A SHRUNKEN WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 6

A SHRUNKEN WORLD.

The annihilation of distance exemplified so strikingly in the successful telephone conversation between Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald and Mr. Scullin contrasts with the months that it took for news to travel before the days of the telegraph. It was impossible in those days for governments to communicate rapidly with their governors-general and admirals on active service abroad. The consequence was that political interference with military or naval operations often came too late to do any harm, and it frequently happened that after the governor of the colony sent a despatch to Downing Street conditions materially altered before the reply was received, and the governor had acted on his own initiative. As much as eighteen months might elapse before the Governor of New Zealand received an answer. With the telephone, consultation with London will be' so rapid and so easy that less responsibility will rest on the subordinate official. Overseas business men will be able to ring up their London office. The expense of these long distanco calls will prevent their being used except on matters of urgency, and brevity will De the soul of business. At £2 a minute speech will be silver in a very literal sense.