CO129-539-13 Proposed transfer of Government Wireless Service to Imperial and International Communications Ltd. 11-4-1932 - 17-6-1933 — Page 43

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The above scheme is designed to secure a common basis for the conduct of the Telegraphic Communications of the various parts of the Empire. The full benefits of the scheme can only be secured by the whole-hearted co-operation on the part of all the Governments concerned and of the undertakings conducting telegraphic communications throughout the Empire. The establishment or authorisation of services within the Empire, which work in opposition to, or indeed out of harmony with, the above scheme would deprive it of much of its value and would militate against the objects which we have endeavoured to attain. We recommend, therefore, that, if our proposals commend themselves to the Goverments of the several parts of the Empire, they should take steps to apply the principles of the scheme, with such modifications in points of detail as may be necessary to meet local conditions, to the overseas telegraphic undertakings operating within their jurisdiction.

For example, it will be appreciated that the prospects of harmonious working might be prejudiced if any of the undertakings concerned were not under predominant British control,

His point was that though there was no obligation to hand over the

services to Imperial and International Communications Limited, there

was an obligation to implement recommendations which had been approved

at the Conference of 1928.

MR. HOLMES asked whether the proposed air route to Australia

would increase the amount of traffic and therefore make the

proposition more attractive to the Government of Malaya or the Company if

the services were taken over.

AIR COMMODORE WARRINGTON-MORRIS replied that all traffic

concerning the air route would be conducted by the air wireless

stations but messages for passengers would be sent by the existing

cable facilities.

CAPTAIN MURRAY suggested that the best solution possible would be to hold the Colonies to the agreement, but he quite saw

the difficulty in doing this. The next best would be to

inform the Colonies to carry on developments

say, for the next

two years, but such developments were not to compete with the

Communications Company, and that negotiations with the Company should

be resumed when the Company were in a position to do so.

SIR PHILIP CUNLIFFE LISTER said that he thought the Colonies should

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