CO-ORDINATED SYSTEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27038, 24 March 1949, Page 7

CO-ORDINATED SYSTEM

COMMONWEALTH TELEGRAPH SERVICES BILL IN HOUStToF COMMONS NZPA— Copyright LONDON, Mar. 22. The Postmaster-general, Mr Wilfred Paling, moving the second jading of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Bill in ihe House of Commons, said the Bin ueals with the “ co-ordination of the nervous system of the whole Commonwealth.” Ho added that, besides dritain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India had nationalised iheir external communications services, and, together with Canada, Southern Rhodesia and Ceylon, were already members of the Commonwealth Communications Council. „ _ . The Bill would transfer to the Post Office all the assets in Britain of Cable and Wireless, Ltd. Mr Paling recalled that the company was nationalised in 1946, and the Bui dealt solely with questions of management and machinery. Mr R. V. Grimston, for the Opposition. said that the penny-a : word press rate was a bold and imaginative step introduced by Cable and Wireless. It had led to a very big increase in the flow of public information throughout the Commonwealth. He asked the Postmaster-general if he could give an assurance that when the Post Office took over this rate would be continued. ~ „ _ Mr Beverley Baxter (Con.) said: I think we are seeing that the nationalisation of Cable and Wireless was a great mistake.” Winding up for the Government, Mr C. R. Hobson, Assistant Postmastergeneral, said: “ This is a logical step and in keeping with feeling in the Commonwealth generally.” Mr Hobson added that he could give no guarantee or assurance as to what rates would be charged to the press, but he could say that the requirements of the press would be borne in mind. The Bill was read a second time.