EMPIRE PRESS UNION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 108, 7 May 1926, Page 7

EMPIRE PRESS UNION

NEWSPAPERS AND MIGRATION

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 18th March. One of the resolutions passed at the third Imperial Presa Conference held at Melbourne in September called upon the newspaper Press throughout the British Empire to use its utmost endeavours to publish full and accurate information as to the opportunities to settlers afforded by the overseas Dominions. In regard to this an important step was taken at a meeting of the Council p£ the Empire Press Union in London. It was decided that a conference should be held in tho near future, to which should be invited the High Commissioners of the Dominions, the Agents-General of the various States, Migration Officers attached to the Dominion offices, and representatives of the Overseas Settlement Committee. Representatives of practically all the great London papers will attend the conference, and it was thought that an open discussion lasting perhaps a whole day might be of great value. It would enable representatives of the London Press to appreciate the difficulties overseas in the way of migration. It would give them the right jde< of what it was necessary to tell the pullic in this country. It would correct a great many of the false impressions which at present prevailed with regard to the conditions in the Dominions. AH the other resolutions passed at the Idtelbourne Conference were dealt with. The chairman, Sir Robert Donald, in extending a welcome to those members of the union who had visited Australia and Now Zealand, said that, judging by the number of resolutions passed and the scope of the subjects dealt with, the conference was the most important that had yet been held. Lord Burnham, since he had returned, had Bpoken on one or two occasions on Australia, and in particular had delivered a most admirable address to the Royal Colonial Institute. Sir Archibald Weigall, who had been in an official position in Australia, had expressed his amazement that Lord Burnham had managed to get such a keen appreciation of' Australian characteristics and such a grasp of the country in so short a time. Lord Burnham had unique advantages. No one had travelled more or studied tho Empire more closely. He, therefore, had the great advantage of experience, but he also had the additional advantage that he combined the gifts of a journalist with the judgment of a statesman. IMPERIAL COMMUNICATIONS. A series of ten resolutions passed at the conference dealt with Empire cable and wireless communications. They expressed the view that an adequate system for the cheap and rapid transmission and distribution of views was a matter of urgent public importance; urged the Imperial Government to improve Atlantic cable communication; and drew attention to anomalr ies in the cable charges for Press messages to the Far, East and Australia. The resolutions also expressed regret at the long delay in the erection in England of wire- ■ less stations for "beam" transmission, and supported the proposal that the reciprocal wireless stations in England communicating with Australia should be controlled and operated by Australia in the interest of efficiency and harmonious working; the same policy to be applied mutatis mutandis to the wireless services of the other Dominions. Lord Burnham formally moved that tho resolutions be received and be referred to the Union Standing Committee on Cable and Wireless Communication for consideration and report. AN OBSOLETE SYSTEM. The chairman, in seconding, said he did not think there was the slightest chance of the Post Office being enterprising enough to put down its own "loaded" cable across the Atlantic. The loss on Imperial cables last year was £34,000. That was one reason why the Post Office should scrap what' had obviously become an obsolete system, but that was the very reason why the Poat Office would not do it. The new super-wireless station at Rugby was not going to be used to distribute news to newspapers. That would go through the "Bejin" stations Svhen they were ready, which would perhaps be in six months' time. Tho loss on the wireless service last year was £53,000, and when Rugby was operating it would be a great deal more. It was estimated that that station was bound to lose £50,000 for the first year. The Post Office saved itself 0:1 balance for the year ending March, 1925, by obtaining £54,000 profit from broadcasting. It was true to i;ay that all the wireless services controlled by the Post Office-were managed moie or less inefficiently. If all broadcasting were under a separate Department it would be profitable, but whether that was possible he did not know. The resolution, which supported the proposal that the reciprocal wireless stations in England coimminica■jting with Australia should be controlled and operated by Australia, was one which Australians felt very .strongly. It was purely a business point of view. They held that until a separate business departlnent was set up at the Post Office to manage the whole of the wireless services, in stead of being, as they were at present descrs>ed in the Post Office accounts, subsidiary services," the "Beam system would not be successful. Australians ielt that if it were under their management or the management of someone representing them, it would be the duty of that body to attract as much business to Australia through the "Beam" station as possible, whereas that was not the interest of the Post Office, and they certainly would not do it. The Post Office would not canvass for business for Australia or push business for Australia. The point of view of Australia, that there was a lack of business organisation, was an issue that must be raised. There was to be an Imperial Conference this year, and the subject would undoubtedly be brought up by Mr. Bruce if he came here. Australia had sent a representative to deal with the matter, but after spending six months here he accomplished nothing at all, and wont home with the conviction, still very strongly held, that such an organisation as existed at the Post Office was incapable of running a wireless service on business lines. Tho motion was agreed to. It was resolved, on the motion of Sir Harry Brittain, M.P., seconded by Sir. Percy Hurd, M.P., to send a copy of a resolution expressing sympathy with the efforts being made to link by air the component sections of the British Empire, to the Secretary of State for Air. In accordance with the request made by the Imperial Press Conference, it was decided to set up a special committee to watch the development of wireless broadcasting in the various parts of the British Empire. In a comprehensive vote of thanks a large number of those who had helped to make the Australian and New Zealand tour a success were mentioned. The council approved the expenditure of £150 for souvenirs "t the tour mid conference to be sent to those mentioned in the vote of thanks. 80, Fleet street. ' '