WIRELESS POSITION

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1928, Page 2

WIRELESS POSITION

(A ust ml inn Press Association Sun.) LONDON, Foil. 13. I In' news*>aper '* Observer in a lengthy artn’le emphasises the necessity iur a wireless eonlerenre dealing with the position that, has arisen owing to American activities i?j the last two \ear>. whereby ihe Government, acting through iiiianrial and commercial urbanisations, supported hv diplomatic.

representatives, dominates internatiom (omimiiiication ami is still steadil consolidating' the strength of Amer can’s control of Spanish telephones an supports the Spanish-Argentine eon panics establishing a Trans-Atlanti wireless, they chieHy influence Jap; nose companies operating in the Fa hast, they considerably influenced (lei man companies controlling To Lefui ken and they possess the French Thom son-Houston ("o.v. They are thereb responsible for developing long distanttelephony in Kurope. It is a bold magnificent policy, overshadowing Get many’s before the war. The llritis Government is indifferent toward America’s effort, influential circles be lieving assistance to existing c-ompanie s contrary to the Government’s polic. >f securing control of communication The American Government did, tha here is a chance of influencing worh •ominunication outside their own boilers. The position is more humiliat ng because before the war she wa ire-eminent. London was then tin olographic centre of Europe. To-dip America is rapidly out-distancing tin hnpire, and Paris is the Kuropcai icrve centre. The Empire’s sor;ne are disorganised and even conflicting, despite the great capital resources t.nd wireless personnel equivalent tn American’s. She cannot compote with powerful organisations under united control supported by the American overnment at homo and abroad. The conference doubtless considered ibis matter and presumably llritain will give a lead to the Dominions, hut British individualism may render impassible a combination of resources necessary to enable the empire to obtain some share of the eommunieati ins America now influences. Nevertheless i solution is the placing in commercial lands of Britain's external telegraphs id telephones and combining wireless and cables as a public utility companies. The imperial communications hoard resembling a communications committee and including representatives of llritain, the dominions and the colonics should he formed to protect the public and regulate the rates, which should he the lowest possible to ensure a fair return for the capital; also to determine stragetic questions by wireless and cable. .Moreover the Utility company should have the active support of the Imperial Government in exlending British influence in world communications.