BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1927, Page 3

BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] WIRELESS QUESTIONS. LONDON, March 10. In the House of Commons, Mr Hurd inquired why there was no telephone service between Britain and Vancouver, seeing the service was operating to San Francisco. Mr MiteliellThompson explained there was no high power station in Canada capable of conducting a direct telephone service with Britain. The use of the beam system for telephonic communication was still in the experimental stage. Mr Mitchell Thompson replying to Mr Brittain, said the beam stations for the Australian service having stood the seven days’ test would lie taken over by the Post Office at an early date. Many detailed arrangements were necessary before they were open to tho public. He could not give an approximate date of the onening. He understood tho company intended to develop the system to South Africa as soon as possible.

LONDON TR AFFIC. LONDON, March 10.

Mr Baldwin announced that Government was prepared to grant from tho Road Fund three-quarters of tho cost of reconstruction of the existing Waterloo Bridges, recommended by the Royal Commission on cross-river traffic. The Government was inviting the London County Council and Southern Railway to examine a proposal for a doubledecker railway bridge at Charing Cross'. It is prepared to contribute to contribute to the scheme.

YOUTHS IN COAL MINES. LONDON, March 16

Mr Tinker has introduced a Bill prohibiting the employment of youths on the night shift in coal mines. Mr Cunliffe Lister, in moving the second reading of Cinematograph Film Bill, pointed out it followed methods considered by the Imperial Conference. Only five per cent, of the films at present lieing shown in the Empire were of British origin. The cinema was the greatest advertising power in the world. Foreign films operated against British trade throughout tho Dominions. Exhibitors throughout Britain recently received requests that if they objected to the Bill to telegraph tlicir local member of the House of Commas on pre-paid telegraph forms, which enclosed tho requests: “Came from a- European motion picture compnnv of which the chief shareholders were Americans.” Producers in America were enabled to forge ahead during the war when British film making was stopped. A bill was necessary to give security to British film makers, but a compulsory quota of British films had deliberately been left low, because, it was recognised that competition was necessary for the success of the British film industry involved. The determination of the Imperial Conference must be translated into action,