CABLE NEWS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 November 1924, Page 5

CABLE NEWS.

LOWER RATE REQUESTED. BY CABLE—PEESS ASSOCIATION—COPYEIGHT LONDON, Nov. 25. ' . A deputation from the Jfimpire Press Union including Lord Burnham, Sir Hugh. Denison, &ir Robert Donald, Sir Roderick Jones, and Messrs Guy Tunes and Tonkin, urged .. the Pacific Cable Board to. arrange -a reduction in the .Tress rates tor messages to Australia and New Zealand. lord .Bumiham said the deputation embraced all 'branches of the Press, and represented the public opinion oi Britain, Australia and New Zealand. The deputation represented that facilities for the exchange by cable of Empire news were inadequate, that the Empire Press traffic was a matter of public convenience, and the means by which dwellers everywhere in ' the’ British Empire could appreciate one another's interests. ..Hence the facilities should be substantially improved. It was urged that the board should reconsider its decision to maintain the Press rate, at its existing level, it was hoped the board would reduce the Press rate -proportionately with 'the forthcoming reduction in the ordinary deferred and ordinary rates. It was suggested. that the capacity for carrying additional Press news would be provided by a modification of the conditions of accepting week-end telegrams.

1 The chairman of the board said he most highly appreciated the importance of the wide facilities for disseminating Empire news, and entirely sympathised with the aims of the Press Union. The board would be happy to co-operate in increasing the facilities if circumstances permitted, but the cable was occupied to the limit of its capacity, and it Avas impracticable to handle additional traffic. Accordingly the board had decided that a further reduction m rates could not 'be made until the cable was duplicated. The hoard intended shortly to call tenders to dunlicate the cables, and he did not doubt that the latter would he working by the end of the next eighteen months. It Avas. poin+ed out that of the Press rate of 7£<T, the board only renewed 3d for transmission over 10.000 miles, and miiv Hd of the deferred Press rate. I.hese rates were totally unrenmnemtu r e. but the chief reason against a further reduction was that the line Avas already # taxed to its utmost capacity.