USE OF CODE LANGUAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3889, 25 September 1928, Page 19

USE OF CODE LANGUAGE.

QUESTION OF CHARGES. REPORT OF BRUSSELS CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, September 21. The Acting-Postnjaster General (Air K. S. Williams) announces that a report has been received by telegraph from the New Zealand delegate of the International Telegraph Conference now being held at Brussels. The conference was called specially to deal with the use of code language in cable messages and to consider a-proposal made by a committee set up by the last International Conference held at Paris in 1925 that code words be charged for at the rate of five letters to each word. The telegram is as follows:— A compromise under which the public will have a choice of two alternatives was agreed upon in principle by a large majority of the conference. The 10-letter code system is to be maintained at the present raes, with. a stipulation .that each 10letter group contains not fewer than three vowels. The alternative system provides for a five-letter code system at reduced rates without any restriction as to pronouncability. The sender of a message will be required to choose the system under which- his telegram is to be charged. The rate proposed for the five-letter code system is two-thirds of the full rate. Plain language telegrams will not be affected, and addresses and signatures will be charged for in all cases under the plain language rules, but at a rate appropriate to the system selected. ■ The rates are to be examined by a special commission which will also consider, inter alia, whether plain language grouping under the five-letter system will be allowed.