PRESS CABLE MONOPOLY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 258, 7 December 1909, Page 3

PRESS CABLE MONOPOLY.

SENATE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne, December U. The Select Committee's report says the organisation of the Cable Association is so complete that it secins almost impossible for another association to sxan and succeed without Government assistance for the first four or five years,, It was contended by the association, that while it had passed the whole benefit ol the recent reduction to the public by the means of-increased messages, the figures supplied by the telegraph messages showed that while the Cable Association increased the service at a cost to themselves of about £lB3 per month, they were making a saving as a result of tlie reduction at the rate of £155 per month. Senators Puis!ord and Chatsway presented dissenting reports, in which they stated, with regard to the alleged monopoly, that the witness after that said a new service might be established, and that the evidence disclosed a fairly generous dealing with the press outside the Association, especially in view of the fact that'the New Zealand included Cable Association had enlarged its service as a result of the reduction in rates. Some doubt was thrown upon the Telegraph Department's' figures, and there was no reason to question the accuracy of the Association's figures.

Senator Chatsway dissented generally on the ground that the report Iwns against the weight of evidence, but lie advised a reduction in the Australian land charges to the New Zealand rate.