THE DOMINIONS COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16431, 24 December 1913, Page 13

THE DOMINIONS COMMISSION.

MAIL ARRANGEMENTS AND CABLE RATES. TREATMENT OF EMIGRANTS. [FHOII Otm CORBBSPONBKNT.J LONDON, November 14. A sitting of tho Royal Dominions Commission (which has already sat in Australia and will visit South Africa in tho new year) was held in London this week. Mr Crabb, C. 8., second secretary to the Post Office, gave evidence, particularly in regard to cable communication between the Homo Country and various parts of tho dominions. Ho was not aware, he said, of any " agreement" among the- cable companies which might tend to keep up tho rates. The fair interests of the companies, as well as tho public interest, had to bo considered in any action for endeavouring to bring about reduction in rates. Tho Tost Office, it was pointed out, was of opinion that from a commercial point of view the provision of a State cable across the Atlantic was not at present justifiable. The deficit would be about £20,000 a year if it carried the present Paciiic traffic at_ existing rates. Replying to questions, Mr Crabb said tho development by. leaps and bounds of wireless telegraphy no doubt contributed to the opinion of the Post Office that the present timo was inopportune for' establishing a State cable. There was a desire in every way to consult the British dominions overseas, but tho cutting of rates frywireless telegraphy and tho possibilities of serious and costly interruptions in cables must be considered in connection with the question of an Imperial cable. Sir Rider Haggard asked witness whether ho thought there was a possibility of wireless telegraphy altogether superseding cable telegraphy, but Mr Crabb would express no opinion on ibis knotty point, but said that ho considered that the " present position of wireless was an argument against a State-owned cable."

Dealing with the question of improvements in the mail service and tho payment*of subsidies, Mr Crabb, in reply to questions, said the present contracts for mails to Australia and New Zealand were held by tho fastest boats—tho P. and 0. vessels—and any improvement in the direction of speed would necessitato tho building .of an entirely new fleet, a very costly proceeding. Tho Brindisi route was the best route to Australia, and it covered tho Indian mails. He did not think'the Cape route, even presuming faster boats could cover the 700 additional miles in the same time, although it would cover tho South African mails. Replying to further queries, Mr Crabb said the Australian mail service was not remunerative; in fact, no colonial service was remunerative. It was only a question of more or less loss in every case. Subsidies w : ero paid to tho steamship companies to secure regularity of service. / Sir Henry Primrose, chairman of the Pacific Cable Board since 1907, was also examined. Ho stated that ho desired to combat the idea that a reduction of rates on the existing cable tariff could be mado without loss of revenue, tho volume of increased trade not bringing an equivalent for tho loss of revenue by the reduction.

Concerning the decreased Press rates brought about as tho result of the Imperial Press Conference in 1908, Sir Henry said it was significant that while tho amount spent oh Press messages in 1908-1909 was £IB,OOO, in 1909-1910, with tho lower, Press rates, the amount spent was only £14,000, with very much more work to be dono bv tho cable' companies. 'He further explained that 3,000,000 words were at present being transmitted in a year over tho Pacific cable, but the capacity was five or five and a half millions. It was not desirable in his view to increase the amount of deferred and Press messages, which might have the effect of blocking business cables, and he oaw no justification for recommending any increased, facilities in the present circumstances. Ho did not think cheaper cables for social communication could bo introduced without loss. Sir Henry _ admitted that business had steadily increased since rates had' been lowered; but he thought tho limit had now been reached. Ho did not think a State-owned cable was desirable. His Board was watching the development of wireless systems, but experience did not suggest that there was any immediate fear of an early serious competition in that direction. In answer to further questions, Sir Henry said • Press messages _ at 7jcl per word were not remunerative, and added, "I do not want to see more. I quite recognise that the cables shuld bo used for the purpose of Press mossages to as large an extent as is really required in the interests of tho public, but from the point of view of our business I would much rather not have Press messages." , A HUNDRED WORDS IN ONE. Another witness examined on the question of cable rates was Mr Stanley Goddard, who was nominated by. the Western Union Telegraph Company to tender its views as to the possibility of effecting a reduction of the ordinary rate for Australasian messages across the Atlantic, and as to the effect that a large access of Australasian traffic, such as was suggested would be caused by a considerable reduction in the Pacific Cable Board's rates, would have on his company. He said the policy of the Western Union Company was to give to tho public the cheapest telegraph rates compatible with business principles with tho view of extending the uso of the service as widely as possible. Tho company believed that the best results could bo obtained by a greatly extended use of the cable service, and as evidence of this belief he pointed out that it was the pioneer of week-end and night cable letters to America. It was, however, of opinion that under the existing conditions of the art of ocean telegraphy tho present charge for full rate telegrams, so far as the Atlantic portion of the transit was concerned, could not be reduced, having regard to the expenso incurred in carrying on an express service such as that given, and of maintaining, repairing and providing for the depreciation of the very extensive cables, cablo stations and telegraph equipment necessary, and to the cost incurred in providing, from" timo to time, improved apparatus, and in research work in connection with such improvements. His company did not anticipate that any increase in- the annual amount of traffic which it might share with the Pacific Cablo Board would have tho effect of enabling it to reduce the transatlantic portion of the rate. It was quite possible that there might bo, in the near future, a very considerable development of tho weekend letter traffic , between this country and Australasia; and if it were found that some further facilities wero necessary in order to make the servicomore popular, it might be possible to arrange for earlier deliveries at the terminal ends. Tho Western Union Telegraph Company would be prepared, so far as its portion of tho transit was concerned, to facilitate such an arrangement. It would be also prepared to consider tho introduction of a night cable letter service to Australasia, on similar lines to the American service, if suitnblo arrangements could bn made; tho cablo letter to be delivered at its destination, say, on the second day after handing in. Tho cables at present operated by the Western Union had a considerable unused capacity, which was greatest at the hours when deferred week-end and night cable let-

ter services wourd be dealt with. In view of changes and improvements now in hand, which, when completed, would still further increase the capacity of its cables, the Western Union had no fear of not being able at all times to handle satisfactorily any increase of traffic. I On the question of cyoher telegrams Mr Gcddard was asked by the chairman whether, as a rule, a code word would represent about six ordinary words, and bo replied that tho proportion was higher than that. In fact, a system of double cypher or " cypher in cypher had been invented by a Frenchman, by means of which one code word represented from seventy to a hundred ordinary words. THE TREATMENT OF EMIGRANTS. Thp Commission also heard evidence from Captain J. B. Park, Principal Emigration Officer for tho London district, as to tho treatment of emigrants. Ho stated that tho number of licensed brokers in this country is 120, and that eorac of the London brokers have over 2000 agents. The brokers praetieallv have a monopoly in tho issuing of tickets for steerago passages to intending emigrants, and their responsibility is confined to furnishing contract 'tickets in return for the money paid to them. Though proceedings would be taken against brokers or their agents for fraudulent misrepresentation, nothing is done to prevent them from issuing hjghly coloured descriptions of tho" various countries to which emigrants tako passages, as they are not r\'i-ded in any sense as being public, *.<fc/ants, and it is felt that when intending emigrants go to them for! tickets they" have a pretty good idea of tho sort of place to which they desire, to go, because they can obtain full and authentic information at the nearest post office. Being pressed by Sir Rider Haggard, Captain Park declined to admit that the present system is unsatisfactory. On the question of berthing and hospital accommodation for steerage passengers, it was stated that in recent years there had been a tendency, especially in the case of new ships, to provide better hospital accommodation and more privacy as regards berthing arrangements than the minimum laid clown in the regulations.