so as to impair its efficiency, and he could honestly say lie liad done his best to carry out this direction. Regarding the advertisements complained of, he said that there were no arrears of rates in the Oeo and Opunake'* riding, so that he did not advertise that in the Opunake paper. Regarding matters in tho engineer's department, the engineer exercised his own discretion, but if they i looked through tho advertising book they would find tenders advertised in the Opunake Times as often as the other papers. He took exception to the statement that the Opunake Times was the county paper, because the county was so situated that it could not consider any one paper as the county paper, In addition to the papers in which they advertised, he was often asked by other Taranaki papers for advertisements. The instructions from the chairman had been faithfully carried out. He would pass over the remarks regarding animus, as he had done what he considered his duty, and had dealt with the papers on their merits and in a spirit of absolute fairness.

Replying to Cr. Green, the clerk stated the charges for the advertising of the balance sheet was not half those alleged by the Opunake paper. Or. O'Brien suggested that the proprietor of the paper (Mr. Hickey) J should be heard, but the chairman and some of the councillors objected, and Cr. O'Brien moved in this direction. Cr. Young seconded. Cr. Green moved as an amendement that a committee be set up to deal with the question of advertising and to hear -Mr. Hickey if necessary. Finally, on the motion of Crs. Campbell and Forsyth, it was decided to leave the matter of advertising to the new council, the chairman pointing out that the present council could not commit the new one.