IMPERIAL COMMUNICATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19046, 17 December 1923, Page 8

IMPERIAL COMMUNICATIONS.

SPEEDING XTP THE MAILS. Mr Massey on American Route. -NEW ZEALAND AND WIRELESS. ff’aou Oub Own Coimiesponbent.l LONDON, October 24. Mr Massey lias stated in more than one of his public speeches that he is confident that one of the important results of the 'Economic Conference will be an improvement in Imperial communications. Last week the Premier made a statement at the conference, the full text of which is now available. In the matter of mail services to New Zealand, lie said, he was looking for improvements, and he hoped that the Post-master-general would he able to tell him he was going to assist in this matter. "Before' the war—2s years ago”—continued Mr Massey, “we used to have an annual fight in the New Zealand Parliament over postal subsidies. I was only a private member, but I took a certain part in all this, but at that time I know that we used to get our letters regularly from New Zealand to Great Britain in SO days. I do not sav that that was so on every occasion, but it was usual, oftener under 30 days than over. I do not think we have got a mail through under 30 days for years past; generally it takes 33 or 30 days, and sometimes over 40. It ell depends hrv the letters are sent. Now there are three main mail routes between New Zealand and Britain; one is through the Panama Canal. There is no thing very serionsly wrong with that. 1 believe that will be the fastest of the three routes before long, when an improved service is inaugurated, but it is certainly not yet, because the vessels trading through the Panama Canal from New Zealand to England are cargo vessels with passenger accommodation—pood ships and comfortable ones .to tiavel by—but they usually take 36 days, very seldom under 40. On one occasion during the war I came from ( New Zealand to England and the ship occupied 47 days on the way; I do not mean to sav that that happens now very often, hut very often the time occupied is over 40 days. NEW ZEALAND- PEOPLE GRUMBLING. “The other two routes are by way .of San Francisco and New York, and by way of Vancouver and on© of the ports on the eastern side of Canada, either Halifax or Montreal. I do not think there is much difference in the time occupied by either of these two routes—l fancy one is just about, as fast as the other—but I wanted to’ find out for myself what could be done with regard to this matter. That was one of the reasons for my coming across the United States in coming to England on my present visit. I came from Wellington to London in -27§ days, actual travelling time. Naturally, it occurs to me that if it is possible to get passengers from New Zealand to England in 27J days, it should surely he possible to get mails across. Now there is the problem to bo solved, but let me say we are paying subsidies—l am speaking of the New Zealand Government—we are paying subsidies to the _ Union S.S. Company for tho steamers coming from Wellington to San Francisco, and the steamers going from Auckland to Vancouver. I think the amount is about £25.000 in' each case. The New Zealand people are crumbling, and the matter was brought up in the New Zealand Parlia ment bn the last occasion when the postal Estimates were before the House. I promised that I would look into it when I arrived here, and I thought thui was a good opportunity for referring to the subject. “ The vessels are being improved. Undoubtedly there is a very fine steamer, likely to be the best in the Pacific when she is placed in the service, being built for the Sydney-Auekland-Vancouver route. Sydney will be the terminal point. She is to be fitted with Diesel engines, and is expected to steamer. 19 knots. There are, of course,faster vessels on the .Atlantic, but in the Pacific, an average speed of 19 knots is very good. The vessel in ’ which I travelled from Now ■ Zealand to ' Ran Francisco was built originally to. parry fruit, bananas, etc., from the West Indies to England, but the trade did not pay. and the '’hip was sold to the Union S.S. Company. The best speed she could attain was 17 knots, and yet the whole journey here took only 27| days. Much faster-steamers are wanted—of course, that is a big consideration—perhaps a better t'-’e-table on the railways, slid Mint mav he difficult to manage. I am not finding fault with the time taken in crossing the -continent of America, but what is wanted is a more business-like arrangement—it is difficult to find but who is to blame—so .that when the steamers come, either to, Canada or San Francisco, as the case may be, no time is lost in getting the necessary train connections. THEBE IS SOMETHING WRONG. ‘‘On the night I arrived at San Francisco, there was a train going east at 11 o’clock; about 500 bags of mails were entrained. .1 stopped two days in the States, and was able to make a long promised visit to Washington. ■ I cannct vouch for this, and honestly I should like to think my information was not correct—but I was informed by people in London, whose correspondence came in the steamer in which I travelled to San Francisco and which was placed on board tho train for New York, that it was hot delivered until the day we arrived in London, though I had remained two days and ahalf in the States. Now there is something wrong there. I am not able to say what it is, but I-do want the british Post Office to help us in these matters. Nowadays it is far too long to occupy 35 or days in carrying mails between New Zealand and England, and w© oueht to do a great deal better than that. What ■is 'wanted is speeding up A and so far as we are concerned w« are quite ready to do our share at the other end if the British Post Office authorities will help us at this end, and I hope they will. ' ‘ PENNY POSTAGE. “New Zealand has led the way as far as penny postage is concerned . Many years ago—l cannot - recollect how many—the British Government ’ed the way in cbnnection with penny postage, and there woe a ices. New Zealand followed up pretty closely with regard to penny postage, and it was marvellous how soon the revenue was increased. We were making a profit with, penny postage, and the same may be said here, but when mention is made of the fact —and I do not dispute it for one moment—that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would lose £5,000,000 by adopting penny postage, what I think is forgotten, and which was referred to by the representative of Canada, is, that there is bound to be a trenmendous increase in tho number of letters carried and a corresponding increase in the revenue. J. am not able to say that the one will balance the other, because I think it is very douotful that it will, and as far as I am concerned, looking at it as Finance Minister, and I have to watch very carefully that my accounts balance at the end of the year I quite expect to make a lose for three cr six months before we get back to a normal revenue. All the same, I think that the authorities hero are taking a pessimistic view of what will happen by the adoption of penny postage. I am simply expressing an opinion on a subject in which we are both interested, brat it is an anomaly. A letter is posted in JNew Zealand to Great Britain, and the postage is Id. Tho reply from Britain to New Zealand costs IJd. 1 think it is an. anomaly that ought to be put right, and I believe it will be perhaps before very long.

CABLES AND WfRELESS. “I have been hoping for a long time p aßt to see a- reduction in cable rates, and 1 want to admit that the week-end cable has been a very great convenience to business people and people' who are not genera .-i looked upon as business people, but who take advantage of the cheaper cables in order to get a message through from one country to the other. I notice that the PostmasterGeneral stated that the week-end cable to New Zealand was 7d. I was not aware it was as low as that. Sevenpence against 2s 8d for ordinary cables. I know 1 get • much larger number of week-end cables coin ways 1 think it was mentioned in th* course of the debate that th© Pacific cattle was working up to its full load, ami tnat it is not possible for the .Pacific cable to do much more or any more than it is doing at the present time. It is quite satisfactory to know that the Pacific cable is doing «o much business. 1 was interested to hear tue amount of profit made last year. If they were able to carry a larger amount of business then I would say at once, reduce the rates, but it they cannot carry a larger amount of business it is not much use suggesting it. It is a matter which wants looking into. Probably wireless will come into competition with cables presently, and Jnope it will. I am looking forward with a great deal of optimism to the development of wireless, and in saying that I have also to admit we have not done very muefi in mo way of establishing wireless in New Zealand. I. do. not say there are no small stations; there are, but it. is in connection with England I am thinking of, in connection with this side of the world. >va have done little or nothing; we are simpiy watching ths course 1 of events. I am uu‘ able to express an opinion as to whether our wireless will oome down by way oi me Pacific or whether it will go the other way, by way of the Indian Ocean. I should to think that something definite will oe done in regard to wireless so as to give us, and Australia is in this, judging by what the Prime Minister of Australia sard, an opportunity of making up our minds. perhaps Australia has made up her mind; we have not, as to what is the best course to adopt, and as to the route over which me wireless shall ’go. So far as a wireless station, in New Zealand is concerned, I do not think there will be much difficulty in arranging for that. It is a matter of expense, and the money has got to be found, whether we borrow it or find it out of revenue.”