PRESS DELEGATES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1930, Page 3

PRESS DELEGATES

CABLE AND WIRELESS RATES

1M PR OWED PA Cl 1 iITJ E&

ADVOCATED.

EDINBURGH, June 21

The Empire Press delegates discussed Empire communications at a meeting held in the great MclSwan Hall at Edinburgh University, those present sitting on desks where the students had recently concluded their examinations, “No smoking please,” ran a notice behind Major J. .1. Astor, who presided, but some of the delegates found their pipes to be an aid to thought. Sir Campbell Stuart, Deputy-Chair-man of the Advisory Committee of Imperial Communications, assured Sir Hugh Denison (Sydney) that if he attacked the question of terminal charges, which were flourishing like a green bay tree in Australia, he would have behind him a measure of unanlim'ity which would reverberate throughout the Empire. The commits was dealing at the present time with arrangements for joint working in Australia between the amalgamated communication companies which would result, amongst other things, in the assimilation of cable rates to the level of wireless rates. Mr- E. Norman Smith (Ottawa. Canada), moved the following inotionA

“Thai the Conference approves the principle of mutual co-operative interchange of cable news between tlie component parts of the. Empire.” • He suggested the setting up of a central bureau for exchanging news of the Empire with affiliated associations in the various Dominions. The motion was carried. Sir Hugh Denison moved a motion affirming the desirability of reducing Press rates to the lowest possible point, of introducing deferred Press rates on all routes, and of seeming the abbliti-on of 'term-mi cart charge* made by the Government on messages which they did not handle. He said that Sir Basil Blackett, of the Communications company, had referred to the surplus, productive capacity in otommiturications. They could not. use all their capacity, foi they could not interchange too much news. Why not use some of that capacity in carrying special deferred press messages, doubling the Australian traffic. This was a strong argument for further reductions and facilities. The cable-wireless merger had resulted, in a great decrease oi speed transmission, and the average time had been more than doubled. If the retention of the Cables were necessary for Imperial strategic leusons, there should have been a Government subsidy instead of imposing a burden, on tlie users of the cables and wireless. Competition between cables and wifeless should' have been continued. They, should press for.de,ferred Press rates to all parts „of the Empire not exceeding a .penny a word. "Wireless messages to Australia cost the same as those to India <'• to Cyprus. Australia was the on.lv Government imposing landing charges for services not rendered. These were entered as general revenue. The Government had recently reduced the charges from one penny to a halfpenny. hut it did not handle these messages

Sir Stanley Reed (India) advocated giving the nierger no peace till the maximum deferred rate of one penny a word was secured The motion was carried unammous-

Mr Gault Maegowan (Trinidad! exnressed the hope that he would yet rhe support '.of 'the conference for cheaper rates to the West. Indies, which would enable him to abandon the project of taking; 'back a cage of carrier pigeons to carry inter-island news. Failing this help he had decided to try pigeons. Mr Theodore Fink (Melbourne!, chairman of itlie Australian delegation. moved the following proposal: “That in order permanently to reserve for the Empire the full advantage of the wireless telephone at the lowest cost, control should be retained by the Government ” He said that if wireless telephony came into tho hands of the meigei. the profits might be diverted to provide interest on capital invested in other means of communications, instead of being used to improve -the .service. The cheaper rates for telephony should he reserved for the citizens of the Empire, and the control retained by the State, at least during a period of observation, Mr C. Brtvnsdon Fletcher (Sydney! seconded the motion. Sir Robert Donald (Great Britain! said that lie was not opposed to State control but lie did oppose management Ibv the Post Office. The American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation had extended its tentacles into Vustralia and other parts of the Empire and the merger could not compete’ with it. It was perfectly hopeless for the Post Office to attempt to do so. When the corporation was linked up with the radio company there would be a world-wide combination against the merger and incidentally against British interests The motion was deferred.

ENTERTAINED AT EDINBURGH

LONDON, June 20

“You have often been called Em-pire-maker*.” ‘Sir Edmund Findlay chief proprietor of the “Scotsman, told the Press delegates when they were entertained at dinner by the Scottish Dadly Newspapers’ Society of Edinburgh. He went on to say:

“At the conference in Australia in 1925, you weie match-makers as well, and I thank you from the bottom o-t my heart.” Sir Edmund was referring to the faat that when he went to Australia us the youngest British delegate he said h v <? met Lady Findlay, who- was present at the dinner. She was then Miss Jean Graham, a daughter of a fellow-delegate. He also recalled that when his father entertained the delegates at tlie first conference in 1909, lie handed round strawberries.

TOUR. IN SCOTLAND. LONDON, June 21. The wailing of bagpipes welcomed the Press delegates to the r l rossachs. Those overseas members who were even half Scottish at least looked as if they liked the sound. Four-horse coaches carried the party over the mountain road from Lociii Lomond to Loch Katrine. One delegate remarked that .he felt a little like his Majesty in his State coach procession to Ascot. From the Trossachs to Edinburgh the delegates returned via Stirling in motor cars. They saw the road loadui(' to Bannockburn but did not visit the battlefield, on which a tea house is said to stand. The Idelegates .'left 'Edinburgh to spend the week-end at Gleneagles, Perthshire.