CABLE RATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9550, 23 July 1909, Page 5

CABLE RATES.

REDUCTION FOR PRESS MESSAGES. STATEMENT BY FEDERAL POST-MASTER-GENERAL. (Jnitod Press Association —liy Electric Telegraph ! Copyright, Received July 22, 1u.45 a.m. MELBOURNE, July 22. The Postmaster-General (Sir John Quick) Has received a reply from the < Pacific Cable Board, agreeing tu a < reduction of the rate for press cablegrams from one shilling to ninepence '<■ per word, as from August Ist. The i request of the Eastern Extension "i Company for a similar reduction will be agreed to. t Referring to the reduction, the 1 Po stmaster-ueneral said it would be 1 base ingratitude if the newspapers c do not now support the Pacific line. c Had it not been for the Pacific cable, r the users would not have the conces- I sion3 they now enjoy. Surely the Pacific line must get some of the in- c creased business which must come from the reductions: if not where was the tnccuißgcrr.ent for Ihe boad to make further concessions? He did not think the claims of the Pacific on the public support had been adequately lecognised," seeing that the t annual deficiency was so great. Sir John added: "Wt do not wish to unduly compete with other cables, or in any way to unduly press the claims of the Pacific, but we certainly want a fair share of business j for the Pacific. We nre entitled to this from a patriotic standpoint." The Postmaster-General states that before agreeing to the cable concessions he communicated with .j th* l representatives of the Austrailan Press Association and brought ' under their attention the proposal. He expressed a hope that if conces--lions were granted and the rates re- „ Si duced, the Pacific cable would have a t share in the increased business. No bargain was made, said Sir j, John Quick, nor any explicit as D ur ar;ce given on the subject; it was merely stated that if the reduction was made the association would of course have to consider whether it would be able to use th« Pacific cable to advantsge.