THE MERGER SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 35, 11 February 1935, Page 9

THE MERGER SCHEME

CABLES AND WIRELESS

SUCCESSFUL WORKING

GAPE TOWN/February 9. Mr. H. J:Lentort, Postmaster-General of South 'Africa, addressing the Press Conference, claimed that the catle and wireless merger scherhe taken; ras•' a whole had worked ; out '■ successfully, though it was possible of capable and greater development." He,; expressed the opinion that: the whole system of telegraph' and telephonic-1 communication channels of thfe Empire should be controlled by one great public:utility trust in which ' each country "should have a share of interest arid a measure of control. ,-■ ~.'-... a"■ ' /L The. Pacific Cable Board* Vas ' an example 'of' joint ownership that'he had ml mind. A formidable task' was involved in co-ordinating' the; cable and wireless services. "Tramc ' losses caused by the depression had hot; been recovered and efforts to reconcile obligations to the Imperial Advisory Committee, the demands of the public for reduced rates, arid the:interests of shareholders had caused the directors much anxiety. He suggested that it w.as time another conference was held on the same lines as that 'in 1928 to examine the results of the merger! arid report where improvements/! were needed. .. ;■;.-.. ■.;'..':.. , ' : ; Mr. j Lenton had observed that , the Press had riot made much use of the wireless telephone, possibly owing to the high tariff. Referring to the proposal of. an- all-Empire tariff .deferred rate of a penny a i word he said it would be- very difficult to attain and hardly remunerative. He ■ ponsidered a uniform rate between Great Britain and the Dominions for ordinary Press traffic very desirable, He pointed out that South Africa' charged the lowest terminal rates in the interests of trade development arid = advertisemerit, and added that if- any countries still charged terminal rates on messages riot actually handled by them he had great sympathy with the- resolution of. the 1930 Press Conference dealing- generally with charges. Mr. Lenton was a iriember of' the Cable ■ and \Wireless Conference iri 1928 and claimed ■ nn intimate kn6^yledge of the inside history of Empire communications. ;