Extraordinary general meeting in Sydney on November 27 to decide the future of the JPE as Franca Balsamo is asked to remove Presidents Boards and Shields from Printing Industries as a result of the shift to new smaller offices in Chatswood.
As the long-term convenor of the JPE, Balsamo (pictured) is inviting life members [see below], past presidents, past members, sponsors and guests to attend the meeting to decide the future of the association. The 80-year-old association has fallen on hard times recently drawing little support from members.
The final straw came for Balsamo when she was asked to remove all the JPE material including the Presidents Boards and Shields from the Auburn offices of Printing Industries. She was told there would be no room for them in the new premises following the shift.
“It was heart wrenching to take it all away. The JPE has always had integral ties to the PIAA,” she said. “However, they did say they would assist me with revamping the JPE if we wanted to continue.”
The downsizing of the Sydney HQ has some members worried that items of historical significance could be thrown away. In a series of extraordinary events, James Cryer, JDA owner and third generation member of the Association, (pictured) says he was asked out to the offices to collect some honour boards as custodian until another home could be found.
While there he also took away a box of books for safe keeping that he feared were about to be chucked out as part of the move. The books, which included rare volumes, one from the 17th century, became the subject of a heated exchange between him and Printing Industries, with threats of legal action and the involvement of the Police unless the books were returned, forthwith. This escalation of the kerfuffle now sees Cryer effectively ‘banned’ from the new Chatswood offices without a formal invitation from the CEO. Subsequently David Leach, president, and other board members have been in touch with him with reassurances that his contribution to the Association as associate member is highly valued and that no further action will be taken.
According to Jason Allen, CEO, the Association is not purging its archives nor is it auctioning any items. He did confirm that ‘numerous other organisations and individuals have been asked to make other arrangements for material we have been storing for them.’
There have been three 'giveaways' of books and other materials lent to members for safekeeping, including a massive collection of legal journals, notably the complete NSW Statutes 1824-1951 as well as a collection of The Australian Law Journal 1927-1976. In an Industry Update members are advised, Once you have signed a Deed for Lease for your items, you are welcome to hold onto them for safekeeping and to display them, but you understand that Printing Industries may call for these items should we require them.
Cryer believes items of significant historical interest may have been binned and is calling for a halt to the process. He wants others, such as members of the LIA, to oversee the downsizing of the collection. “The complex and varied nature of such material accumulated over many decades, makes it almost impossible for any one person to know what to keep and what not,” he said.
