WIRELESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1923, Page 4

WIRELESS.

LINKING HP THE EMPIRIC. WELLINGTON, Feb. “0 “Since we last met the great scientific discovery of wireless telegraphy anil its twin sister, wireless telephony, have made important stiides," remarked Sir George Fenwick at the meeting of the New Zealand section ol the British Empire Press Union to-day. The initial difficulties which beset wireless had been overcome, he said, and. tbanks to the energetic action ol Mr W. M. Hughes, cx-Prime .Minister ol Australia, and the enterprise of the Australian company known as Amalgamated Wireless ol Australasia, Ltd. those southern lands had led the world in their efforts to establish a system ol wireless communication throughout the Empire Hint would not be subject to any complications or drawback* through any of its stations being located on foreign territory. The virile energy of Air Hughes in pressing hard and tenaciously lor direct wireless communication ho I well Great Britain and Australia, and for the. abandonment of the relay system which had found favour in high quarters, had their reward. On bis return to Australia after the Imperial Conference ol 11)21, the Commonwealth Parliament gave Mr Hughes its complete and unanimous support, and passed a preliminary agreement for the carrying out ol

iMonwealth Government and the company. 'Alter full examination of all details and the necessary amendments and improvements having been made, an agreement was formally entered into between the parties in .March lasi. Under that agreement I lie development of the selieme was left to the company, hut. the Government retained full controlling power, and it would he to all intents and purposes a Government. monopoly. Thus had been form»,l, as had been explained by its managing director, a great national company which, while having full freedom and efficient management of the commercial enterprise a* well as enjoying the benefits of the specialised knowledge and patent rights of the leading wireless systems in the world which the company had previously acquired, ensured that the company’s operations -hall he under Government control and 1 1 i n liiii i . without I lie limitations which are inherent in departmental activities. There was the further -aleguard that in the event of war the entire organisation would automat ieally become a unit of ti e nation's ’defence system. According to cable advices received. site- had been selected for I lie const ruetioli ol wireless stations je. Great Britain to communicate with the dominions and abroad, involving an expenditure of Ll'.lHKl.nm. Air Goi! I rev Isaacs, in an interview, had announced that the .Marconi t'cmpaiic bad secured a contract to build a stale'll at Montreal. The cable contained the aij.ii ii. ina I informal ion Dial tin; wink was lo lie comtneneei! almost immediately. and it was believed that the Empire wireless chain would be completed in eighteen months. In addition to the high-power stations i"'iiI lee till (I nil the scheme that were to

I e erected 'll Great Britain, Att-I rr.hu and • 'amnia, " •' ml■ tided t>> rte 1 !■■•••'- r -tat ions in leant capital cities cl i :c ( oliimon«ealHi, so equipped a - to provide improved eniinnunicatmii v. .Hi ships at sea and with inland towns. These feeder .stations in Australia n mill I enver the total area cl the Stales in which they were located. It was interesting to know, added sir George Eenwiek, that I he maxMiiuni • barges .or all classes ol messages lietween Australia and Great Britain were to he Mixed at two-thirds ol existing cable rales. That was lo apply to Bless message, as well :i' to cummer rial matter and the hope was expressed Dial the economy so clfected would prove in lie an additional tnctnr in binding together the widely separated ; .immunities m t lie Empire. ill hn. also, was moving in ibe matter. I lie British Postmaster-General had anin,limed that the Imperial Government intended to make itself answerable for tin erection of a station there, il had also been announced by cable that, .-'until Africa intended to erect a wireless station in the territory ol I'hat union, and when effect was given to all these projects the Empire chain, to which sc much attention had been given, a mild lie well on towards complete realisation, and so there had been brought about, through Australian foresight and intervention, what was dear!'.' destined to be one ol lbe great business enterpriecs of the Empire, direct wireless eninmunieatinn between all its parts. ‘sir George Fenwick then drew attention to the part the Empire Press Union had taken lit bringing this great |)i' ( ,ji..( iin fruition. The union's pressure on the Government, he said, was constant and urgent, by means ol deputations. passing resolutions and memorials, questions in the House of ('(millions and earnest representations made to the Empire Prime .'.fillisters Conference. Added to these there was a persistent campaign in the Press, in which Mr Robert Donald, chairman of the council, played an important part.