WIRELESS AND CABLES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19177, 7 December 1927, Page 11

WIRELESS AND CABLES.

RUMOURS OF RATE WAR. MEETING OF PARTIES TO BE HELD. (BT CABLE—FBISS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIA* AND H.Z. CABLI ASSOCIATION.)

(Received December 6th, 5.5 p.m.)

LONDON, December 5,

The Eastern Cable Company has issued a statement that its associated companies, as far back as October 26th, informed the Post Office of the action they contemplated in regard to wireless competition, but deterred action on the Post Office's intimation that it was consulting other Departments and hoped to deal with the matter before the end of the year. It has been consistently rumoured that it was proposed to reduce cable rates on December 31st to the same level as wireless rates, and in this connexion it was stated that the controllers of the beam services were ready for a further cut to maintain the existing margin. This rate war might be obviated as a result of the meeting of interested parties which is to be held on Wednesday.

PACIFIC CABLE BOARD.

A RECORD YEAR. (australiak and s.z. cable association.) LONDON, December 5. Over 12,000,000 words of' international traffic were transmitted by the Pacific Cable Board system during the twelve months ended March 31st, which is a record, and 120,000 words in excess of 1926.

According to the Board's report full rate messages dropped by 100,000 words. This is attributed to the attraction of cheaper services. Week-end messages dropped by 130,000 words, but the increase in deferred Government and Press messages more than counterbalanced these decreases.

The speed of the new loaded cables surpassed the expectations of the contractors. The guarantee of 600 letters per minute was more than doubled under the test, and it is anticipated that the speed could be further increased should traffic demand it.

Receipts totalled £467,063, an increase of £13,467, and exceeded work, ing expenses by £178,384. The Board paid the National Debt Commissioners' annuity of £77,544, and devoted the surplus to the reserve and renewal fund in compliance with the recent Act.

CANADA'S ATTITUDE,

(AUSTRALIAN AND H.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received December 6th, 8.45 p.m.)

OTTAWA, December 5,

The competition between beam wireless and the cable was foreseen by the Canadian Government, and this largely was responsible for' the Canadian opposition to the duplication of the section between Fiji and Bamfleld. This was indicated by a Federal official in reference to Mr Bruce's statement at Canberra that a committee should be appointed to discuss the situation. It is stated here that the suggestion for a committee came from Canada. So far Great Britain and New ~ Zealand have not replied. The official opinion is that the reported reduction in the cable receipts vindicated Canada's opposition to the duplication of the FijiBamfield section.

BRITISH GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATING.

(BT cablß—pbess association—copyright.) (AUSTBALIAH AMD H.Z. ASD SUN CABLE.)

LONDON, December 5,

-In the House of Commons, Mr A. M. Samuel, in reply to questions, said that the Government was considering the effects of the competition of wireless upoii the cable companies' revfcnue. The Pacific Cable Board has undoubtedly suffered in the past year as a result of the competition of the beam at lower charges. The Board was effecting economies, and experts wero constantly engaged in improving methods. The Pacific Board's new cable was the most effective in the world. The Hon. Esmond Hannsworth: Is there to be co-operation between the cables and wireless? Mr Samuel said he had no knowledge of the matter. Mr F. A. MacQuisten, K.C.: Will you see that in any co-operation the public benefits in the shape of reduced charges? There was no answer.