RECORD CABLE TRAFFIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 221, 7 December 1927, Page 13

RECORD CABLE TRAFFIC

PACIFIC BOARD’S YEAR SURPLUS PROFIT OF £IOO,OOO By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. LONDON, Monday. The annual report of the Pacific Cable Board for the year ended March 31 states that the receipts were £467,063, which shows an increase of £13,467 over those for the previous year. The receipts exceeded working expenses by £ 1.78,384. After payment to the National Debt Commissioners of the annuity of £77,545 in respect of interest and repayment of capital, on account of the original cable, the surplus was devoted to the reserve and renewal fund, in compliance with the recent Imperial Act. The report states that over 12,000,000 words of international traffic (excluding that between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands) were transmitted over the board’s system. This exceeded the total for the previous year by 126,000 words, and constituted a record. There was a decline in the full-rate traffic by 100,000 words, which is attributed to the attraction of cheaper services. Weekend messages declined by 130,000 words, but the increase in deferred, Government and press traffic more than counter-balanced this.

The speed of the’ new loaded cable surpassed expectations. The contractor’s guarantee of 600 letters a minute was doubled under test, and it is anticipated the speed could be further increased should the traffic demand. — A. and N.Z.

“ACUTE AND SERIOUS” WIRELESS COMPETITION VIEWS OF MR. BRUCE CANBERRA, Tuesday. In tlie House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, . Mr. Stanley Bruce, referring to the position of the cable services since the development of beam wireless, said the position was becoming acute and serious. It would be more so should the beam advance in the next 12 months at the same rate as it had in the past two. Cables were vitally necessary for defence purposes and as an adjunct to communication. As the matter was so serious it was proposed to appoint a committee of representatives of all the Governments concerned to meet in Britain and go into the whole question. What effect the development of beam would have in the Commonwealth’s interest in the Pacific Cable Company it was impossible to say.— A. and N.Z. POSITION FORESEEN CANADIAN ATTITUDE OTTAWA, Monday. Officials of the Federal Government said the competition between the beam wireless system and the cables was foreseen by the Canadian Government and was largely responsible for the Canadian opposition to duplicating the cable between Fiji and Bamfield. They were speaking with reference to the statement made by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Bruce, in the House of Representatives, that a committee would be appointed to discuss the situation. It is stated in Ottawa that the suggestion for a committee came from Canada. As yet Britain and New Zealand have not replied to the suggestion. The officials think the reported reduction in cable receipts has vindicated the Canadian attitude of opposition to the construction of the new cable between Fiji and Bamfield.- —A. and N.Z.-Sun.