THE NEW CABLE RATES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4193, 16 August 1892, Page 3

THE NEW CABLE RATES.

The Cheapest Tariff in the World.. Important Details. [By Telegraph.—Presa Association.] Wellington, Tuesday. The Postmaster-General states that he has always regarded the cable rates between Europe and Australia and New Zelaand to be excessive, and that with the object of having them reduced, he had approached the Cable Company and the Australian Governments, He had proposed that the European rate-with New Zealand Bhould be reduced from 10s 2d per word to 4s Gd, and the rate with Sydney from 9s 6d per ten words to 3s, each additional word to cost sd, Both the Cable Company and the Australian Governments decline reduction in the rate for associated press work (3d per word), but agree that any individual' newspaper should be allowed to receive intercolonial cable messages at one penny per . word with the distinct understanding that the message is for tbe sole use of the paper receiving it.

Mr Ward ia strongly of opinion that a general reduction in press messages is not far distant, and be is favourable to a very low rate. The penny rate, ho points out, will be of advantage to newspapers desirous of obtaining special reporta of any particularincidentoccurring in Australia, At the time proposed reductions were Grst considered, he had approached Colonial merchants with a view of securing from them a guarantee of £SOOO towards the annual loss. Replies had been received from several important centres. Christchurch men had wired that they were willing to guarantee £IOOO a year and Auck« land, Dunedin, and luvercargill had expressed their willingness, to contribute a fair proportion, Some eading people in other parts had roplied favourably, while Wellington merchants were to meet to-day to discuss the proposal, It was not, l;e thought, fair that tax-payers should' have to guarantee the whole amount, and had it not been for the merchants' guarantee, reduction in rates would be impossible.

At the Postal Conference in Melbourne yesterday, tho proposals wero considered, and with but one alteration were accepted, Tbo Australians had increased their European rates to 4s 9d from 4s, and this had raised the proposed rate to New Zealand to 5s 3d, but as he proposed to reduce the land rate from 2d to Id, the rate would bo §s 2d per wprd. He also proposed that the land rate on Colonial oabk-s be reduced from 6d to 3d, and if New South Wales could be porsuaded to act similarly, messages between colonies could be transmitted at tho rate of 2s 6d -for ten words. In order to give proper notice, tho reductions will not come into force until the middle of September, or the first of October,

The estimated loss to revenue by the reductions is between £32,000 and £33,000 per annum, but the increased traffic will largely reduce this,' and it is not anticipated that the Government's Ibse will be heavy', nor 'that' the chants", gdarainjee'of £p,OOQ is likely to bo required to the full extent, Mr Ward refers, with great satisfaction, to the fact that the reduced rates are thp cheapest cable service in the world.