WIRELESS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19180, 10 December 1927, Page 15

WIRELESS.

COMMONWEALTH AND COMPANY.

AGREEMENT BILL PASSED

(BT CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION - —COPIBIOHT.) lAVSTRALIAH A.VD K.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATIOK.)

(Received December 9th. 9.10 p.m.)

CANBERRA, December 9,

In the House of representatives following on an acrimonious debate, the House, by 33 votes to 19, adopted a clause in the Wireless Agreement Act approving of an agreement between the Commonwealth and the Amalgamated "Wireless Company. The Bill was finally passed. Mr Brennan said that under the clause the Government was declining to give away a fresh service to a company which had done more than anything else to shatter private enterprise so far as wireless was concerned. He urged the Government to retain control itself.

Mr Charlton argued that wireless was one of the greatest developments of the past half century and this was the time for the Government to take control.

Mr Theodore said that the proposed payment to the company in return for its illlusory patent rights was entirely out of {he proposition because through a constantly increasing number of license-holders the company in a few years would receive almost the :uini which it claimed to have paid for patents, namely: £93.000. Because nf the potentialities of wireless, the Government should not invest complete control in a private company ror four years. "When this agreement terminates it may be too late for the Government to reap the. benefits of great pending developments. Referring to the question of patent rights, Mr Stnn'f-v Mr"c-' 1 «:i!!"! (■' nt ?•) liad asked why the Amalgamated Company did not go to Court against those dealers who had infringed its patents. Had such action been taken they would have complained, and now they complained that the ' company would not prove the validity of its claims. BEAM SERVICE EFFECTIVE.

(AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) CANBERRA. December 9. In the House of Representatives, speaking on the second reading of the Wireless Agreement Bill, which ratifies the agreement proposed to be made between the Commonwealth Government and Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Limited, tho PostmasterGeneral said that the beam was proving an effective service. The cost of the beam to Australia was £120.000 a year, and it was capable of handling the whole traffic. The value of the cable system, on the other hand, was £12,000 000. He asked who would operate a £12,000,000 scheme when an expenditure of £120.000 gave the same service.

He added that the revenue the company had received •up to date was £126,000 a year, but under the agreement it- would receive only £37,500.