PRESS CONFERENCE DEBATES

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 37

PRESS CONFERENCE DEBATES

SOME NOTABLE SPEECHES. CABLES OF THE EMPIRE. {Fsoic Otrs Own Correspondent.) : LONDON, June 11. The scene on Monday morning in the large gilded room overlooking tne quadrangle of the Colonial Office was one not soon to be forgotten. Practically everybody who matters in the journalism of Great Britain and all the delegates from oversea were present, with the notable exception of Mr H. Brett, whose indisposition has compelled him to forgo the whole of the first week's activities. It cannot be said that Monday's debate was of a high calibre. Lord Crewe was not nearly severe enough as a chairman, and the discussion ran off into all sorts of alleys and by-ways. Now and again a totally unaccredited individual from one or other of the colonies chipped in and drew a red herring across the scent. The speeches, too, were not generally superior to those at, say, the annual conferences of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. Indeed, the debate reminded one very much of these conferences, with the important reservation that the judicious chairmanship of Mr J. G. Wilson was wanting. Lord Crewe himself is a typical English speaker, halting and cautious, but he does not infuse the fire into his utterances that Mr Balfour or Lord Rosebery does. The main significance of his speech was his assurance that the Government was in the fullest sympathy with the cheapening of the cable rates, and would assist as far as it could. He did not, however, give any undertaking that a State cable would be laid across the Atlantic — a step which the conference generally regards as of first importance. The Australian delegates who spoke also supported the motion, as had been agreed upon before the conference, though some of them are known to be opposed to any cheapening of the rates. in^the debate there was absolute unanimity on the fact, so well expressed on Sunday by the Observer, that " the most persistent enemy of Imperial union is the sentence torn from its context." All present understood perfectly what that ireant ; but, in case any did not, Lord Crewe instanced the recent disastrous incident arising out of Colonel Seely's speech on the South African Constitution. He was confident, he declared, that if the whole speech had been cabled there could not have been any misgiving on the part of the South African people. Mr Sidney Buxton, the Postmastergeneral, is a practical, colourless speaker, with an occasional lapse into drs humour. Mr Austen Chamberlain looks m.ore like a short- distance sprinter than anything else — clean-shave^ as straight as an arrow, with his coat buttoned tight. When he referred to his father there was deafening and continuous applause, of which John Foster Fraser said : "It showed how deeply affection for the great colonial statesman was embedded in the hearts of the oversea men." * THE DISCUSSION. After a few preliminary remarks, Lord Crewe plunged into the subject, which he described as one of supreme importance. There were countless prescriptions, he said, for bringing the various parts of tne Empire nearer together; yet whatever they might do, whatever form they might take, they must all agree that easy and cheap communication was above them all. — (Applause.) Intercommunication between the different dominions was every bit as important, and all desired to see a closer and more intimate knowledge of all parts of the Empire by The big self-governing-colonies. This absence of cheap communication had its serious side, and the difficulty and the danger of curtailed cable reports was fully illustrated by his Lordship. Lord Crewe also declaimed against the code system, which was all very well for business, but which broke down when it came to the announcement of new facts t to the development of a new policy, or to statements of an explanatory character, w here verbal accuracy was absolutely necessary. Next came a reference to the Pacific cable, v. hich he 1 nought had a very real and beneficial effect, because it had both instituted and caused elsewhere a very substantial reduction in rates. The development of wireless t«l°K )<a phy was a side of the matter of which they could not lose sight. At the Colonial Office they were pursuing communications and puc/gestions, both from individuals and parties, with regard to wireless developments. They had one befovp them relating to New Zealand and the Western Pacific, and tliev had even done a little themselves in the West Indies. The silence of rh-i cables for so \ era I hours was a matter which Lord Crpwe thought required attention '"'That thoiv> should be several hours during the day when the^ precious means of communication are lyin>f absolutely idle suiyge^ts thaf tlK> system cannot be an absolute.lv porfect ono as it oxists, and loads us to look for a remedy." In conclusion Lord Crowe r«»«ul a cable message from Loid Minto v. fshin^ the gathering every success. Mi Kvffin Thomas (AdolaiiM oonliallv thanked Lord Crowe for his ad*lro«, after which Mr Stanloy Roo<l (Bombay) propo=«d the following resolution: — "That this conference regard* as of paramount important that telegraphing facilities betwo«n the various narts of the Empire -houl'l b° oh«apon^d ano improved, so as to ensuie better intercommunicatio-n than ox.its at pi-o-jont. and appoints a cornniitt.p« to report to tilie conference at its rea-s c pmbline' on .Tune 25 as to the best means of attaining 1 this object." Mr Theodore Fink (Victoria) seconded the resolution. Mr Sydney Buxton, Postmaster-general, said Ins thought th" conference was acting in a mo : ,t judk'oiii way in referring the matter to a committee for report to a later mating. Mr Buxton wss entirely svrnpathetie. For busine-s purposes he pointed out a bu^ine=-s code me»age at a penny a ■nord frequently worked out at a farthinfi a word when •decoded. It v. eni'P<l l itfht, therefore that i special rate should l;o granted to the pr^s. so that they might be placed Oh an equahiv with the business man. H« ricelaivd that tho British Post Office wouM do v, ha! it rould to assist the committee by information and co-operation. Mr Ausrin Chamberlain, M P., -uho made a bnef rrroived a markedly cordial welcome He thought that the question wa* one of grave impor 1 " to the development of

the Empire. "I hope," he said, "that whatever is decided upon those who have been pioneers of this work and rendered great service in the past will not be ungenerously treated. — (" Hear, hear.") But I venture to add that they must make up their minds that the times are changing, that fresh needs are arising, that the service which satisfied in the past cannot satisfy us in the future, and that if they are wise they will be the first to study -how they may meet those new needs, and how they may avoid burdening themselves by publvelyowned and publicly-supported competition." Mr Phillips vYorkshire Post) pointed out that they would have to differentiate between the two classes of news, that which wasi of Imperial importance and that which was of commercial importance. Mr Tomperley (for Australia), Mr Fenwick (on behalf of New Zealand), and Mr Banerjee (speaking for India) supported tne resolution, which was carried, and a committee was appointed, consisting rf Sir Hugh Graham (Star, Montreal), Mr Kyffin Thomas (Register, Adelaide), Mr F. W. Ward (Telegraph, Sydney), Mr T. Temperley (Richmond River Times, Ballina), Mr G. Ftnwick (Otago Daily Times). Mr M. Cohen (Evening Star, Dunedin), Mr J. S. Brierley (Herald, Montreal), Mr P. D. Ross (Evening Journal, Ottawa), Mr J. Nelson (Victoria Times, Victoria), Mr G. H. Kingswell (Rand Daily Mail, South Africa), Mr R. F. P. Stow (South African News, Capetown), Mr Crosbie Roles (Times of Ceylon), Mr S. Reed (Times of India), Hon. Surendranath Banerjee, Mr A. C. Lawson (Madras Mail). The following were added to represent the English .press: — The Hon. Harry Lawson, Mr Moberley Bell, Mr J. S. R. Phillip;, and Mr E. Parker.