PRESS CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 175, 23 June 1930, Page 7

PRESS CONFERENCE

EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS. BATTLE FOR CHEAPER RATES. CONTROL OF THE WIRELESS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received June 23, 10.5 a.m. EDINBURGH, Juno 22. Sitting on desks in the great McEwan Hall at Edinburgh University, where the students recently concluded their examination, the delegates attending the Empire Press Conference discussed Empire communications. “No smoking, please I” ran a notice behind the president, Major Astor, M.P., but some delegates found pipes an aid to thought. The following motions were submitted:

(1) That the conference approves of the principle of a mutual co-operative inter-change of cable news between the component parts of the Empire. (2) That the conference, while appreciating the valuo of aircraft and long-distance telephony in the development of Imperial communication, believes that the greatest forco for diffusing tho knowledge on which unity is based is wireless telegraphy, and urges the Government to establish throughout tho Empire a deferred newspaper rato of Id per word. (3) That in order permanently to reserve for the Empire full advantage of the wireless telephone at the lowest cost control be retained by tho Government.

Mr Norman Smith (Canada), in moving tho first resolution, suggested a central bureau exchanging news of the Empire between the affiliated associations of the various Dominions.

The discussion was adjourned. Sir Hugh Denison (Australia) moved a motion affirming the desirability of reducing Press rates to the lowest possible point; of introducing a deferred Press rate on all routes, and of securing the abolition of terminal charges made hv Governments on messages which they did not handle. Sir Hugh Denison said that Sir Basil Blackett had referred to a surplus productive capacity in the communications. They could use all their capacity, for they could not interchange too much news. Why not use some of that, capacity in carrying special deferred Press messages, thus doubling the Australian traffic? This was a strong argument for further reductions and facilities. The cablewireless merger had resulted in a great decrease in the speed of transmission; tho average time had- more than doubled.

They should press for deferred Press rates to all parts of the Empire not exceeding a penny a word. Wireless messages to Australia cost the same as a message to India or Cyprus. Australia was the only Government imposing landing charges for services not rendered. These were entered as general revenue. They had recently reduced the charges from a penny to a half-penny, but the Government did not handle these messages. Sir Stanley Reed (India) advocated giving the merger no peace until it secured a maximum deferred rato of a penny a word. The motion was carried unanimously, and is the first motion actually carried by the conference. Mr McGowan (Trinidad) expressed tho hope that he would get the support of the conference for cheaper rates to the West Indies, which would enable him to abandon his project of taking back a cage of carrier pigeons to carrv inter-island news. Failing help, lie had decided to try the pigeons.’ Hon. T. Fink (Australia) moved the third resolution. He 6aid that if wireless telephony came into the hands of the merger the profits might bo diverted to provide interest on capital invested in other means of communications instead of being used to improve the service and cheapen the rates. Telephony should bo reserved for citizens of the Empire and tho control retained by the State at least during a period for observation. - Sir Brunsden Fletcher, editor of the Sydney Morning Herald seconded the motion. Sir Robert Donald (Toronto) said that he was not opposed to State control, but be did oppose management by the Post Office. The American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation had its tentacles into Australia and other parts of tho Empire, and the merger could not compete with it. It was perfectly hopeless for the Post Office to attempt to do so. When the corporation linked up with the radio company there would be a world-wide combination against the merger, and, incident- . against British interests. Further consideration of the motion was deferred.