BRITISH AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 18938, 11 May 1923, Page 5

BRITISH AFFAIRS

WIRELESS DIFFICULTIES MARCONI COMPANY’S CONTRACTS (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 9. The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says Sir W. Joynson-Hicks, in carrying out the Government’s recently declared policy in favour of both the Pest I Office and private enterprise providing I direct wireless communication with India, ! and th? dominions, is encountering difficulties. Sir W T . Joynson Hicks has been conferring with the Marconi Company with a view to their co-operation with the Government in conducting Empire wireless, but no solution has been reached. The company has contracts for the provision of high power stations in Britain, with Canada, South Africa and Australia. These are not variable without the dominions’ consent. Sir W. Joynson-Hicks wants to establish effective competition between the Post Office and private enterprise. Partnership with Marconi’s on the Australian plan is ruled out. Anything like monopoly is beyond discussion. There remain two courses —first, regional division ; secondly centralised, control by co-operation. It would not be advantageous to try to separate the Empire from world’s wireless. The only alternative appears to be co-operation and centralisation of all wireless. Unless practical decisions are speedily reached wireless, instead of being a factor in Empire unity may become a source of irritation and misunderstanding. NEW ZEALAND LOAN OVERSUBSCRIBED. LONDON, May 9. The New Zealand loan was over-sub-scribed. FULLY SUBSCRIBED FIRST DAY . LONDON, May 9. (Received May 9, 7.15 p.m.) Sir James Allen announces that the New Zealand loan was fully subscribed on the first day and, when it closed to-day the amount of subscriptions was between £6,000,000 and £8,000,000. LEITER MILLIONS. NEW YORK, May 8. A Chicago message states that Lord Cur--1 zon, on behalf of his three daughters by his first wife, joined Lady Hyde of Suffolk and Berkshire in a suit alleging mismanagement by Joseph Leiter and Mrs Colin Campbell, of Levi Leiter’s estate. Levi Leiter, a Chicago millionaire, left his wealth to the first Lady Curzon, Lady Hyde, Mrs Campbell and Joseph Leiter, his four children, naming the last two as co-trustecs. Disputes between the heirs have existed for years, finally resulting in lawsuits, asking for the removal of the co-trustees.