GENERAL CABLES

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1928, Page 3

GENERAL CABLES

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association. POST OFFICE LOSSES. ‘ I.OX DON, March 22. Thu Business Committee in a special report, on Post Office administration ami telegraph service as a commercial enterprise, with the wider u»e of machine printing telegraphs, states that a saving of from 20 to 311 per cent, on present costs could bo made. The Committee declares that the present service lacks the resilency which a progressive business requires if it is going to meet competition. The telephones at present were showing a loss of £1,600,0(H) per year, which equals more than 7d for every telegram .sent in 1920-27. Suggested reforms include the n- ‘ moral of the redundancy of stall' and 4 the high cost of management, and tin V increase in rates on press messages. The report emphasised that the conditions of work in the Civil Service do not encourage efficiency or effort. cable coy’s offer. LONDON, March 23. The Times, in a leader on the cable and wireless companies’ offer to take over the Government Atlantic and Pacific cables, says it is it business-like proposal, and has apparently attracted the Dominion Governments which are not unwilling to part with the profitable beam stations. American wireless cable competition tends to increa.se, and British enterprise must he prepared to compete efficiently therewith, although it not necessarily regards it primarily as a matter of cut-throat hostility. If British control is absolute in the British sphere there is noHisadvantage from friendly co-operation elsewhere. The Imperial Conference will be guided by public interest, deciding whether the British Post Office retains the beam stations, but competition undoubtedly requires a most efficient form of unified administration. SUBMARINE STRUCK. LONDON, March 22. Submarine Rl had a narrow escape during exercises in the Channel, She was struck while submerged by flic destroyer Thruster, her periscope being carried away and some bridge work damaged. The submarine was coming to the surface after it forty foot dive, and came up right under the destroyer, ff it had tbeen a foot or two nearer the surface she would probably have sunk. Nobody was injured. Site was assisted to return to Portsmouth. The naval authorities are reticent. TRAPPED TN BURNING CAP. PARTS, March 2’. The terrible death of Edmond A :tgier, aged 34, a commercial traveller, caused through his car going on fire after colliding with a post, recalls one of the most drnmitic authenticated escapes during the war. On August 24, 1914, Angier was attached to a mounted patrol which was overtaken by Uhlans in the Ardennes. His horse was shot. Angier faced the enemy, killed a Uhlan and was then ' taken prisoner. Tic was ordered to carry a German flag through a German village. He refused and was taken to the roadside on the outskirts of the town where there were eight other Frenchmen. A squad of the Thirtythird German Infantry fired and Angier receiver four bullets in L the arms, logs, and side, but was not killed. During the night time, lie recovered consciousness, amid the bodies of eight of his countrymen, and appealed to a passing cavalry officer who fired at him. and rode on. Angier lay three days when the Germans discovered him, and thinking lie bad been wounded fighting, took him to hospital. He returned to France in September 21, 1916, in a convoy of wounded soldiers. He was awarded a military medal and was promised the Legion of Honour, hut refused when ottered it after the war. AIR FORCE FATALITY. LONDON, March 23. The Air force lias sustained a heavy loss in Flight Lieutenant Jezzard, who was killed in a crash a couple of miles from liis home. TTe was a wireless expert and peri sunnily passed wireless equipment for SINGAPORE BASE. LONDON, March 22. Lieut. Col. Head lam, speaking on the Navy Estimates, states that the Admiralty’s total expenditure to date on the Singapore Base amounted to £(508,500. This year they would spend. £228,000, plus £300,000 for the floating dock. Towards this expenditure £378,000 had been received from New Zealand, Hong Kong and the Federated Malay States. Mr Bridgemnn, in reply to a question by Lord Cecil, said the recent letter in the press referred to a Cabinet discussion on the Geneva Conference. ■- 'Phis was usual, and he did not propose to violate the secrecy of Cabinet discussions. The British proposals were eventually rejected at Geneva, not over the question of eight inch guns hut the total tonnage. Lady Astor asked: Would it not be better to forget Geneva and look for the next conference? Mr Bridgenian agreed, believing, as he did. that Britain and the United States wore, not thinking for a moment of any kind of agressive warfare. They might hope, if feelings were not aroused and mischief done between the two - countries, that with the foundations laid at Geneva, some satisfactory limitation might t>e agreed upon in the

not distant future. GUN RUNNING. (■Received this day. at S a.m.) LONDON', Manli '-’lt. in connection with the gun running (cahled on the 21st) Scoltnnd Yard discovered fifty-six revolvers, and ten thousand rounds ol ammunition, secreted in London docks, believed to lie from Antwerp, awaiting distribution. AIRSHIP FACTORY STRIKE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON. March 23. Wf One hundred fitters struck work ovei “ a wages dispute at the airship factory at Howden where RIOO is being <oiistructed. It is feared the delay will favour Germany’s feverish efforts to he the first trans-Atlantic airship service. CRfQUUS CAREER ENDED. PARIS. March 23. ' Criqui is not likely to see the boxing ring again, but he is organising a training camp near Paris, with Caiter (whom he defeated a lew doys ago) as a member of his team. SALE OF APPLES. f'S (Received this day at 9.30 a.m). 'J* a LONDON. March 23. ; The Merchandise Marks Standing Committee, .as a result of an inquiry, recommends an order-in-council prohibiting 'the importation d"d ssylel wholesale of fresh apples unless each container indicates its origin. Tt also considers there should he a prohibition of the exposure of apples retail, unless the origin is indicated by means of a show card, displayed in dose pr ox l*