GALLANT WIRELESS MEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 524, 29 November 1928, Page 9

GALLANT WIRELESS MEN

SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA PLEA IN THE COMMONS British Official TV-ire leas IiUGBY, Tuesday. The matter oL' safety of life at sea was under consideration to-day in the Mouse of Commons. Sir Robert Thomas, Liberal member for Anglesou, asked the President of the Hoard of Trade, Sir Philip CunliffeLister, whetlxer, with a view to affording wireless operators on board ships a chance of saving their own lives when their ships had to be abandoned, lio would order investigations to be held to devise means by which the wireless apparatus could bo set to tap out automatically an S.CXS. signal and the latitude and longitude of the vessel. Sir Philip replied that he was advised there would probably be no diilic ulty in devising such an instrument, but’lie thought that in ordinary cases it would be of very little use. as it would bo in operation for a very short time. Moreover, it w’ould have no provision for receiving messages in reply from ships going to the rescue. Wireless operators had behaved with tremendous gallantry and by remaining at their posts had not merely sent out s.O.S. calls, but had received messages from ships going to the rescue. His department would be glad at any time to discuss the value of any automatic apparatus, but the difficulties must be borne in mind. The Minister was then asked ■whether ho would consider making it compulsory for every passenger vessel to c-arrv at least one motor-lifeboat equipped with wireless and a wireless 1C tqj.' I‘liilip said these questions would considered at the International Conference on the Safety of Life at Sea, which would take place next spring.