CABLE RATES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20028, 8 February 1935, Page 6

CABLE RATES

CRITICISED AT PRESS CONFERENCE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright CAPETOWN, February 6. A strong plea for a cheaper cable and wireless rate for press purposes, was made by the chairman of the Australian delegation (Mr Delamore McCay) before the technical section of the Imperial Press Conference. Mr McCay attacked the capital structure, and the present position of Imperial and International Communications Limited. He said it was claimed that the merger company formed in 1929 was necessary to prevent foreign nations seeking control of communications, and in order to maintain secret, strategic channels, but it was grossly unfair to levy the cost on telegraph users. He urged the utilisation of the surplus capacity of the present Empire telegraph communications by the inauguration of a low, deferred press rate of a penny a word from England to Australia, and between the other Dominions. Failing a scheme of this kind, Australian newspapers would undoubtedly turn to the air mails to supplement press telegrams. The Conference, after hearing Mr McCay’s statement, unanimously appointed a committee of the Conference to proceed to London to urge a prompt review of the charges. There will be a further final discussion on the proposal and also the personnel of the committee at later sessions of the Conference at Johannesburg.