THE CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7865, 29 July 1911, Page 1

THE CONFERENCE

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEWS CHEAPER CABLES AND AN EMPIRE WIRELESS CHAIN. FROM ODE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. LONDON, June 16. This year’s Imperial Conference will have ’-accomplished more work than any or all of its predecessors. Such is tlio view of New Zealand's Prim© Minister. Sir Joseph Ward, as ex-prcsscd to mo in the counsa of an interview at the Hotel Cecil this morning. "As a whole, tho Conference strikes mo as a thoroughly practical on£,” said Sir Joseph YJard, in reply to my request for his impressions, "The delegates have been very much in earnest in thoir desire to bring all portions of the Empire into closer touch. Not unnaturally it hesitated over tho proposal to provide by legislation for some Imperial machinery to enable Empire matters to bo worked jointly in the interests of the whole. That this will come, however, and before very long, I feel pretty confident. Since- I submitted my resolution for an Imperial Council tho work of the Conference, w© have proceeded, ha© time and again shown the trend •of thought among the representative of nil parts of the Empire to be in the direction of having some properly constituted system that will operate on behalf of each and all the parts. ‘This aspect has presented itself more especially in tho course of discussions on several matters that have presented great difficulty in the abscaioo of suitable machinery to establish thorn on a satisfactory basis. _ _ ' "When tho Conference, concludes its proceedings, I am of opinion that it will have dono remarkably good work, and this will result ©specially from the dnscnfisicirrs on a number of matters that must develop in tlio future. "Tho final result of the Conference ■will be more work dono than at any previous Conference, or indeed at tho whole of the Conference that have preceded this one." CHEAPENING OP CABLE RATES. "Are you pleased with tho advance made at the. Conference on the question of cheapening tho cable rates?" I asked. "Yes, tho progress made is very considerable,’’ replied the Prime Minister. "The resoliitjCTi I moved was earned imanifloualv. It extracted front Mr Herbert Samuel, the Postmaster-General, a statement of what he was .prepared to do in the matter of the reduction of ■rains'. They aro to be reduced■ bv 51) pur cent, across tlio . Atlantic cables, which is a great step forward. ■ And...jit does not stop at that, because if considerable reductions in the Atlantic cable i-ates are not effected in the near future, a special Conference will bo held with -a view to the promotion'of a Stateowned cable between England and Canada. "This concesrioii of 50 per cent- means sixpence a word, for ordinary .messages across the Atlantic- Mr Samuel also promises reduction from 5d to 2-Jd for press messages. So it will bo soon that a substantial reduction has been achieved. ’WIRELESS THROUGHOUT THE ‘ EMPIRE. "The I'eeolution submitted by me regarding wireless stations throughout the Empire was also carried, and in an intemding discussion which took place the British Postmaster-Gonoral outlined what hi© Government was prepared to do. “The girdling of the Empire by wireless stations includes India,' Singapore, West Australia and New Zealand. 1 pointed out in the come© of the statement that I mode regarding the proposals that Now Zealand was already establishing a high power station, and that Australia had a station at ■ Fremantle, not, a high-power one, but one t that would carry a distance of 1000 miles at night-time. I suggested that when that was mado a high-power station, then the proper thing was for the British. Post Office to provide' the capital for the'erection of tho various eta tions in the East, and that the Signapor© station, which" is really a Jink that requires Jo bo created for transmitting purposes, ■ should bo jointly provided by the countries , concerned—Groat Britain, India, Australia, and New Zealand. “Also 1 suggested that New Zealand and Australia should'not be expected to pool cither their profits or losses upon any of the 'new wireless stations excepting Singapore, which should bo aijoint one in tho*interests of ail. Great 'Britain would have no.interest in the results otthe stations established in New Zealand or Australia, which would be used largely for local purposes, as well as in the Dinpiro chain which' the resolution athi-ined should be established. “ In other words this means that wo aro providing foi our own wireless stations in New Zealand, and Australia is doing the same. And our contribution towards ’the Singapore station would be a comparatively small one when tho cost is divided between, the various countries interested. • 4 This is a very important proposition which the conference has affirmed. It means providing a wireless system along the'whole road to England and tho Bast, which in time of war would be invaluable. No warship could interfere with tho wireless system, unless by the destruction of tho high-power stations # in tho respective . countries ‘ establishing them. This contingency is very remote, as in any case, in time of war, the stations would certainly be protected. “The position now is that the British authorities are going to obtain tenders for the stations outsillo Australia and New Zealand, and these will be submitted to tho respective countries concerned. Necessarily the authority of our several parliaments , will be required for tho Singapore proposal. In the event of no tender being satisfactory, it is understood that the Admiralty would be prepared to use their wireless dexuartment to erect these stations at the several points concerned." UNIVERSAL PENNY POSTAGE. Turning to the discussion of the previous day on. universal penny postage, Sir Joseph Ward said tho Conference afiinued-a resolution on tho subject simi lar to the one carried at the last Conference. “ I pointed out," he continued, " that in the interval, between the two Conferences England has entered into penny postage with the United States, and Germany has done the some. 1 drew attention to the fact that at the Postal Congress held iii Romo in 1907 I predicted that before the next Postal Congress look place some of the larger countries would for certain avail - themselves of the power given, tinder the Postal Union, of entering into private agreements. I also predicted that as each one joined by agreement in tho establishment of

penny postage others would follow in their steps. The justification of this prophecy is the union qlready established between the three great countries 1 have “It is impossible for Prance to stand out long, particularly m view of the fact that tits great neighbour and competitor, Germany, has established penny postage with the United >-'tate.s. \ This will compel France, for practical trade reasons alone, to follow in the. wake of her great " I also drew the attention of the Conference to the fact that France had agreed to New Zealand sending its letters at a penny rate to that country. That was another step forward. Penny postage is now established throughout the British Empire, with cne or two small exceptions that are not of any great consequence. And as it is only a matter of time before the world has penny postage, I suggested that it would be fitting that tho Motherland, as the originator of tho penny post within her own borders, should lead the way in its general establishment. Groat Britain, in reality, was the only bar to this being accomplished. .1 urged that, the recovery of revenue within two and a half years by both Canada and. New Zealand .demonstrated that there was no abnormal cost. The reduced rate brought about a quick restoration of revenue by tho increased correspondence that followed the reduction in these two countries. The oases were quite clear. It was duo to the cheapening of the rate to such an, extent that tho 1 public availed-themselves of the Post Office to a'far greater extent than before. " So that, in my opinion, the prospects of universal penny postage throughout the world are advancing towards its consummation. I should not. be surprised, when the next Postal Congress meets, to find that one or two of the Continental countries that are at present standing out will have embarked upon penny postage by agreement with, other countries."