CHEAPER CABLES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 12

CHEAPER CABLES

FOR PRESS PURPOSES

CONFERENCE RESOLUTION

PENNY A WORD URGED

United Press Association—By Electric Tele-

graph—Copyright.

(Received February 7, 2 p.m.)

CAPE TOWN, February 0. A strong'plea for cheaper cable and wireless rates for Press purposes was made by the chairman of the Australian delegation, Mr./Delamore McCay. when the Empire Press Conference held its first technical -.session. Mr. McCay attacked the capital structure and present position of Imperial and International Communications. Limited. He said that it was claimed that the merger company, formed -in 1929, was necessary to prevent foreign nations seeking to control communications and in order to maintain secret strategic channels, but it w.as grossly unfair to levy the cost on telegraph users. He urged the utilisation of the surplus capacity of the present Empire telegraph communications by the inauguration of a low deferred Press rate of a penny a word from England to Australia and between the other Dominions. Failing a scheme of this kind Australian newspapers would undoubtedly turn to.air mails to supplement Press telegrams.: The conference, after hearing Mr. McCay's statement, , unanimously agreed •to the motion he moved in favour of the appointment of a committee of the conference to proceed to London to urge a prompt review of the charges. '-.'

There will be a further and final discussion on the proposal arid also on the personnel of the committee at the later sessions of the conference at Johannesburg.