UP-TO-DATE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 93, 26 April 1913, Page 5

UP-TO-DATE.

WIRELESS AND TELEPHONY LONG-DISTANCE MESSAGES. Dunedin, April 25. At the opening of the Post Office at Rritfcnsbourne to-day, the Hon. 11. Heaton-llhodes (Postmaster-General), made some interesting remarks on the work of the Department of Post and Telegraph. Touching on wireless telegraphy, he said the station at Awanui, North \ Auckland, which now is completed, was of 35 kilowatts power. Tests had for some time past been made to and from Pennant Hills station, Sydney, in acordance with contracts, and would be continued for some time. They had been fairly satisfactory so far, but he was making special arrangements for a series of tests of so searching a character that there should be little fear that the station would fail in any point when opened. The. station at Awarua Plains (near the Bluff) would be similar to that of Awanui. He expected that this station would be completed in about two months, when similar tests would be carried out. These two high-power stations, it was anticipated, would be capable of carrying on wireless communication with Australia at any hour of the day or night. He did not know how far wireless would be used for commercial purposes. The Post-master-General of Victoria, who visited New Zealand some months ago, was anxious that it should be used commercially, and, if possible, he would arrange a scale of fees so that it might be so used.

AUTOMATIC EXCHANGES. Tenders have been called for full automatic telephone exchanges at six places in the Dominion, viz., Auckland, Wellington, Blenheim, Hamilton, Masterton, and Oamaru. Tenders would close at the beginning of next month. Agents representing the principal automatic telephone firms of the world had been in Wellington ascertaining the conditions, and there was evidence that there would be keen competition. The new system would be extended to other places later. The new long-distance telephones between Auckland and Wellington had been working only after 6 p.m., but would ultimately be available for bureau purpose^, at all hours." ,1 • The Department had now under consideration the question of providing ■a stflMafine cable across Cook Strait, especially adaptable for telephoning purposes. The, providing of this cable In' jconjunqtipp 1 with a pipdification of the extension of existing land values, would render practicable telephone ' conversation' fryifi Auckland to! the Bluff? ’ 11 O 1 '

LATEST' IN' ftitEGR'iPHY: u *‘ M

Attention was being given by telegraph experts in other countries to direct printing by telegraph apparatus. was. obtaining full information in regard to the matter. ’' J; :

Considerable attention was being paid by the Department to labor-sav-ing devices. Space had been reserved for a model post and telegraph office at the forthcoming Auckland Exhibition, in which it was intended to show as far as possible how the business of the Department was expedited by the use of machinery. An automatic telephone exchange set would not be the least interesting of the exhibits.