SPANNING THE PACIFIC

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8329, 15 January 1913, Page 10

SPANNING THE PACIFIC

THE ALL-RED CHAIN NEW LINK ACROSS THE TASMAN SEA. Press -Association. AUCKLAND, January 14. The completion of the laying of the direct Sydncy-to-Auckland cable was to-day commemorated at the City Hall when a number of leading citizens assembled at luncheon at tlie invitation of the Pacific Cable Board. Mr John Milwnrd, Australasian manager, presided, and those present included the P'ostmaster-Gcneral (Hon. R. H. Rhodes), the Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr) and others. In proposing the toast of “ The Post and Telegraph Department,” coupled with the name of the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, the chairman said that nowhere in the world did the population enjoy greater benefits in the way of postal and telegraphic facilities than in New Zealand. In fact, in his opinion, New Zealand possessed the cheapest and best telegraph service in the world.

The Hon. Mr Rhodes, in reply, said he realised the truth of what Mr Milward had said, and readily admitted that all the credit there was had to bo laid at the feet of his predecessors, and most of all to Sir Joseph Ward. Tho Minister paid a tribute to the very fine work done by the depart-: ment and its staff in Now Zealand.

In proposing the toast of the Pacific Cable Board, tho Postmaster-General said that he had to admit that it was only since taking office that he had taken a stimulated interest in cable matters. They knew that tho entry of the Pacific Cable Board info the cable business had been welcomed as breaking up an existing monopoly; Speaking of the cable work of the future, the Minister said the work of the future would be to lay an independent cable across the Atlantic that would be the final link in a Stateowned cable. The Hon. .Mr Frazer, Postmaster-General of the Commonwealth, was to meet him in Wellington shortly to further discuss this question. Canada, of course, was every bit as much interested, and he hoped that ere long something definite would be done in regard to an Atlantic cable. Then, there was the problem of wireless development, and as long-distance trials succeeded there would be an increasing possibility of making greater use of tho wireless system.

The Minister concluded with a complimentary reference to the part Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Sandford Fleming had played in securing the Pacific cable, and offered his hearty congratulations to the Pacific Board on the'oompletion of the direct cable to Sydney. Mr Milward, in responding to the toast of “The Pacific Cable Board,” proposed by the Postmaster-General, said he would like yto, draw attention to tho fact that the laying of the Pacific cable was by a unique partnership of the Imperial, New Zealand, Australian, and Canadian Governments. It represented what he might claim to be the earliest attempt to embody in concrete form the principle of co-operation between the Mother Country a,nd the Dominions in regard to practical matters of common Imperial interest. The original capital ‘of £2,000,000 was advanced by the Imperial Treasury, and was being repayed from revenue earned by the cable in fifty yearly instalments of £77,000. In addition, the revenue was expected to provide £33,000 per annum towards the renewal fund, besides paying all working expenses. This meant that within fifty years the original capital, with interest, would have been repaid, and the sum necessary to lay a second cable throughout would have accumulated.

Continuing, Mr Milward dealt briefly with the three principal aims of the cable. The first was to provide an alternative route between .the Motherland and the more outlying parts of tho British Empire in times of national danger. The second was to bind more closely together the parts of the Empire that, up to that time, had no direct telegraphic communication, especially Canada and Australasia. The third object was to give the commercial communities of the Empire the advantage of some competition in the cable business. The new cable between Sydney and Auckland, added Mr Milward, besides providing a very much quicker and more reliable service between Australia and New Zealand generally, and duplicating the connection, would, it was hoped, reduce the working expenses by cutting out on© or two transmissions. Similar benefits would result from the new cable laid from Auckland to Doubtless Bay, which enabled them to cut out that station entirely. The Mayor responded to the toast of “ The Guests.”

Mr W, A. Beddoe, .Canadian Trade Commissioner, said he felt proud on this occasion to represent tho Canadian Government, because they owed it primarily to the far-seeing Imperialism of a Canadian that the Pacific cable was completed, the enterprise of Sir Sandford Fleming, who was known as the “ Father of the Pacific Cable.” It was he who made the first overtures to the Canadian Government in 1879, when he submitted to them a scheme for spanning the Pacific ocean by a cable which, in connection with the overland telegraph of the Canadian Pacific Railway (of which he was chief engineer) would complete the electric girdle of the globe and bring Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India into unbroken touch without passing over foreign territory. Sir Sandford Fleming was still hale and hearty in his eighty-fifth year, and had lived to see his dream realised.

Mr Beddoe said he had just sent away the following cable to his Government at Ottawa: “Have participated in the function of the opening of the direct Pacific cable from Auckland to Sydney, another strand in the Imperial bond.” Referring to the commercial aspect, Mr Beddoe said the Pacific cable had played a very important part in bringing the Canadian market within reach of New Zealand produce. The distance was too great to enable business in perishable products to be arranged by mail, and without the cable the trade could never have developed to its present magnitude between the two countries. (Applause.) The toast of “ The Press ” was proposed by the Secretary to the Post Office (Mr Morris), and responded to by Mr H. Horton.