WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17072, 17 February 1921, Page 10

WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA.

STATIONS TOR THE OUTBACK. (TROII OUR OWS CORRESPONDENT.I SYDNEY/ February 0. ■ The Postmaster-General's department is actively interesting itself in tho development of wireless, and important proposals are receiving consideration. The new Imperial, trans-ocean scheme, under which there is provision for a high-powered station in Australia, has already been commenced in England. There are to be big .stations in England, Cairo l India, .Singapore, Canada, and Australia. The stations are now being designed by a special commission, and the JjiiglisCi end Egyptian stations are actually oeiuy ereiled. It is expected that tne Australian station will be located in \vest Australia. This system will link up with African, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands stations. A series of radio stations is proposed for those inland parts of Australia where it would be too expensive to erect telegraph or telephone lines. A new regulation allows private installations of this character, and the Department is to provide public stations to collect traffic from the private stations. Such private stations are "low being provided by big station-owners in Northern West Australia and in the remote back of Queensland. In these cases, where the annual revenue is short of the annual charges, the Department will make up 75 per cent, cf the deficiency. Small isolated communities—of which there are many in this country —will, of course, be allowed to erect their own stations in tho same way. The Government.has adopted a liberal policy in this matter, and is encouraging and assisting the establishment of private stations. The Department has been keeping closely in touch with wireless telephony idevelopments, but this netv style of communication is not yet considered to be far enough advanced to proriilo a satisfactory service on a commercial basis.