CHEAP CABLES.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12424, 14 December 1908, Page 2

CHEAP CABLES.

INKLUENTIA L*ftIEETING IN LONDON'. STATE OWNERSHIP ADVOCATED. [Press Association — Copyht«ht.l '^ .Received Dec. 13, 4.15 p.m. London, Dec. 12. The Lord Mayor presided at an influential meeting to disouss the cable question. The speakers Tin- • eluded tbe Duke of Argyle, Lord Milner, M. Lemieux, Major Colling, Lnra Jersey, and Sir /urred Spicer. A low-priced, and easy and unifirm means of telegraphic connection witbin tbe Empire was recom--I—un.deci, and the Government -was asked" to convene a conference* of postal authorities of the states and I'^p-ndi ncies of the Empire to proino'e widnr recognition of the policy of sfat°-owne<) and controlled cables. Sir Edward Sassoou said Mr Hen•iKer Heaton'a scbeme was the goal for the future. At present it was o ly a pious aspiration. Sir EdI ward advocated State-owned controlipd cables, bpginniog by linking up with the Pacific, lie believed that eighteen pr-noe a word was feasible, with a shilling for deferred cables. Lord Curzon wrote that cheap cables would be an immense incentive to feeling, ' without wtich the Empire could not Jperluanent/y exist. The cables ought to be administered in the interest of the entire community. Existing connections and methods would be regarded as hopelessly obsolete before a quarter of a century elapsed. JM. Lemieux advocated a Stafe-o'-neri Atlantic as a logical Hi-quene© rf '{he Pacific lioo. The result; would be an lmmedinte reduction m tbe rate? between Canada and England of •50 per cent, and eventually to a ]0 cent rate It wcnld also • ensure reductions between Australia and New Zealand, besides being the harbinger of a pan-Hritannic system. Major Collins, representative of Australia, said the Commonwealth favoured cheapening tbe. rates where ver practicable on • a commercial basis, and it would co-operate in a Sfcata-oti'nad Atlantic line, bringing the Canadian land lines under Stntu control. The Duke of Argyll advocated cheap cables aftsr business hours. Lord Milner said it would be worth while for the State to lose s one money to secure a substantial reduction. Sir Albert Spicer, representing tbe Lowion Chamber of Commerce, recognised fcbat existing private rights must not be disregarded. Nevertheless the time bad arrived when cables ought to be owned and controlled by the Governments and run in fc*e best interests of all. Lrnrd Jersey emphasised the necessity fir r--cognis<ng what the cable companies had done for tbe Empire. Mr Neilson argued that it -was unlikely that the Governments could work the cables more cheaply than private enterprise^ It vould be cheaper to inertias* thejol'd age pensions to 7a 6d a week than Jo introduce penny telegrams for* all distances. Mr Fielding, the CanadiaD Treasurer, said he would never advocate a rash and reckless expenditure, but evryone desired better and cheaper communication.