WIRELESS CHAIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8341, 30 January 1913, Page 3

WIRELESS CHAIN

AUSTRALIA’S PART IN THE IMPERIAL SCHEME

MELBOURNE, January 24

Commenting to-day on the cable message winch appeared in the press stating that the “Manchester Guardian” had intimated that the self-governing dominions had waived their rights in the wireless agreement, the Accing-Post-master-Generai (Senator Findley) said: “Australia has not hacked out of the agreement. As a matter of fact, every extort has been made during the last three years to perfect wireless installations throughout Australia.” As regards the station at Port Darwin he pointed out that the Marconi Company originally submitted an estimate for the work involving an expenditure of £60,000 for power, mast, and electrical equipment, together with another £60,000 for buildings and accessories, a total of £120,000. The Commonwealth Government found that they could perform the work through their own department for £75,000, but they have since decided to fit up a much more powerful electrical station, and this is now being completed at a cost of £90,000. The surplus power is to be used in the Northern Territory in connection with freezing works, Government laundry, and lighting. The station will have a radius of 2000 miles, touching Singapore on the one hand and Sydney on the other. It will form the apex of a wireless triangle, of which Sydney and Perth will be the termini of the legs. By utilising the surplus electric energy at Port Darwin it is expected that the current will be supplied to consumers at a lower rate than electricity is charged for by the Melbourne City Council, and even then it is estimated that the whole of the cost of the wireless work will bo covered from these private sources. The Darwin station will be capable of communicating with any system which might bo established by the British Government.

Already wireless stations have been provided at Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane, while at Port Moresby the installation will be ready for business on the first of next month. At Townsville and Cooktown the masts for the new stations are already up. and at Rockhampton arrangements are well advanced for completing the equipment. At Geraldton, Esperance, Roeburne, Broome, and Wyndham construction work is actively being pushed ahead, and it is expected that the chain will be completed before the end of the year. The Minister said in conclusion that the shipping aspect of the question was receiving consideration, and six lighthouses were being equipped with wireless, while right round the coast the lighthouses will eventually bo all linked up-