EMPIRE PRESS UNION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 13 February 1929, Page 5

EMPIRE PRESS UNION

LONDON MEETING THE WIRELESS MERGER (United Press Association.—By Eleotrio Xelegrapn.—Copyright.) Press Association) (Received 13th February, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, 12th February. > Tho main note in Major Astor s speech at the Empire Press Union meeting was the desire to make the 1930 Confererice worthy of the Union’s increased prestige. Sir Robert Donald, in moving the annual report, hailed Hie wireless merger as a triumph for the Union. Major Nicholson (Ceylon) disclosed that Imperial Airways had decided that the acceleration of Australian mails did not justify mi airline Irom Bombay to Ceylon, from which other revenue was inadequate, and so was abandoning the idea. He appealed to the council to urge the Indian and the Ceylon Governments to provide a lin.e on national and inter-imperial grounds. Sir Harry Brittain emphasised the need for Britain providing such airlines, including .the West Indies, where otherwise Americans would jStep in. He was proud '’of introducing on Thursday to the Chancellor.".and-Postmaster-Gene-ral the strongest-yet Empire deputation to urge penny postage. ~ Mr Theodore. Fink said that Australia could in effect b.e brought halfway to England by proper air routes. Certainly there were much liner mail ships nowadays, but the fares were_double and the journey took a. day longer than when the Union was formed. Australia had yet to be satisfied that the wireless merger meant an adequate reduction of the scale of charges, and the development of services. He had experience of big corporations, and was convinced that the Union would never cease striving to achieve cheapening rates, and improving facilities. The meeting remitted to the council the matter of air routes.

Lord Burnham was re-elected president. : c