GOVERNMENT TO BUY CABLE TERMINUS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1946, Page 5

GOVERNMENT TO BUY CABLE TERMINUS

-Press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. An indication that the New Zealand Government would be buving tluDominion lerminal of Gable and Wire less, Ltd., emibling the Post Offiee to control all external comnumicatioiis, was given by the Minister of Defence, I Mr. Jones, actiug 011 belialf of tlv Postmaster-General, in the House oi Representatives this afternoon. A Bill to bring the cable and wireles systems of the British Commonwealtii and Empire into public owuership wai at present before the British Parlia ment, said the yiinister. Tlie Bill lim passed the House of Commons and wa being dealt witli by a special couunittee of tlie House of Lords. It was auticipal ed that the Bill would beeome law shortly after the British Parliaiuem resunied next montli. A Parliamentarv paper would be laid before the House at an earlv date, said Mr. Jones, furnishing full particulars oi the proposjfl, and indicating the aclio" to be taken iu so far as New Zealand was concerned. The cable tenninal in New Zealand was owncd and operaten by Cable and Wireless, Ltd., Londou. and once "Ihe shares of that eoinpany were acquired by the United Kingdom Government the Dominion would be able to buy the cable tenninal in thi« country. As all wireless, telegraph and telephone assets in New Zealand were already owned by the Post Offiee, the purchase of the cable tenninal would enable the Post Offiee to control all external cable and radio serviees, tlius coordinating all aspects and ensuring the efficient- and economieal operation of the common teleeommimicatioji assets.