THE REDUCTION IN CABLE RATES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 214, 8 September 1892, Page 8

THE REDUCTION IN CABLE RATES.

The arrangement for the reduction of cable rates between this colony and England from Us 4d to oa 6d per word, and between New Zealand and Sydnoy from 9s 6d to 2s for ten words, would have been in every way satisfactory if a corresponding reduction had been mado in press rates. The successful eottlemenb of this important question reflocts great credit on tho Hon. Mr Ward, Postmastor-Gonoral, and ite far-reaching effects will be felt for many a day throughout New Zealand. It is not only that mer" cantilo pooplo will be groatly benefited* but that all consumers of imported goods and all producers of exports will be placed more promptly and more frequently in touch with tho markets of supply aua demand all over the world.

These are tho material benefits which more or less affect everybody's pocket, but great as they are, they sink into comparative insignificance whon compared with the world-pictures which, evon under the partially-reducod press rates, will now be so much more effectively flashed from every country than ever before. As yet, wo think few amongsb us have realised tbe extraordinary influence the tolegraphio system is silently but surely exerting over every civilised community. It is, however, amongst English-speaking people that tbe telegraph will win its greatest victories. Ib has been said that of all languages tbe English language is the most suitable for telegraphing. Whether tbat be due to its greater directness, to a more pointed and concise form of expressing ideas, wo need not stop to inquire. That the English language itself will be rendered still more effective in these respects there can be little doubt. When people have to pay for every extra useless word they employ, they will naturally study clearness, conciseness and brevity. Brevity is said to be the soul of wit; it will certainly, after many ludicrous blunders, become the form in which ideas will be conveyed. Brevity—in other words, telegraphy—abhors padding. When an idea or an event can be compressed into ton words, twenty will nob be used. This will be first apparenb in written communications, bub it will steadily make itself felt in conversation. Thinking ia much harder work than talking, for are we not bored every day with people

Who think too little, and who talk too much."

Telegraphy has one great advantage. It gives us events iii tho main and loaves us to form our own opinions upon thorn. Very often these may be wrong, but they will have the merit of originality, for thoy will be tho result—more or less—of a habit of thinking, which will grow by what it feeds on, Whatever develops and strengthens tho habit of thinking is a distinct goin. Why are so many of the advantages the progress of our times offers us, of so little avail ? IVhj is it that so many people are led away by catchwards, political and otherwise ? Why are ourownelectoralrights of so little practical use'? Why do so many peoplo iuah on where wiser men fear to tread 1 Why do Capital and Labour regard each other as enemies, and in consequence are rapidly drifting into a very bad form of civil war ? To all these there is one very sufficient answer:—None of these people think clearly, if they think at all. The habit of thinking clearly, of speaking to the point, of writing exactly what we mean, will surely, if slowly, be developed by telegraphy. Therefore, whatever brings that more within the reach of all, will be a public benefactor of no mean rank.

A greab educational wave is swooping over the English-speaking world. Our boys and girls run through the standards. Examinations are popular amongsb educationists, and amongst boys and girls—when they are over. Our young folks soon forgot much of the lore of the schools, bub if they read tbe daily cablegrams thoy will learn more of the geography and current history of their own times than they ever learnt at school. The printing press pours out books by the million, and largo numbers of readers are becoming familiar with fiction —if not with fact. The newspaper tells us, day by day, of the doings of every Pedlington, little or big, within its circle. Ib records deeds good and bad, mostly the labber. Does a runaway horso come to grief, or is therein entertainment in any corner within itskon? the newspaper records them in printer's ink, as a part of the petty history of the hour. -H'.thafc;were all, the newspaper would be merely a retailer of small wares, good, bad or indifferent, as may happen, and would have but little claim to be regarded as the " Book of the Age." But it is not all. The well-conducbed newspaper has far higher claims to that proud title. Whenever a great orator rouses tho dormant ideas o* his audience into enthusiasm; wherever a cyclone, a volcano or an earthquake cause terrific destruction; when a great crime or an awful catastrophe thrills through the world; if a philosopher dies or an empire falls, th 6 newspaper in its cable columns tells the story without note or comment. For all this the newspaper is indebted to telegraphy, which makes a veritable Ariel's girdle round the earth in less than forty minutes, This it is which makes the newspaper the Book of the Ago. A great oil orb is being made to utilise the telegraph more fully, to bring it within a very much larger circle. Great sacrifices havp been made by Victoria and New South Wales, and it is now to give New Zealand the far-reaching,, benefits: of a much cheapor telegraphic communication by giving a guarantee against loss. To carry out this arrangement, the Post-master-General makes the very reasonable request for a guarantee from the merchants and bankers of the principal commercial centres in bhe colony, for a possible loss of about £5,000, though he hopes the loss will nob exceed £3,000. Dunedin and Christchurch have already subscribed their quotas, about £1,000 each, whilst Wellington and Auckland lag behind.

Some of our leading merchants have pub down their names opposite sums which, if 'neceseary, we hope they will increase. Others are waiting tosee what the banks and tbo great mercantile, shipping, and insurance companies are going to subscribe. The interests of every one of these great organisations are affected by the great reduction in cable rates proposed by the Hon. Mr

Ward. Some of them have their headquarters elsewhere, and in accordance with the centralising principle now so much in vogue, the branch managers can only move as they are movod. Head offices may probably subscribe one sum for all their branches. This, however, will not do, for their customers are not all clustered round the head office, nor are their dividends all earned there. Therefore, each institution in the capital city of the district may advantageously for its own interests subscribe at the point where it transacts its business.

Seeing that in Auckland alone the paving from the proposed reduction in cable rates is estimated at £8,000 per annum, there ought to be no difficulty in obtaining a guarantee in this city for £1,000 at least. If that amount cannot be raised, we have very much over-estimated the business acuteness and public spirit of the business men of tho city, and if, aftor the other business centres oi the colony have subscribed their portion of the guarantee, Auckland lags behind and fails in doing its duty, the reputation of its business men will deservedly sutler.