THAT STATE-OWNED CABLE. Binding the Colonies Together.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 May 1901, Page 8

THAT STATE-OWNED CABLE. Binding the Colonies Together.

OVER m Melbourne the Hon. J. G. Ward has been improving his opportunities to bring New Zealand into closer relations with the Commonwealth. News published during the week states that he is hopeful of effecting an arrangement whereby penny-stamped letters from this colony will have free access throughout the Continent. He is also sanguine about being able to make an arrangement for the laying of a State-owned cable between New Zealand and Australia. Members of the Federal Government are said to be favourable to the proposal. • • • Be that as it may, Mr. Seddon has already made it pretty evident that he has been revolving this proposal for some time past. In fact, he has gone so far as to suggest that even if the Commonwealth is indisposed to co-operate in it, New Zealand should take it up single-handed. He reckons it would not cost much over £200,000, and that it would be good commercial business to take £200,000 out of the surplus, and invest it in a State cable, which should cheapen and popularise regular in-ter-communication with our friends and neighbours , in Australia. • • • There are many cogent arguments in favour of such an undertaking. If the land telegraph has proved so lucrative a State enterprise in this colony, there is no reason why a seatelegraph should not also be profitable. There is no reason why the State should not control the one just as easily and as naturally as the other. There is no earthly reason why the Postmaster-General's ambition of obtaining for the people the valuable privilege of sixpenny cables should not be realised — at least, as far as Australia is concerned — within the compass of a very few years. And what a powerful bond of union it would furnish to bring the people of these islands into close and sympathetic touch with their kindred on the mainland? Hitherto, the high cable tariff maintained by the existing private monopoly has proved a more effectual barrier against closer communion and association than twice the expanse of ocean between our shores and the continent. Break down that barrier, and place at the disposal of the sundered peoples a State-owned cable, with a sixpenny tariff for ordinary messages, and the towns of Australia would be as close to us in touch and sentiment as are the other provinces of New Zealand. * • • There would be such a vast increase in the interchange of private messages that the Australian papers would feel at once called upon to give prominence to New Zealand news, instead of stalling off the demand for it with a few meagre lines as at present. If federation with Australia is ever to become practicable for New Zealand, it will only be by means such as that bringing us into direct and intimate relations with our continental neighbours. Even looked at merely as a moneymaking commercial project, the State-owned cable presents strong claims for support. If the Commonwealth does not feel disposed to make a joint venture of it with New Zealand, there is no reason why New Zealand should wait hat in hand on the door-mat. If she can be satisfied that it will prove self-supporting — 'and that ought to be easily demonstrated — it is an enterprise which ought to be eagerly embraced.