PRESS CABLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14225, 23 November 1909, Page 5

PRESS CABLES.

THE AUSTRALIAN INQUIRY.

SCHEME FOR SECOND SERVICE.

By Telesraptt.—Press Association.—Copyriffht. (Received November 22, 11.55 p.m.)' Sydney, November 22. At the inquiry into th* press cable ser-

vice to-day the secretary of the Country Press Association said that Canada subsidised an independent press service, to the extent of 15,000 -dollars a year. If the Commonwealth Government adopted a similar plan here, a second. press cable service could be initiated at once, as arrangements had long since .been. made for starting, one; when financial - arrangements were complete. There would be a wonderful gain to . the, public ; if : the Commonwealth could secure the reduction of press; messages to a penny a word. > • Witness outlined a scheme for making use of the Canadian service from London, and cabling rit across ,to Australia at 5d ■ a' word, with a special London service of purely Australasian news. Mr. Watkin Wynne, manager of the Sydney Daily Telegraph; said the Telegraph's share of the landing cables, at Adelaide; was £1300 ;! per annum. ~ There had to be added to ,this the .wire charges from Adelaide,.and the cost of experts in interpreting the : cables, which • added ; another £1000 per sinnum. He was not in a position to say what any of the other principals paid. . All of them, paid more than any of the subscribers were asked to pay. It would remove a, good many false impressions if the ■■'. whole position could have been shown, but that was a matter about which ! Mr. Mackinnon (one of the proprietors of the Melbourne Argus) could give evidence. He could I not. He was unable to say what the l New Zealand Press Association paid. - He : could not suggest any system to• get better cable information. There was ;no restriction jon supplying news '*^to "-J other metropolitan cities. Papers could get the cables on business terms. It had taken 30 years to work' up the cable system. He thought the papers which had helped to build up . the system t should ! have more consideration than V new rivals. ■ Originally the association' was \ formed for the benefit of the' papers , forming it, and was not organised for the benefit of competitors, ! but eventually it -was decided ;to ;, sell ; the cables ;to prevent ■ the disintegration ■.; of the union; > They recognised. that it was better to have one good cable! service than : six bad ones.