IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160724, 10 August 1920, Page 2

IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

CHEAPER CABLE NEWS URGED. PENNY A WORD SUGGESTED. OTTAWA, August 7. At tho Press Conference a resolution was moved on behalf of the British delegates affirming the necessity for better, quicker, and cheaper facilities for disseminating news by cable, wireless, and other methods throughout the Empire, and recommending the Governments of Britain, the Dominions, and India to increase communications and reduce rates by subsidies to companies. Mr Donald, the mover, read a message from the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company staring that four and a half millions sterling was being expended on new cables, and the company did not at present intend to reduce tire rates. Mr Fairfax, on behalf of the Australian delegation, moved a similar resolution, but restricting Government assistance to tire provision of cheaper and increased cable communication. Mr Denison (Sydney), in seconding, slated that Australian newspapers spent a hundred thousand sterling annually in getting cubic news. He said the cable companies had promised to further reduce their charges when the profits exceeded £350,000 annually. They now exceeded, half a million, and the reductions were overdue. lie urged as a first step tho duplication of the pacific Cub'd. Air Fink (Yelbournc) urged the adoption of penny-a-word cablegrams throughout the Empire as a conference slogan. On Mr Donald's motion the conference agreed to incorporate the penny-a-word ideal in the resolution, the discus-' sion on which was adjourned.