§ 18. Mr. W. F. Deedesasked the Assistant Postmaster-General what action he proposes to take in response to representations about the delays imposed on cables to Australia and New Zealand which have occurred this month.
§ Mr. GammansThere have been delays during February, and my noble Friend is extremely disturbed about them. It is, however, a fact that they were no worse than in February of last year in spite of the hurricane damage to the cable station in Fiji and interruption to the cables passing through Egypt.
This year the Atlantic cable from Porthcurno to Harbour Grace, which has been out of action since the middle of the war, should be working again.
§ Mr. DeedesIs the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that one result of these delays was that a certain amount of traffic was diverted via the U.S.A., and is he aware of the very serious implications of that move for the future of this branch of Commonwealth telecommunications?
§ Mr. GammansThat is one of the things disturbing my noble Friend.