STATE-OWNED CABLES. DISCUSSION AT PRESS CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1909, Page 7

STATE-OWNED CABLES. DISCUSSION AT PRESS CONFERENCE.

PERTH, 21st July. News brought by to-day's mail steamer shows that the motion by Mr. Ross, of Ottawa, at the Press Conference, for acquiring a State-owned cable between Canada and Britain, was opposed by Mr. Cunningham, of the Melbourne Argus, and Mr. Ward, of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. i The latter thought it very desirable that the conference should be unanimous. Would Mr. Ross amend his motion, restricting its application to wireless tele1 grapßy? They already had one Stateowned cable, across the Pacific, and financially it had been a disappointment, tie said that with regret, because he had always been a supporter of that cable ; but in view of its financial results he could not vote for an extension of the State-owned idea. Mr. Ross declined to accept the suggestion. Mr. Cunningham said he wished to make clear the attitude taken up by himself and some of his fellow-Australian delegates. They could not vote for the motion, because it aimed at the establishment- of Government cables without compensation to the owners of existing cables, and such action was practically, confiscation. A cable supported by the long purse of a Government might lead to the destruction, of existing cable companies. There was a principle at stake, and in view of that he and some of his fellow-delegates would not vote on the , motion. Mr. Stanley Reed, editor of the Times of India, Bombay, expressed surprise at this opposition to State-owned cables from Australian delegates, in view of the fact that Australia, already enjoyed cheaper cables, and that because of Stateowned cables. Mr. Cunningham : We should have had them cheaper without the Pacific cable. The motion was agreed to without dissent, although several Australian dele-gates-did not- vote, *