PRESSMEN INDIGNANT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1921, Page 4

PRESSMEN INDIGNANT.

CRITICISM BY MR. G. W.

EXPLANATION DEMANDED.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Wellington, Loaf Night. At a meeting of pressmen held in the Press gallery at Parliament House this afternoon, the following resolution was carried: “That this meeting of repre sentative journalists of the Dominion enters an emphatic protest against the shir cast on the journalistic profession of New Zealand by Mr. G. W. Slade, chairman of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in his remarks at the farewell dinner to the South African team on the 17th inst. that some reputable journals should get their information direct and not through the keyhole; that in view of the services of the Press to Rugby football, and the personal sacrifices of journalists for the sake of the game, this meeting demandsa full explanation from Mr. Slade, whose attitude to the Press has been in striking contrast to that of other officials.” RUGBY UNION’S APOLOGY. J REGRET AT THE REMARKS. Wellington, Last Night. The New Zealand Rugby Union discussed the protest of journalists against Mr. Slade’s remarks that reputable journals should get information direct and not through the keyhole. Several members said Mr. Slade owed an explanation in committee. It was resolved that statements in the Press in regard to addresses to the players at Dunedin were an inaccurate description of a confidential interview with the team. These could not have been obtained except from an indirect source, and this led to the chairman’s statement. Moreover, quite inaccurate statements were published regarding the conduct of the New Zealand team at Dunedin. While the chairman had some cause for resentment, the committee regrets that Mr. Slade made the remarks without a full explanation.

The portion of the speech by Mr. Slade objected to by the journalists is thus reported in the Wellington Post: “We have been abused a little bit for our methods in running the tour. Anyhow, it has fallen on broad shoulders. I will take it all, because I think I was doing the right thing.” In regard to the selectors, who had also been criticised, Mr. Slade said, he wanted to tell the public generally that they had done their work conscientiously, In the same way that the N.Z.RJU. had done its work. “We have put our time into it, and our money,” added Mr. Sla4e. if We have been told what we have been making out of it. A section of the Press has given us a bad run, but there; are two sides to a question, and 1 think that some reputable journal should get its information difect and not through the keyhole. A lot of abuse has been thrown abofft for nothing, but my duty was to try to make the South Africans’ tour a success. I am pleased to her Mr. Bennett say that he goes away without any grievance at all.”