CONCERN EXPRESSED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 94, 15 January 1943, Page 5

CONCERN EXPRESSED

Delay In Transmission Of News To Empire

(Received January 14, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, January 13.

Serious concern at the increasingly heavy delays in the transmission of news cabled from London, particularly to New Zealand and Australia, was expressed at the annual meeting of the Overseas Empire Correspondents’ Association, representative of all the Dominions and colonies. The meeting adopted the following resolution: — “This meeting, while recognizing the difficulties imposed by wartime conditions, nevertheless is deeply disturbed at the continued deterioration of the means for speedy transmission of news throughout the Empire, and calls urgently for greater possible efforts by the Government to improve wireless and cable services, so that all parts of the Empire can be kept closely in touch with the developments of the war and the efforts of all parts of the Empire to ensure an early victory.” Government Priority.

The report of the executive expressed the opinion that the position was aggravated by extremely’ heavy Government business carrying priority over other traffic. Strong representations had been made to the Ministry of Information and other responsible authorities to remove less urgent Government traffic from the priority list. The committee added that it had reason to believe there was no justification for a great deal of the Government traffic receiving priority. Some need not be cabled at all. Correspondents iu September, 1939, were seriously perturbed because delays in transmission suddenly became two to three hours. At present, however, there were delays of upward of 24 hours.

IMPROVEMENT LIKELY Effect Of Conference In Australia (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 14. Engaged on business in continuation of the proceedings at the Imperial Communications Conference recently held in Melbourne and Canberra, members of the British delegation to the conference are visiting Auckland. They are Sir Campbell Stuart, who presided, and who is chairman of the Imperial Communications Advisory Committee and a director of the London "Times,” Lieutenant-Colonel W. Zainbra, secretary of the communications committee, and Mr. R. J. F. Harvey, of the British Treasury. They will leave for Wellington tomorrow and will remain in New Zealand for some days.

Regarding the recent conference in Australia. Sir Compbell said the report was in the hands of the Governments concerned, and he was therefore unable to discuss it at present, but considerable improvements in the transmission of Press messages could be expected.