CHEAP COMMUNICATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13280, 8 May 1907, Page 5

CHEAP COMMUNICATION.

■SIR JOSEPH WARD'S SUGGESTIONS. IMPRESSIONS, ON THE BOARD OF TRADE. United Press Association—Per ElectricTelegraph—Copyright. • LONDON, May 6. . Mr Lloyd George, President of the Board of "Trade, banqueted the Navigation Conference delegates .at the Savoy Hotel. ' Sir Joseph Ward in proposing Mr Lloyd George's- health paid a, high tribute to his presidency, and said that he believed that as an outcome of the Conference, the various Governments ■would find a basis, whence all could work. He emphasised the importance of lowering the .Suez Canal rates for vessels carrying perishable produce and of cheapening the cable rates to Australia, and New Zealand to sixpence or, at the most a,- shilling per word. Sir Joseph "Ward argued that there, were immense possibilities of increasing trade if there were more rapid communication between the Motherland, Australasia and Canada. 'lf the prohibitive Suez Canal to& were removed the tramp steamers would carry back perishable frozen produce. While not desiring to reduce. the Cable Companies' dividends, he thought i". possible to- greatly reduce the rate to the advantage of business and the social and domestic ties of the- Empire. Mr Llovd George, in replying, said he .thought.- -the. .results of the Conference would be admirable. Sir Joseph Ward's suggestions had greatly impressed the Government, who would, give them the deei)e.sfc consideration. He hoped to be able to- give a -satisfactory answer before the Premiers left, as the suggestions could be carried out quite consistently with the Government's pledges of policy. He failed to sea why the Imperial Government could not join the" colonies'in lessening the burden on British phips traversing 'the Canal. He would be surprised if something could not be done to, get 'Sir. Jo*iep ; h' Ward's proposals carried into effect-. "Mr Lloyd" George referred to. Sir Joseph' Ward's extraordinarily able speech, business-like and -practical suggestions. Although political exigencies prevented the acceptance of preference,'-other • -ways' 'remained of assisting to bring the colonies -closer to England. Sir"-'' Joseph Ward's"- suggestions would lielp to shorten and improve, the Appian Way of. -the' 'Empire—a matter of the greafest importance. He concurred with Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Wilfrid Laurier that it was possible to bring New Zealand within twenty-one days of London. -.'■■■•■.■■• FAVOURABLE RECEPTION IN AUSTRALIA.. MELBOURNE, May 7. The Postmaster General..is now making investigation'into the cable rates with a view to ascertaining if it were possible to effect a reduction.-. Personally lie would like: Sir' Joseph Ward's suggestion, .to corn's down to Is a word. Inquiries, however, . convince him, that so heavy, a decrease '"is---impracticable.,.- tjut he sees no reason why a reduction' should -not be made to 2s" or, 2s 6d. if t,heother partners to the. Pacific Cab,le and the owners,of the Canadian, land line and company will agr'ea. Lately he has; been considering a "pronosarfor'transmbting free Press .cable news. The idea; "strikes him. as commendable, but it will .be necessary" to secure the cooperation of the other, parties to the service before it could be adopted.. Another difficulty would be the loss on terminal charges from -.which a substantial revenue' is. now derived.

- The following message, dated London, May 7th, has been handed to the Press Association by the Government: A PAST MAIL SERVICE. '•At the banquet given by Mr, LloydGcorge, President of the Boaid of Trade, lo the members of the Navigation Conference, at tha Savoy Hotel on Friday night last, Sir J. G. Ward, in the of a speech, said, in referring to several important matteis that he had already brought up at the Colonial Conference, that he would take the opportunity of mentioning these because they were of such great importance to the British Government and the Governments of the selfgoverning colonies and" the people of the British Empire. He believed that all wanted to assist in bringing into closer touch the people of the old land and the new, and one practical way of doing ™ was by improving the means of communication between thu old world and ihe outlying portions of the Empire. He had a firm belief before coming to England that a fast passenger and mail service between England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand was one way of bringing the countries closer into touch. That _ha stated was quite possible of accomplishment. A 'fervice could be established to bring New Zealand within twenty days of London. There wea-e men anxious to improve the trade of the Empire and increase it. Here was the opportunity of doing so—to bring the people of the remoter parts of the Empire and England within a limited time. If they could get the population of Britain, Canada. Australia and. New Zealand to recognise the great possibilities that lay in a quicker service between each country, it would be the. mo=.t valuable thing they had ever done, as quicker communication would subsequently bring a great d,evelo23ment of trade between England and the self-governing colonies.

THE SUEZ CANAL. Sir J. (h Ward Paid : he would take 'the oj>pprfcunity of , again advocating- cheap transit charges on ships trading; between New Zealand, Australia, and-England, by representing to th? Board of Control of the Su-ea Canal the natural outcome- of a reduction of' ships dues through the canal. He had already referred to what' he termed the toll system at sea; and if they were wise men they would use 'tramp steamers to -enable the people of Australia. New Zealand, and England, to have their

perishable goods, even though frozen, carried by ji. shorter route than at present, because the rates . of the Suez Canal were almost prohibitive for the class of goods forwarded by ' many ■ tramp steamers coming that way. Something, in his opinion, should be done to improve the trade coming in that direction. The business now done between England, Australia, and New Zealand was considerable, but in future it would be greater. THE SUEZ ROUTE. COMMENT BY CAPTAIN BURTON. A member of the " Timaru Herald" staff had a chat last, night with Captain Burton. the commander of .the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's s.s. Arawa. in reference to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal for the reduction of the' Sue?; ■ Canal dues on steamers carrying perishable produce. Captain Burton said that even if the Suez Canal were free, vessels trading from New Zealand to England would not use it, for the simple reason that the Cape Horn route is the shortest from here'to London. The. circumference of the glob?, as every child learns ■ at school, is about 25,000 miles, and the distance from Wellington or Lyttelton to G-ravesend round the Horn w only 12.000 miles, which is shorter than ' via Suez. It was evident, therefore, that, a, reduction in the Suez Canal dues would not benefit vessels in tho New Zealand irn.de. - though "Australian lines would gain an advantage. The captain added that Ui? track now taken by the steamers from New Zealand to London was almost the

shortest that it wau possible to get; if the ice would allow than to go further south than they do now, they could take absolutely the shortest route—shorter even than via Panama.