WIRESLESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1922, Page 1

WIRESLESS.

WATCHING HOURS AT AWANUI.

WELLINGTON, Jan 27

A report that the Awanui wireless station \yns closed down from eight o’plOck at night until eight o’clock in the morning was mentioned in the House to-day by Mr F. N. Bartram, who asked the Postmaster-General whether this was the case. Mr Bartram said that everybody recognised the practical demonstration of the life saving possibilities of wireless telegraphy afforded by the. crew of Helen I). Sterling. It had been rumoured, however, that owing to the economy campaign the station was being closed down nightly, as stated. It was said

that the first message from the distressed ship was not picked up at Awanni until the station opened in the morning, and that if the station had been open all night, a message might have been picked up much earlier. The Hon; J. G. Coates said that the Awanui station was being closed from 11 o’clock until eight in the morning. The Auckland station came on at the hours that the Awanui station went’off. The Auckland station had a* receiving radius of about one thousand miles. It could not send to that distance, but if a messagte of distress was received, Auckland immediately communicated with Awanui, with which it was in communication by telephone and telegraph. The Auckland station had not received; any message of distress from the Sterling. Awanui had opened at ■fight in the morning and had re^'

a call at 8.17 a,.m. He did not know what time the first message was sent out by the Helen B. Serling. Wireless cost. New Zealand about £4OOO a year, and there was an installation at Samqa, in addition. The Government realised that it could not be made a commercial concern', but it was a measure of safety and must .lie retained as such. A high power oil engine had to bd run all the time that Awanui was open. Tt was s\ matter of economy to close the station at night, and his advisers stated ft hat the arrangement in operation provided a sufficient measure of safety. The position was being very carefully watched for the Government realized that it was necessary that distress signals should be picked up from reasonable distances between here and Australia. If the station was situated 1 where hydro-electric power could he used the cost of constant watching would not he great. He wished to assure the Housoi that if experience showed that these low-power stations displayed any weakness or failed to pick up messages sent out for help, the highpower stations would at once be put on and kept going. Mr E. ,T. Howard: Could you hot pirt it on at Lake Coleridge ? Mr Coates said ns there was no station there, and as they would have to obtain complete apparatus and instnl it. he did not thfttk it would be while. The idea was to have a station at, AVaima.rino where it would he strategically safe. Tie (Kid not know whether Lake Coleridge or Horn.horn would fulfil those requirements. He repeated his assurance that if it. should prove neeesRarv, the high-power stations would , again he put on continuously. !