A.—4

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APPENDIX IV. THE INTERCOMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION OE NEWS WITHIN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. (a.) Memorandum Prepared on Behalf op the Empire Press Union and the Newspaper Proprietors' Association. Practicable means to secure fuller and wider dissemination of inter-Imperial news at present appear to fall under the four following heads :— 1. General Lowering of Inter-Imperial Press Cable Rales. —It is believed that the volume of news passing between the Dominions and the United Kingdom, and between the Dominions themselves, is primarily dependent upon the cost of transmission. So long as the cost of transmission remains as it is at present, a serious consideration to newspaper proprietors, the publication of information from overseas important political information —will remain spasmodic and fail to secure the interest of readers, upon which depends in great measure the service and influence of the Press. Intermittent publication of information about the Dominions overseas cannot maintain the continued interest of newspaper readers ; cannot provide even a very general picture of the Empire overseas ; and cannot, in the minds of the general public, make clear the community of Imperial interests and the mutual co-operation which exists and needs extension. Until cable rates for Press matter are made very low, only events of outstanding importance will be reported, and the intervals of silence will prevent the establishment of any clear and connected impression of thought, action, and events in general overseas. It is believed that when cable rates become nominal the general public will be able to secure familiarity with Dominions affairs, and that a larger volume of news will be called for. 2. Reliable and Rapid Transmission. —Second only in importance to^cheapness of cable rates for news is reliability and rapidity of transmission. Although, in general, delays have been less serious during the last year, they do still occur. In the case of Press communication between the United Kingdom and India very serious delay in transmission remains the almost invariable rule. All cable routes are liable to break down—they do break down—and in most cases there is nothing to supplement them. News delayed by three or four days —a usual occurrence in the case of Indian cables—arouses little interest and is often misleading. 3. Provision without Delay of an Adequate Empire Wireless Service, —The necessity for an adequate Empire wireless service has already been discussed by the Imperial Conference. From the point of view of the Press such a service is regarded as an imperative necessity to relieve congested cables, and to provide a cheaper channel for news. 4. Restoration of Deferred Press Rates. —It is understood that the deferred Press rates, which were discontinued during and since the war, are to be reinstituted. The institution of a deferred Press rate to South Africa also is urgently called for. The cheap deferred services were much used for descriptive matter, editorial comments, &c, for which, the most rapid transmission was not absolutely essential. Such messages are supplementary to those sent at the ordinary rates. The rapid despatch may excite interest, and the deferred descriptive matter serves to satisfy and to some extent to sustain the interest. The deferred rates, when restored, must, of course, in order to be effective, be a real and not a merely nominal service. They will be useless unless maintained upon the same conditions as before the war, and involving no greater delay. At present that part of the public which may be supposed to have special interest in the Dominions overseas is restricted in the main to (a) those contemplating settlement overseas, (b) those having commercial interests overseas (an important section), and (c) those with relatives and other personal connections in the Dominions. The present cable rates not only prevent adequate service of these classes by the Press, but prevent increase of their number. Cheaper Press communication — and it should be much cheaper—will rapidly add to these classes.