EMPIRE LINKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1921, Page 5

EMPIRE LINKS.

BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA. AIRSHIPS AND WIRELESS. IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrigtt. Received Nov. 25, 11.15 p.m. Melbourne, Nov. 25. Wlieq. the air service defence estimates were before the House, Mr. W. M. Hughes, opposing a proposal to reduce the vote by .€200,000, said the' Imperial Government had offered as a free gift sufficient airships for an experimental service. Britain would Contribute £400,000 and Australia £200,000 yearly under the scheme, which would bring Australia within eight or nine days of Europe. It was a matter of enormous importance to Australia, and regarded simply as an advertisement, it would be the cheapest we could get. He suggested £lOO,OOO, by which the .Government is prepared to reduce the vote, might be devoted to the airship scheme, /They would never have such another opportunity of getting airships suitable for the experiment. Labor members opposed Mr. Hughes’, proposal, declaring their intention of •reducing the defence estimates as much as possible. An amendment to reduce the vote by £200,000 was negatived, and the Minister’s motion to reduce it by £lOO,000 was adopted without further action respecting Mr. Hughes’ proposal. A draft of the proposed agreement between the Commonwealth and the Amalgamated Wireless, providing for direct commercial wireless between Britain and Australia, was tabled. The proposed charges are: Full rate messages 2s, deferred Is, week-end messages 6d, Government messages Is, Press sd, deferred Press 3d per word. The company undertakes to commence local construction forthwith, and provide the main trunk stations in. Australia and Britain within two years; also a Station in Canada capable of communication with a high power station in Australia. Mr. Hughes stated the scheme was an alternative to the link scheme submitted to the Imperial Conference. The Government was not committed in any way to the scheme, which the House would be given a chance to discuss later.