The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1928. WIRELESS AND CARLES.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1928. WIRELESS AND CARLES.

An important step has been taJrC.-n in the promotion of wireless services by the British Government, which has decided to dissociate the British Pest Office from other State services and place it in the same position as the Eastern, Pacific, and Marconi Companies. The conference on wireless and cable matters recently in session in London aas presided over by Sir John Gilniir. Secretary of Stale ior Scotland, in place of the PostmasterGeneral, and every effort, says an exchange. was apparently made to promote the growth of the new methods of trnnsmisson irrespective of vested interests, and to seerre the liost and cheapest service possible tor the general public. Recent developments in wireless, more ('specially in connection with “beam” transmission, have made a considerable difference to the position and prospects of the cable companies, and they will doubtless use all the means at their disposal, including the enormous reserves built up in recent years, to fight this new danger Out of 320,000 miles of submarine cable laid throughout the world, the Eastern Companies alone own 130,000 miles, of which about 30,000 miles have been laid since the war. Possessing such enormous interests, it is natural that the Eastern Associated Companies should oppose innovations that may lower their rates or weaken their monopoly, and this is a fact that must he taken into account by States and Governments in the future. The kindred danger of a State monopoly is now less likely to develop so Far as Britain is concerned. The decision to treat the British Post Office in regard to wireless as a private company should reassure the public mind in this respect. Nor is this precaution superfluous, as the past history of Post Office administration proves. Tt is notorious that the telephone system had to fight its way against obstinate opposition from the Post Office, which feared that its own vested interest in tho telegraph system might suffer. A State monopoly, opposing a now and cheaper system, is able to call to its aid. isiwor that private enterprise cannot wield, and tho development of a cheap public intelligence service might lie exposed to danger hv the efforts of the authorities to holster up a State interest. It seems that wireless is not to lie forced to surmount- this obstacle in Britain. But the opposition of tho cable companies is certainly to bo reckoned with, and it is not in the public interest that it should he ignored. As Sir Charles Bright, the famous cable expert, said, the companies have amalgamated and combined largely with the object of keeping up rates, and certainly with that effect. They cannot be blamed for endeavouring to defend themselves. But the development of wireless should fie regarded bv the British Government from a purely public and national standpoint. AYlmt the “Times” has aptly described ns “the incalculable benefits that a cheap, swift, and sure trail mission confers on a community that depends for its livelihood on Imperial and foreign trade.” should he the principal object for the Imperial authorities to keep in view, and it is satisfactory to note that at the London Conference they seem to have taken a step in the right direction.