THE PACIFIC CABLE

Evening Star, Issue 16196, 18 August 1916, Page 6

THE PACIFIC CABLE

NO INWARD WEEK-END MESSAGES NOW.

SOLDIERS' MESSAGES GOING BOTH WAYS.

n G ™ H '-, G - Best > representing the Pacific liable Board, was in Dunediu to-day, and a reporter obtained from him certain information winch is of importance to the public Since the break at Fniming Island was repaired the cable has never been idle, day or night. Its capacity is, however, limited to the speed of working possible on the line between Fanning Island and Bamfield (the landing point at Vancouver), this being the longest stretch of cable in the world. The traffic to New Zealand and Australia has been greatly increased as a result of the arrangement by which messages from soldiers are accepted at quarter ordinary rates without a minimum charge, and it has been found necessary to suspend the "week-end" service from Great Britain, Canada and America.

Tno volume of business from this end has not shown so largo an increase, and messages at week-end rates are still being accepted from New Zealand.

<»lhese week-end messages are at quarter rates, with a minimum of 20 words, which works out at 8d a word.

Soldiers' messages are still going both ways. These messages are without a minimum of words. So many of these messages are going and coming that all the otherwise idle time of the cable is kept fully occupied. The prohibition against "private code" messages has no doubt been a chief cause in the increase of tho work on tho cable for the week-end business, which was designed as a medium of social communication, "and has now become a recognised feature in commercial intercourse.

In answer to a,question as to the finance of the board in relation to the Government, Mr Best said he understood that, owing to the increased business, tho cable was now able to pay its way and a little more, wherefore it, was probable that there would be no call on the subscribing Governments this year.

It may be as well to add, since everybody may not know it, that the Pacific Cable Board's lino now comes ashore in the neighborhood of Auckland and stretches across the island, thence under water to Australia. Tlms,_ with the Eastern Company's lines, there is a complete circle of tho globe.