CABLES AT EIGHT PENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 881, 29 July 1910, Page 5

CABLES AT EIGHT PENCE.

0 NEW DEFERRED RATES. PROPOSAL BY PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. GOVERNMENTS APPROVE. By ToleeraDh—Press Association— GoDyrieht London, July 27. The Pacific Cable Board proposes to reduce the rato ior a plnin language message, delivered within 48 hours, to eightpeuce a word. Air tho Governments concerned approve of tho proposal. The British Post Office seeks to make hall-rate deterred cablegrams general over all loug-distaitce lines. A conlerenco of the companies con*cerned will discuss the matter on 29. Tho proposal for deferred cable-messages at cueaper rates than ordinarily charged is by ;iu ui">ms a luin; nne, unU lias buen discussed from time to time. The present rate for ordinary messages to Great Britain, via Pacific, is three shillings a word, so that a saving of no less than 2s. 4d. a word w6uld bo possible under the i\eh viopoaaJ tu jitrsuus willing tu submit to a delay of two days. From inquiry locally, it appears that negotiations are 'in progress in connection with the matter, but no information could be obtained last night as to whether the New Zealand Government had npprovtd of tno reduction proposed. Uaiuida has similarly ■ had the question of reduced rates for deferred messages under consideration, and in March last the Canadian House of Commons adopted u Bill to give. control of the rates and facilities of cable companies to the Kail- j way Commission. . Mr. Leinieux, the Postmaster-General,' said that ho -hud been in favour of the Government's laying a cable across the! Atlantic, but when in London he l'ad round tho shareholders in cable companies ■so numerous that there was bound to be stiong objection to such action. He decided, therefore, to get a schedule of rates from the cable companies which would satisfy the public and the-press. He proposed that urgent messages shonld remain at Is. a word,, that seini-urjient messages should be Gd. a word, and tfcat the press rate should he 3d. a word. The Hill was introdnced as a result of consultations with Mr. Sydney Bnxton, who had promised concurrent legislation in the British Parliament.. .