LINKED BY CABLE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1913, Page 4

LINKED BY CABLE

i m \ THE AUCKLAND-SYDNEY LINE i COMMEMORATIVE SPEECHES. (BY TjBLBGRAPH— PBESS A3SOMATIOS.) AUCKLAND, 14th January . In proposing the toast of "The Post and Telegraph Department J' ,at the luncheon in commemoration of the completion of the direct Sydney-Auckland cable, the chairman (Mr. John Milward, Australasian manager of the Pacific Cable Board), said that nowhere, in the world did the population enjoy greater benefits in the way of postal and telegraphic facilities. New Zealand, in his opinion, possessed the cheapest and best telegraph service in the world. The Hon. Mr. Rhodes, PostmasterGeneral, in reply, said? he realised the truth of what Mr. Milward had said, and readily admitted that all the credit there was had', to be laid at the- feet of his predecessors, and most of all to Sir Joseph Ward. The Minister 'paid a tribute to the very fine „ work done by the Department and its' staff in New Zealand. la proposing the toast of "The Pacific Cable Board," the Postmaster-General said that he had to admit that it was only since taking office that he had taken a stimulated interest in cable matters. They knew that the entry o! the Pacific Cable Board into the cable business had been Welcomed as the breaking up of an existing monopoly, Speaking of the cable work of the future, the Minister said the work of the future would bo to lay an independent cable across the Atlantic, That would be the final link in the State-owned cable. The Hon. Mr. Frazer, Postmaster-General or the Commonwealth, was to meet him in Wellington shortly, to further discuss this question. Canada, of course, was 6V6lty bit as much interested; and he hoped that ere long something definite would be dohe in regard to an Atlantic cable. Then there was the problem of wireles8 j development, and as long-dis-tance trials succeeded, there would be. the increasing possibility of making greater use of the wireless system. The Minister concluded with a complimentary refer* <?nce to the part Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Sandfortf Fleming had played in securing the Pacific cable, and offered his hearty congratulations to the Pacific Board on the completion of the "direct cable to Sydney. s Mr. Milward, *n responding to the toast of "The Pacific Cable Board," said he would like to draw attention to the fact that the laying of the Pacific cable was undertaken by a unique partnership of the Imperial, New Zealand, Australian, and Canadian Governments. It repreeented what he might claim to be the earliest attempt to embody in concrete form the principle of co-operation between tho Mother Country and the Dutiinions in regard t-' t uctical matters o< common Imperial utter -st The origi* aal capital of £2,000,000 was advanced by the Imperial Treasury and was being repaia from revenue earned' by the cable ip fifty-year instalments of £77,000. In additidn the revenue was expected to provide £33.000 per annum' towards a renewal fund, besides paying all working expenses. This meant that within fifty yearn the original capital, with interest, .would have been repaid, and a sum necessary to lay a second cable throughout would have accumulated. Continuing, Mr. Milward dealt briefly with the three principal aims of the cable. The first wad to provide an alternative route between the Motherland and the more outlying parts of the British Empire in times of national danger. The second was to bind more cloeely together the parte of the Empire that up to that time had no direct telegraphic communication, especially Canada ' and Australia. l)he third object was to giv4 the commercial communitiefl of the Empire the advantage of. some competition in the cable business. '' The new cablo betweeYi Sydney and Auckland, added Mr. Milward, besides providing a very much quicker and more reliable, service between Australia and New. Zealand generally, and duplicating the connection, would; it>' Was 'hoped, reduce the working expenses by cutting out on© or two transmissions. Similar benefit wo'ukl result from the new cable laid from. Auckland to Doubtless Bay, which enabled them to cut out that station entirely. The Mayor responded to the toast of "The Guests'." Mr. W. A. Beddoe (Canadian Trade Commissioner) said he felt proud on this occasion to represent the Canadian Government, because they owed it primarily to the far-seeing Imperialism of Canada that tlie Pacific cable was a completed enterprise. Sir Sandford Fleming, who was known as the father of the Pacific cable, made the first overtures to the Canadian Government in 1879, when he submitted to them a scheme for spanning the Pacific Ocean by a cable which, in- connection with tho Overland telegraph of the Canadian-Pacific Railway (of which he was chief- engineer), would complete the electric igirdle of the globe, and bring Great Britain,- Canada, ■ Australia, #ew Zealand, South Africa, and India into unbroken^ touch, - without, passing over foreign territory. Sir Sandford Fleming wsa still liale and hearty in his 85th year,, and had Hv.ed to see, his dream realised. Mr. ■Beddoe aaid 'that he' had ]ust flertfc away, the following cablegram to his .Government at Ottawa:, "Have participated in the function of opening direct cable Auckland .to Sydney ; anpiher strand in the Imperial bond." Referring to the Commercial, aspect, Mr. Beddoe said the Pacific cable had played a very important part in bringing the Canadian market within the reach of New Zealand produce. The distance was too great to enable business in perishable products to be arranged by mail, and without the cable the trade 'could never have developed to its' present magnitude between the two countries. (Applause.)