DELAYED CABLEGRAMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 174, 17 April 1919, Page 7

DELAYED CABLEGRAMS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INQUIRIES. INTERRUPTED CABLES THE CAUSE. At tho last meeting of Ihe Council of the "Wellington Chamber, of Commerce the secretary (Mr. 11. D. Vickery) was instructed,to communicate with the Post and Telegraph Department respecting the matter of the lengthy dulay that was taking place in the transmission of cablegrams between New Zealand and Great Britain. In response to a communication, flic Secretary of this Department (Mr. W. R. Morris) replied, under date April 11, as follows :- Sir,-1 have tho honour to refer ,to your letter of the Sth instant, regarding the delay in the transmission of cable messages. : fo New Zealand. It is regretted that owing to a number of cables on the 'main Eastern cable route- near Great Britain being .interrupted, almost the whole of Hie cable .frame to. and from England, for some thne. past, has had to bo transmitted over the Pacific cable route causing a very eerinus congestion of messages to occur. . While I can assure soar chamber the utmosl expedition is being maintained throughout the available outlets, tliere cr.n !>e no do'ubt.every effort is being mado to restore normal working conditions, tho interruption to which not only affects ll.p Dominion cable business-, but aleo Australia, India, South Africa, and the Far East so far .".? their i able messages to Great Britain ars concerned. With regard to Press messages: I would remind you that quite recently tho serious de-lay in the transmission of cable Press news was commented upon in Press telegrams from Australia, and I might state tlutt Press messages from London received this morning show a transmission time of ten and eleven days. I would also remind you the further condensation or elimination of Press matter is a question for the accepting Administration lo decide, and T 'have no doubt has received full consideration in view of the congested stale of the cable routes and in regard to the .public importance of the new.? ibelf. It is hoped that full restoration of the Eastern route will shortly bo effected. In the meantime I have cabled to the general manager in Australasia pointing out IV seriousness of the continued delay to traffic."

A later communication, dated April 11, re ,, - , - i- •"■•t , '--,vs:— "Sir,—With reference to your letter of the 11th instant, regnrding the delay in tin; transmission of. en Me irifissngns: The general manager in Australia for 1 lie Fiistern f Anstralnsia) nml China Telegraph Company desires me to assure your chamber that the company is doing its utmost to cope with the exceptional condrti"'is. All "'f c-nW'.-' lnntlins Pnrtliciirno, Cornwall. England, have now been restored, but there is considerable delay nt Oilir-.ilt.iv, owimr to ■fruits in the Gib-raltar-Malta and Alexandria-Malta cables. The acceptance of full-rate messages U> the United Kingdom and Europe via Kastern have now been resumed. Thft superintendent of the Pacific. Cable Board at Auckland notifies that there is very little delay in the transmission of messages from New Zealand to Canada, United States, or Groat Britain."