WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 9

WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA.

PROPOSED NEW AGREE* MENT.

ROYALTIES IN NEW ZEALAND,

(won otra ow* cohrbsfondmt.)

SYDNEY, November 20,

For months one of tlio Federal Government's numerous Royal Commissions enquired into the wireless indus» try. and inado some drastic recommendations in a report which was considered so important that ono Sydney newspaper printed it in full, taking up more than ono of its pages to do so. It now seems that the Commission a vast labour was in vain. According to one of tlio highest authorities on wireless in this country, details of tho Federal Government's proposals for tn© future control of wireless in Australia rejects most of tho recommendations. Details of the proposals were announced recently in the House of Representatives by tho Prime Minister. Mr Bruce said that it was considered that reversion to Post Office control ot wireless would be a fatal blunder. was intended to renew tho Commonwealth agreement with Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., with cer« tain reservations, for five years, under conditions which would strengthen tho Ministry's position and would enablo the Commonwealth to fix the rates to bo charged for commercial wireloss traffic. Under the revised agreement the company would undertake to mako available for the use of wireless traders, broadcasting companies, anrt listeners and the Commonwealth all patent rights under it« control. Concessions to bo made by the company iu regard to royalties would amount to £126,000. South Pacific Centre. Not many points in tho proposed agreement aro of interest to Now Zealand, but indirectly tho Dominion will be intrigued to learn that, according to Mr Bruco, tlio agreement will provide a great step towards making Australia tne wireless centre of the Southern Pacific. This statement followed an announcement that by agreement with the British Ministry, the company

will reorganise the Fijian service, which, will be linked with Australia. 'Jutlged by the progress the last ton years," said Mr Bruce, "it should bo possible in the near future to establish wireless communications with all tho principal centres of civilisation in th© world. Under the new agreement the company is entitled, subject to certain reservations and provisions, to establish and operate commercial services between Australia and other countries." Does this presage, New Zealand might well ask, a wireless service between Australia and Hie Dominion P Patent Bights. One announcement made by Mr Bruce is of vital interest to New Zealand. During his explanations concerning the agreement in relation to the company's patent rights and royalties, Mr Bruoe said that the agreement provides that to establish its rights to the patents, the company will prosecute .to judgment as expeditiously as possible actions already > instituted by it in Australia for infringement of patent rights. If the company did not obtain judgment in Australia within twelve months, it will institute procedings fot infringement in < New Zealand. If the company failed in ita legal actions the agreement would bo terminated, as the agreement was dependent on the company establishing its rights to patents. Commenting on this portion of tho agreement, a high authority on wireless matters said: "An important aspect of the agreement is that the Government assumes that the company has valid titles to the patents upon which! it collects royalties. Litigation Was begun some time ago in Sydney and Melbourne against people who mused to pay royalties and who challenged the validititv of the patents. If the) company takes proceedings against) broadcasters and dealers in New Zealand, it will find itself fighting the New ZealnTid Government, for whom* under its Wireless Aot, all broadcasting companies and dealers are agents."