EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 9

EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS.

, PRESS CONFERENCE. CHARGES UNDER REVIEW. REDUCTIONS DEMANDED. / ' DISTRIBUTION OF NEWS. CO-OPERATION URGED. Jsy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received June 22, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Juno 21. The delegates to tho Imperial Press Conference to-day assembled in tho great JlcEwan Hall, at Edinburgh University. subject discussed was Empire communications Among the motions for consideration jvrcre (1) That tho conferenco approves tho 1 principle of a mutual co-operativo inter- ; change ot cable news between tho com ponent parts of the Empire. (2) That the conference, while appreciating tho value of aircraft and long-distance telephony in the development of Imperial communication, is of tho opinion that tho greatest force for diffusing knowledge on which unity is based is wireless telegraphy; and urges tho Government to establish throughout the Empiro a deferred newspaper rata of ouo penny a word. (3) That in order permanently to re- . eerve for the Empire tho full advantage of wireless telephony at the lowest cost, its control should bo retained by the Government. .- Mr. E. Norman Smith (Canada), in moving tho first motion, suggested a central bureau for exchanging news of the Empire . with affiliated, associations in the various Dominions. The discussion was adjourned. Terminal Charges in Australia. Sir Hugh Denison (Australia) moved a motion affirming the desirability of reducing press rates to the lowest possible point, cf introducing deferred press rate on all routes and of securing the abolition of the terminal charges made by Governments on messages which they did not handle. „. Sir Hugh said Sir Basil Blackett, chairman of the Imperial Communications Co., /had referred to the surplus productive capacity in communications. They could tse all that capacity for they could not interchange too much news. Why not use some of that capacity in carrying special deferred press messages and doubling the Australian traffic? There was a strong- argument for further reductions and facilities. The cable-wire-less merger had resulted in a great decrease in the speed of transmission, the average time having been more than doubled. It the retention of the cables was necessary for Imperial strategic reasons, there should have been a Government subsidy instead of imposing the burden on the users of cables and wireless. Competition between cables and wireless should have continued. They should press for deferred press rates in all parts of the Empire not exceeding one penny a word. °A wireless message to Australia cost tho same as a message to India and Cyprus. Recently Australia had reduced landing charges from one penny to one halfpenny, but the Government did not handle messages. Motion for Cheaper Bates Carried. Sir Campbell Stuart, deputy-chairman of the Advisory Committee on International Communications, said his committee at present was dealing with arrangements for the joint working in Australia of Amalgamated Wireless, Ltd., and the Imperial Communications Co., which would result, among other things, in the assimilation of cable rates to the wireless level. > Sir Stanley Reed (India) advocated giving the merger no peace till they had secured a maximum deferred rate of one penny a word. Th -motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Gault Macgowau (Trinidad) expressed the hope that tho support of the conferenco. for cheaper rates for the West Indies would enable him to abandon his project of taking back a cage of carrierpigeons to carry inter-island news. Failing help they had decided to try pigeons. Third Motion Deferred. Mr. Theodore Fink (Australia) moved the third motion. He said if wireless telephony came into the hands of tho merger the profits might be diverted to provide interest on the capital invested in other means of communications instead of being used to improve the service and give ( cheaper rates. . Telephony should be reserved, for the Citizens ot tho Empire and control should be retained by the State, at least during tt period for observation. Mi. Brunsden . Fletcher (Australia) j •econded the motion. Sir Robert Donald (Britain) said ho was Hot opposed to State control, but ho did oppose management by the Post Office. The American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation had its tentacles into Australia and other parts of the Empire, and the merger could not competo with it. Sir Robert said it was perfectly hopeless for the Post Office to attempt to competo. When the corporation was linked up with j 4 radio company there would bo a world ( wido combination against tho merger and incidentally against British interests. Tho motion was deferred, and the delegates loft to spend tho week-end at Gleneagles, Perthshire.