§ 76. Major ARCHER-SHEEasked whether the Governments of Australia and New Zealand are satisfied with the proposed Marconi agreement, under which all messages to and from those Dominions will be taxed 10 per cent. on the cost over the greater part of the distance?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Government of New Zealand had entered into arrangements for the erection of a wireless station capable of communicating with Australia—a distance of about 1,100 miles—before the negotiations for the erection of the stations of the Imperial scheme had begun. There was no question, therefore, of their erecting another station as part of that scheme. The Australian Government have said that they would prefer to make their own arrangements for a station to communicate with 1228 Singapore, but gave no reasons for that course. The High Commissioner has no information to the effect that that Government has in fact yet taken any effective steps with a view to the erection of the station.
§ 77. Major ARCHER-SHEEasked the Postmaster-General whether the Canadian Postmaster-General informed him during his recent visit that Canada was satisfied with the Marconi trans-Atlantic service; and whether the Canadian Government have agreed to establish stations in connection with the Imperial wireless scheme on the Marconi system, and subject to the payment of a 10 per cent. royalty on messages?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIts was decided not to erect wireless stations simultaneously throughout the Empire, but to erect six or seven in the first instance, and to extend the scheme later in such manner as experience showed to be desirable. The first stations were to be eastwards from the United Kingdom. The question of the participation of Canada in the scheme did not arise, therefore, and was not discussed with the Canadian Government. I am not in a position to communicate the conversations which took place between the Postmaster-General of Canada and myself on this or on other matters.