AGREEMENT SIGNED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 48, 6 December 1945, Page 5

AGREEMENT SIGNED

SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES telecommunications CONFERENCE (Rec. 9;30 a.m.) BERMUDA, iDec. 4. The telecommunications conference completed its Avork Avith the signing of an agreement by the delegations from all the Governments represented. The head of the American delegation, Mr Paul Porter, speaking at the final plenary session of the. conference, said the documents whioh the delegations, signed represented many significant advances, in, the broad objective of establishing a more efficient system of world-wide communications. “It is a charter of principles that, if universally adopted, should ultihiately extend to the peoples, of all countries the opportunity to communicate cheaply and swiftly betwen one and another. We have agreed to the following fundamental concepts: (1) Communications should be cheap and efficient. (2) Artificial barriers should be eliminated where there is justification for direct communications. (3) Press intelligence should move rapidly, and its Avidest dissemination should be encouraged by the greatest possible reduction in cost. (4) Advances in science and new techniques have been recognised, and Ave have agreed to press for the widest possible utilisation of these modern miraculous developments.” Mr Porter said the underlying reason for the success, of the conference was the plain speaking which eliminated any suspicion and mistrust that might have existed. The British Commonwealth .had not only made concessions to the new techn'ology, but had consciously undertaken to make it possible for communications to perform their fullest and most effective function in future. The United States desired to co-operate in that broad constructive attitude which Americans greatly admired. Mr P. N. Cryer (New Zealand) said a spirit of compromise prevailed at the conference, but the real test Avas ahead. The outcome would depend on how co-operation Avould be carried on in the future. He Avas optimistic that in the telecommunications conference a spirit of co-operation would prevail which might be ah example to the world for Avinning the peace.