THE CABLE DEBATE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 17 June 1911, Page 5

THE CABLE DEBATE.

(Received June 16, 9.5 p.m.) LONDON^June 16. ' .At Wednesday's meeting of the Coh : ference Sir Joseph Wai'd, in moving Jiis motion in favor of the reduction o£ the cable rates, said that much had been accomplished, but the cheapening had not gone far enough. TJis postal experience showed that the reduction of. charges-to the ; point of securing to the puhlie1 freer <ni£e of, the services 'produced more' profitable working. :Jt* was the Oversea feeling that the; present;; rates .were <

■-;; / ;..r'',:-DXJE ; TO,.A.:RING;'; ; v •■..-.•; in tbe cable .tvorldvi:'':-''He''l .;ho.p'^^tK^|b ; ' tbfe Confelrejffee wo;tld reffeot aji^im-: pfoyement ih: the direc'tiori of amor© general use of the cables. ' " >*' The Honv, Herbert.>Sam»el Vsympathisecl withvarid supported the I'espTuljion^ ■»■'■■■" Since the last COnfereJice the I*fe3s rates bad baen reduced, but hei, agreed that the 'progress; had 'not been: ad^dateV ::f. Steps were being 'takelr/to-•■-.!!■■• ..':-A:r: .-. •'■ ■■ '*■ '■'■■■. \.' '*■

1 ■ ■ s|G^RE-;;|QS3i:^pm^G- .-.,:; in' se^^V'-Hiii^iptiim^i-,;1!-':' iTii^tlyJT-{'-fee' ■^eq&etidn';inP..ihe ;'l*rt^fi rat<3>; ; 'th'jrdi|y;i i th& oov:er,njkn)Bnt. Utitenttad :to > ifipp£ (;av;IclaTiS^->'; iA rv'tlie.''■ ney^ landing :»■■'":.:':. f|':!■.:"''- v.v •■'■' V v^- -i 1 ■' &■s& Vcom--: i^an^s >^§»i|i^i,,|ibiusa i. of < tftat;. power By;:'' W^'Mp^l^y-ii>}ie>] fT&aiihvfiy:'v&ii<$ i have so^ effect on j b&jtl©;: f ratess : j •.■.". - Jl<b V;ii^siired "'^he • 'GPP-, fei;eJiceithat; thf>>; paysswig'^^ of Ilie res<plirtfofe %6^{Wff6ll9wfed;-;)b3r; 1 -^iffieetit.?1 '•'hi&v " ittt'1 ■" .■■,...:. >Of

actu-.eme. < ■ Sir 'Wilfrid "Laurier (declared that all the trouble existing dt present was duo tr* the Atlantic cables. , The impression;in Canada, almost amounting to^conviction, was that a COMBINE EXISTED. The "Hon. Mr ' Samuel's suggestion would deal with that combiii&tjLoii. Mr Fisher said that the increase?! facilities of reduced, rates appealed principally to Australia. <and New Zedlanfl. because they were dependent on the oanles for European an,d AmeFioan information., \ Ho, asked whether it was feasible to- grant a lew rate ever the 'Pacific cable1 for jiews oaiblea from Australia ..to" Montreal, ' whence it could,' be posted ■to (.freaH; 'Britain.

"Mr Pearee as"ked the Post;; ■niaster^General .'Had any■■{inloriiiat&'iiV iiii regard to_ the!; refusal of>:th©;\T:^a*u^yl'fco s&nctioii;tbe'Oonsi:rti(^idttof ].;> ;,■■ v,;.'. .^^ira^.^i^pß;!;1-vf:. >;3 ■ ■ iiQ ;N;ew, Zealand to • Aiistraiia- by ,'thfi.1 Pacific Board;; oil the ground •t'haA it i<wotild;.;jmtes<?!^ -witlv the ■de-, velopniesnti of' wireless telegraphy. V! > Mi*''; i S.a^^i,,,agr^pd,:.!|s6 inform $he Exchequer of the strong 1 desire of ■•At^Ml'^'"-o;n'di;vN*V:\-Z^laiiii / to hare ■the iCaijle Board■aiitliotlsed, ■■as-.far as Gress;Vßstain'gconsent was oonceim,----;'^/-:'TO;''li^y/;1?l^ ■';■' ■■. ':■'','■• $■■ Mr ■■ As^dij^tt:". alsp'- p xr£nrisedJ^n&ifrer~ ■',at;oft '';'^^':t^^p^t''-y^}^:M^ •watiort of tli«9 Atlantic Me. to An&--i'tfca!|B^1';;iAi.i''S.^vbe^ev^dv;-tla'at this was. '-o^':oiil^'wia^;to;ge:t/;- ■■■>~■. ■ VV^ ■>; ', ■ -\ vv^!"BENEtlCl^ EESUIiTSV ''' . H(;^tiiiiM : --fch». V.- ;i-::. ■?••'■ •• ■■ ■".:,':. ■'■. ■;.; ;f RQIJTE,,;';,'.;; includirig^ the Atlantic cable and the> Canadian land lines.- , The former, Typ'iild cast £480,000, and.tKe; \and lines £120,000, and tte eatiniate/i ejcV penscs"of the. working and maintenance of the cable" was :£2ljSoo, arid 1 lor the land line, £32,000, with a sjeti off of certain; existing expenses amounting to £22,000. It wia* ■estimated that- the Board would, have an immediate, revenue of £36,Q0p, in addition tonew-business., The AllRed li a© was v feasible; and iiot likely to require ajiiy.speciaf financial assistaiice from the Governments. , v

Sir y/ilfrid TJaurier, after Mr'SamudL's statem«j!nfc .in- connection With the previous resolution, preferred to

RESERVE HIS JUDGMENT on. the present proposal.

Sir Joseph Ward was strongly of opinion that nationalisation was the right course. Mr Samuel's proposals were, important, but the rates could be placed on a satisfactory basis only through Government ownership. . Nationalising was of greater importance from an Imperial point of, view than concessions or rates. If they , could arrcmg^ for the taking over of private cables on reasonable terms it T/ould be the; finest thing ever done for the Empire, and equally good for commercial transactions. If the companies we're not willing to sell at toe market value the Government of the. Empire could lay a cable of i,ts own. Even if it cost half a ■milliqii it would prodn.ee substantial results. The Government contribution as a subsidy was only a small matter. '

Referring to the proposed second Now Zealand ar/d Australian: cable, Sir Joseph declared that.its stoppage by the Treasury was regrettable. The South African and Newfoundland delegates^ expressed themselves as satisfied with Mr Samuel's proposals. They did not favor nationalisatioi" at present.

The Hoiv Mr Samuel stated that Mr

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CABLE NEWS.

(BY EIiECTBIO TBLEGBiPH- —OOPYBIGHT.]

Pearce's proposal would involve half a million., in view of the deficiency between the amount of work the Pacific cable would; give the Atlantic cable and what a full capacity cable would give. He questioned whether the deficiency would be made up by increased business. If the business was increased by & large ■ reductipn of the rates the load would be made up, but the revenue would not be increased. There was

LITTLE PROSPECT

■ of, a State-owned' cable attracting business in tho United States and Canada, beoftuse the land lines there were controlled by companies associated with the- present cables. According to the' draft report the proposedoable would involve expenditure of. over £50,000* against an estimated revenue;.of 7#20>000. annually. Tile Governments ■ concerned were asked to undertake that loss on the ground of the'efficiency, of the service. Although the present system was unsatisfactory it was worked with speed and accuracy. There ■was more fores in'the argument that the cable should "be laid in order to secure cheaper rates. Though the Government were not justified in •undertaking the expenditure involved he suggested an alternative resoldtion that in even?" of considerable reductions the Trans-Atlantici rates remain unaffected "in the near future. The desirability of laying a StateOwned cable between England and 'Canada could be considered by a Sub-i sidiary Conference. , The other resolutions having been ■wiiiidraMrri,1 Mr Samuel's motion wa& ra3opteo!:' !' '■-.■'..:■.. .. ■ • ■