BEAM SERVICE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 208, 17 August 1927, Page 6

BEAM SERVICE

CRITICISM IN AUSTRALIA. Sydney, Aug. 10. The newspaper “Sun,” commenting on the beam service, declares: “It is not treating the public fairly. By its silence it is leading patrons to believe that it is handling all the traffic entrusted to it. The fact, however, is that it fades many hours daily and that a great many of its messages have been transferred to the Eastern or Pacific cables. The cable companies accept this traffic only at their customary rates and the beam has to pay out of its own resources to meet this difference between the beam and cable charges, rather than disclose the truth, and this shortage has to be borne by the Federal taxpayer. This indirectly touches the pockets of every taxpayer, What, how-ever, is of more moment is that the beam has happy-go-lucky habits, which are fraught with most dangerous consequences to the commercial community. Messages sent from London do not always reach Australia, but the charge is automatically made for them all the same.” The “Sun” adds: “The beam is supposed to be a public utility, rendering a public service. This should mean candour, even though some declension of revenue might temporarily result.”

Mr. Brown, Director of Federal Postal Services, interviewed regarding Sunday’s London gable dealing with the disabilities of the beam system, said the fading must always be taken into account As far as the Common wealth Government was concerned, the beam was fulfilling its agreement. It wa s handling the traffic the Commonwealth Government gave it. with the exception of a little, which it sent over the cables at night.