§ Mr. CROFTasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has had his attention called to the Debate in the Canadian Parliament with reference to the Atlantic cable position; whether he still considers it desirable that the whole of the Atlantic lines to Canada should be controlled by American companies; and whether, in the event of the Dominion Government being prepared to share the cost, he will reconsider the whole question?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELMy attention has been called to the Debate in the Canadian Parliament with reference to the Atlantic cable position. As regards the question of the control of the Atlantic lines to Canada by American companies, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to questions on this subject by the hon. Member and the hon. Member for Central Finsbury on 12th December last. I am quite prepared to consider any proposals with regard to Atlantic cables which may be made by the Canadian Government; but I understand that during the Debate to which the hon. 2061 Member refers the Postmaster-General of Canada expressed the opinion that he did not think that a State-owned cable would be necessary.
§ Mr. CROFTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that the letter written on that occasion is absolutely opposed to the spirit of the proposals of the Prime Minister at the recent Conference?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI attended the Conference.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the Postmaster-General whether he has caused inquiries to be made of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway as to their willingness to collect and deliver telegraphic messages in Canada for transmission by or on receipt from a State-owned Atlantic cable, should such a cable be laid, in view of his statement that the land lines in Canada were in the hands of private companies closely connected with cable companies; and, if so, whether he has any statement to make on the subject?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI have not caused inquiries to be made of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway as to their willingness to collect and deliver telegraphic messages in Canada for transmission by, or on receipt from, a State-owned Atlantic cable, as I have no reason to believe that the telegraph lines on that railway would be in a position to provide an adequate service.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that they are willing to receive these messages?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am not aware of that, but in any case the system eovers only a small part of the country.
§ Mr. MARTINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway only runs through portions of Canada including many portions almost entirely undeveloped where cables are seldom if ever received?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am quite aware. The transmission of our cables, only upon the services which could be rendered by the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada would cause the greatest dissatisfaction in Canada and here.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked whether the Railway Commission of Canada have complete control of the rates of the telegraph companies in Canada, and consequently, in the event of a State-owned cable being laid, could insist on the delivery and collection of cablegrams for this cable throughout the Dominion?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe interpretation of the powers of the Railway Commission of Canada in regard to the rates for telegrams is a matter for the Canadian Government; but I understand that the powers of that Commission do not at present apply to through telegrams sent by land-line and submarine cable to or from places outside the Dominion.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the Postmaster General whether in view of the fact that the estimate upon which his statement that a State-owned Atlantic cable could only be run at a loss of £25,000 a year was based on an estimated load for the Australian and New Zealand traffic of only 1,000,000 words a year, he is aware that 1,850,000 words were sent over the Pacific cable in the year 1911, and that this number of words was an increase of half a million words on the previous year, or an increase of about 28 per cent.; and whether, in view of the fact that a cheaper rate would enormously increase the load of words for the Pacific cable alone, he will now cause a fresh estimate of the cost of laying and maintaining a State-owned Atlantic cable to be prepared?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe estimate of 1,000,000 words per annum as a load for a State-owned Atlantic cable from Pacific cable traffic is based on the number of words sent over the Atlantic cables to or from Australia and New Zealand. The figures quoted by the hon. Member (1,850,000 words for the year ended 31st March, 1911) include certain traffic which does not pass over the Atlantic cables, namely, traffic between North America and Australia or New Zealand. It is obvious that these figures have no bearing on the matter in question. The increase in the total traffic on the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1910, was mainly in traffic between North America and Australia or New Zealand. A further reduction of rate for telegrams between this country and Australasia over the Pacific cable would no doubt be followed by an increase of traffic; but I have no 2063 reason to anticipate that the increase would be sufficient to yield at the lower rate an increase in the gross receipts.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEWas not the estimate put before the Imperial Conference an estimate based on the lower figures of the year 1910, and not those of 1911?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs I pointed out in the original answer the increase between those two years is mainly in Pacific cable work—that is, work between America, Australia, and New Zealand. That does not in any way affect the load for the cable in this country or in the United States.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEIs it not the fact that there was an increase of 500,000 words on the total traffic, and therefore the Atlantic cable traffic must have increased very considerably as well?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo.