PRESS CABLE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 247, 24 November 1909, Page 2

PRESS CABLE INQUIRY.

EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COM- i MISSION. New Zealand's position. V f By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyrigai f Received 23, 7.56 p.m. t Sydney, November 23. j Examined before the Cable Commit- t tec, Mr. llyari, president of the Country [Press Association, was not prepare! V> L 'express an opinion regarding subsidising] the cable service. He had visited Loll- ] don to enquire into the matter of a , second cable service, and found that the financial question prevented its establishment. He came to me conclusion that if anything were done, it should get the news through one of the existing Birtish agencies. A second service could be established if two or three metropolitan papers' would I ear the brunt of the expense. The only remedy would be cheapening the table rates. So far as he was aware, lucre wu no subsUvnlinl grievance on ;hc p.vvl or' the i country newspapers of Ne>v Sou'li Wale* ■ against the present service. Individ.*!* ! might have grievances, but not 'V i.'ilk • of the proprietors. If a sreon I S'Tii'i- . were established, mill a copviigl.t inw • passed, the position of th.i eoiini./y prc«» ■ would be worse. The mi: « 'im 111, - oven if it broke their Im"(«., have in '' maintain (lie service.

Mr. Eraser, of Hie New Zi-nliiiid I'l'css Association, said he supplUl !tonic Association cables to New Zealand. He was not in a poslion to -eiy what «v paid for the cables. AM the financial negotiations' were con l.icicl letwocn Wellington and Melbourne a:il the matter did not come under his not'ec. He refuted the statement mad'-, by Mr. Brooke that the cabb supplies to New Zealand had been red iced from 1900, and submitted figures showing that there had been a eonti i l 'us increase. Senator Penrce: Has llie New V.caland press complained aboil- flu quality of Witness: No; we sh . ild not continue with them if we had. Senator Pcarce: Wha*. worn! you dot Witness: Wc would dtart & se'rvica of our own.

Senator Pearee: What woild it tlrt! Witness: Roughly, i'ot.i £IO,OOO p»-r annum. Senator Dobson: What do you thirk of the manner in w're.i the present Cable Association «inv.s the press?

Witness: Wc are served very well. No doubt everything •» capable of improvement. We have no fa'lit to findl with either the quality or accuracy of the news. Naturally, from a New Zealand point of view] we might like to make some few changes. To Senator Givrais: With a second service, duplication would be absolutely unavoidable. The present service was fairly comprehensive, and am- other service must necessarily semi much the same items.