AEROGRAMS & CABLES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2011, 19 March 1914, Page 5

AEROGRAMS & CABLES.

DOMINION'S PROGRESS TO DATE. (By Telegraph—Pros« i.i9oeiaUan.t. Chrlstchurch, Marcli 18. The Hon. B. Heaton Rhodes, Post- • master-General, left for Wellington this evening. Interviewed by a reporter before iiis doparture, he made several important statements with regard to telegraphic aiid otfcjr affairs. ■"■ Regarding wireless- telegraphy, the; ■• Minister said that tho.nvo , iadiof stations in the Dominion were in full operation. At Wellington the station ; was open continuously for all classes of business, and tha stations at Awanui. and Awarua maintain continuous services for emergency .calls, besides' transacting ordinary business during tho evening. The stations at Auckland and Chatham . Islands,were also open' during- restricted hours. Tho Dominion might bo regard- ,- ed. : as being /.well,.,served ,in-the. installa--,,tion of-w.irele.se telegrap-hj;- Close, attention is given, ho Mid, to affording every ;...practical- facility in radio telegraphy, and charges are fixed as low as •circum-stances-permit..- Asjanf-jnstanco.ofjthis, itroay, be stated that at the beginning ■of. this year the rate for messages to and from steamers exclusively.between Australia and Ney Zealand, or ■ between , New Zeajarid ports to any ; o.ffice in this cquntry, -was fixed.at sd. per word —a reduction, of 50 per cent. ■'■,'-■ ~ Referring :to tlio, cable rate to and from the United Kingdom/ MY. Rhodes . said that it had been publicly stated ■ that tho Pacific Board was -favourably 'disposed towards reducing tho rate for 'messages between, hero 1 and. the United Kingdom, via tho Pacific, from 3s. to 2si Sd." a word. This was- understood to bo the outcome of a motion tabled by this Dominion's representative on the board, and he was hoping that shortly a defi-.''nits'-announcement-would:'be made in this direction. ■ .; ' On the subject of automatic telephones, Mr. Rhodes said that in the els ,' centres for which automatic telephone exchanges had been decided 1 on, the. preliminary work was well in hand. Apparatus was being manufactured, necessary buildings were being provided, and tho engineering plans incidental to the change of system were bein£ carried OUt, . ■ . I - " ■