CABLE RATE JUGGLING

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2015, 24 March 1914, Page 5

CABLE RATE JUGGLING

CLOSELY WATCHED HERE. ' Iho efforts that aro : being made to secure the reversal, by the Pacific Cablo .Board, oi its recent reduction in cable charges between the United Kingdom antl Great. Britain from 3s. to 2a, Bcl, a word, are being closely_ watched by the fijow , Jjealand. authorities,.; It'is felt here th»t t_ho Dominion is entitled to the rqductiou ou account pf the lower terminal charges, as compared with Australia. y!w Hen. K, H. Rhqdea (PostmastcrGenoral) stated yepterday that ho had cabled to the High Commissioner, urg? Ing him to do his best .to'prevent the motion approving the reduction being resQinded. Mr. Rhodes added that the NfW SSealand Government had frequently urged tho bpard to make reductions, and he considered that, instead of the late reduotion heing, repealed, there should be. , s, further rcduotipn. From, fhejr report, members of the Dominions Trade Commission evidently took tho same view, and looked. upon the Pacific Cable Board, as being too conservative. "Of. course, there is no competition," said Mr, Rhpdos, ''but I feel certain that, if the cable were in private hands, much more commercial enterprise would be shown in its management. At prqspnt the, cable stands unused during a.cons.j(]e,rtble. part of the day, and is not nearly fully utilised."