THE CABLE QUESTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 45, 22 February 1901, Page 2

THE CABLE QUESTION.

THE’’JOINT PURSE QUESTION,

MR WARD DISAPPROVES.

[Special to Times.] Auckland, last night. A Herald reporter waited on the Hon. J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General, prior to his leaving for Gisborne, and asked his opinion concerning the joint purse proposal in connection with the Pacific cable scheme as stated in the cable message from Melbourne published in Tuesday’s Times.

- Mr Ward, in reply, said: Personally I am of opinion that the proposal to have a joint purse is at this juncture a very unsound one ; that the whole question of the Pacific cable in its general bearing upon the several contracting countries should be looked at and carefully considered in discussing such proposal, and it seems to me most unbusinesslike for the contracting countries to talk about a joint purse, and the fixing of the proportions that the owners of the Pacific Cable and the Eastern Extension Company should respectively receive, before anyone is in a position to know what business the Pacific cable is going to acquire. It must bo obvious to anyone that until the Pacific cable is established, and an approximate estimate can be furnished of the business that is going over the line, none of the contracting parties are in a position to say what would be a fair proportion for the several State owners of the Pacific cahlc to receive, or to be assessed by anyone, as the proportion thoy were entitled-to. For my own part, I have been unable to understand why any haste should be displayed. It seems to mo that the owner of the State cable, while treating the Eastern Extension Company fairly, if they are in turn treated with proper consideration, have nothing to gain by precipitate action, nor anything to lose by taking time and waiting until their own cable is established, and they can fairly ascertain what business it is likely to receive ; nor have I been able to understand why thero should be any necessity upon the part of any of the colonies to enter into agreements at this juncture to ensure the lowering of the rates over the proposed Cape cable. One of the principal objects in establishing the Pacific cable was to ensure to the people of the several countries a lower standard of rates for cable communications between the old land aud the several countries concerned. While I would not advocate a cut-throat policy with a view to diverting unnaturally the 1)118111683 which the Pacific Cable might be expected to obtain, I am certainly of opinion that proposals for a joint purse or agreement between any of the countries and the Eastern Extension Company must be in the direction of joint action by both cables from their very inception, and conseqnently the natural and proper course in the interests of the owners of the Pacific Cable is surely to stand off and get their own cable completed, and then for the Pacific Cable Board which is entrusted with the management on behalf of all the parties concerned to fit their cables rates at as low as they can see their way prudently to do. Then it must surely follow that the rates by the Eastern Extension Company will certainly not be higher ; and applying this reasoning to the position I am inclined to think that the right thing to do is to keep clear of any agreement or any proposals for a joint purse at the present juncture. The Pacific cable will have a great advantage in a material respect, that is that it will go through very few countries. It will naturally have the goodwill ef the respective Governments that are jointly vyith England responsible for its establishment, and why should there be any fear, at its very inception displayed by the respective owners, or anything done that might possibly to’ a very material extent minimise its usefulness, or destroy one of the principle purposes for which the respective Governments have become responsible for the capital for the laying of the cable ? Speaking for myself, I hope that the good sense of the resnontive nnnntvies will dm. • r vail, and that the Eastern Extension Company will realise that the Pacific cable has come to stay permanently. Anything in the shape of precipitate action on the part of the countries that

own tho State cable is from a business point of view not only undesirable but indefensible,