THE GABLE SERVICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2666, 23 November 1909, Page 5

THE GABLE SERVICE.

THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

United Press Association —Copyright; (Received, November 22, 11.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 22. Giving evidence "before the Sydney Cable Commission the Secretary of the Country Press Association said that Canada subsidised an independent press service to the extent of 15 thousand dollars a year. If the Commonwealth Government adopted a similar plan here a second press cable service could he initiated at once, as arrangements had long since been made for starting when financial arrangements were complete. There would be a wonderful gain to the public iT the Commonwealth could secure a reduction of the charges on press messages to a penny a word. The witness outlined-a-scheme for making use of the Canadian service from London, cabling it across to Australia at fivepence a word with a special London service of purely Australasian news. - 'V 'v

Mr Wynne, manager of the “Daily Telegraph”, said... that the “Telegraph’s” share of the cost of landing cables at Adelaide was £I3OO per annum. There had been added to this wire charges from Adelaide and the cost of experts for interpreting, which added another thousand pounds per annum. Ho was not in a position to say what any other principal papers paid. All of them paid more than any subscriber w r as asked to pay. It would remove a "good many false impressions' if the whole position could have been ’ shown j but that was ' a/matter' about 1 which Mir MacKinnoii could give evidence. He could hot.' He ; was" unable’frK say- what the New Zealand Press Association paid, and could not suggest any system to get better cable information. There was Do restriction on supplying news to other metropolitan cities. Papers could get cables on business terms. It had taken 30 years to work up the cable system, and it would be unreasonable for outsiders to come cin on the ground-floor. He thought that a paper which helped to build up the system should have more consideration than new comers. Originally the Association*had been formed to benefit the papers forming it. It was not organised to prevent competition. Eventually it was decided to sell cables so as to -prevent the disintegration of the union. They recognised that it wap better to have one good cable service than six bad ones.