TRANSMISSION OF CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17299, 26 April 1918, Page 8

TRANSMISSION OF CABLEGRAMS.

STATEMENT BY POSTTSLVSTEIIGENEItAL. re P'y a question by Mr Poole, M.l as to the delay that ia talcing- place in the transmission of cablograms, the Right , Sir 'T. G. Ward (Postnuuster-gcncral) ft l' W i following statement: — . I have already looked into tho very sen oils delay, and have endeavoured to nave it reduced us far as possible. As a eonsequenco of the United States taking an active part in tho war, the cable traflic across the Atlantic has enormously increased. Any cable message or inland telegram can only bo accepted at tho sender's risk, and messages must bo sent in their pi oper order those which are paid for at a higher _ rate necessarily before those which arc paid for at <*i lower. Tho cable routes ar .° "working continuously day and without intermission. Notwithstanding oV ery eltort being made to increase tho carrying capacity of the oablos, it has been ncccssary to arrange for E F.M.s (Expeditionary J'orco Messages) accepted in tho United Kingdom, via Pacific, to bo posted to Montreal, whence they are telegraohcd to destination. It is tile lorw-prud E.F.M.s that are tho crux of tho matter. Ordinary messages suffer a delay of only a few hours, ■f.v, from siv to eighteen; average, 13.72; deferred messages a delay of from two days and a-half to three days and a-hnlf; E.F.M.s, any indeterminate delay, counted often by weeks. It is the men on leave Who suffer most by the use of tho E.F.M. Once tho mossago is received in Now Zealand, the r9P.'y» I told, is despatched fairly expeditiously. It would be a mistake to abolish . .., • Many of the telegrams are of a rS , character, in respect of which a little delay Ls of 110 moro than slight account and to abolish this code would seriously interfere with tho prompt despatch of -from New Zealand. About <2.000 E.F.Ms were held up at Darwin recently. Of course, this does not rriean 22.000 for New Zealand, but for tho whole of Australasia, but it created a heavy block. Conferring this morning with the local manager of tho Eastern Extension Company, I am informed that tho W.S.M. (free)" arc not so considerable a hindrance as they are generally understood to be. This, is partly beaus!L they can bo and aro paclced. It is the E.F.M. which, having to bo sent singly, occupy time and suffer delay. Notwithstanding tho published information that tho eastern route -was not carrying W.S.M for a day or two lately, I learnt that that traffic lws never wholly been suspended. Necessarily any relief at the present time is valua iT nd the P r °P° sod abolition of tho W.S.M, must make for tho quickened passage of the E.F.M."