PACIFIC CABLE BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1926, Page 9

PACIFIC CABLE BOARD

TARIFF REDUCTION URGED CABLE WORKING WELL LAND LINE BEING ERECTED By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Dec. 1, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 30. London business men are asking when the Pacific Cable Board intends to carry out the promised reduction in rates. Officially the board is unaware of any such promise being made, but it realises the necessity for a reduction as soon as it is practicable. Sir James Allen, speaking in Canada, with his intimate knowledge of the board’s intentions, predicted a reduction was likely when the duplication had been completed. An authority closely connected with the board says that the new cable is working efficiently, and the DamfieldFanning Island section has considerably exceeded the contract specifications with a speed of 1300 letters per minute. The trans-Canadiau lines are at present the only drag on the fourfolding transmission capacity, and the corn pletion of an additional land line at the end of February should enable the cable to be used at its full capacity. It would then be possible to ascertain the working costs and what cuts are permissable. The board has not decided upon the extent of the reduction, but several members consider it should at least be based on the proposed beam wireless tariff, and that rates for ordinary, deferred, week-end, and press cables should be respectively 2s, Is, fid, and 5d at most. They consider that the costs of such reductions should be evenly borne by the board and the British and Australian Postal Departments,