WIRELESS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17922, 16 November 1923, Page 9

WIRELESS.

VITAL TO EMPIKE. VIEWS OF DOMINIONS. (BT CABLE-PRESS ASSOCIATION COPS3IGBI.) Cbeittze'b telegrams. ■) LONDON, November 14. _ In speeches delivered at the Economic* Conference on November 9th, in connexion < with wireless communication*. Mr Bruce said he did no* share the view of Canada and South Africa that the wireless stations to be established in Britain were a question for the -British Government alone. He maintained that it was a great Imperial question. Cheap, effective communication was vital to the Empire. Rapidity or communication was perhaps the mos serious consideration. i ailing 11 ->> many things they were attempting to do at the Conference in the matter ot trade would inevitably not be realisable. If a greatly increased service or news could be provided much would be done in the direction of getting greater unity of thought in the Empire. Furthermore, efficient and cheap wireless would promote migration, enabling migrants to maintain contact with old associations. Cables were a serious drawback from the defence viewpoint, owing to the fact that they could be cut. The problem of closer Imperial consultations on foreign policy was only soluble by improvement in communications. Other tuitions were sending far more news abroad than Britain, henco the problem did not brook delay. Another serious factor increasing the difficulty of the Empire in obtaining the position it ought to hold was the wave-lengths already reserved, and more would be reserved with the constant erection of new stations. The present position was most alarmI ing. There was only one possible sound and sane way of meeting it. Since the British Government had decided to build a station, then Australia was entitled to say that licenses should bo issued for the erection of other stations in Britain. These should be operated under a pooling arrangement. It was imperative that the whole case should have the fullest publicity. If it is impossible to thus ascertain the facts, an impartial authority must be appointed to investigate the whole situation. When it issued its finding, no Government or outside people would be able to resist the pressure of the people of Britain and the Dominions to prevent future wireless being held up hgcauso of a quarrel which apparently was at present extraordinarily intense. Mr Massey said it was impossible for New Zealand to do anything of nmch value pending definite action by Britain. He asked, when was the British Post Office going to make up its mind? Mr Massey said that he unhesitatingly favoured the Empire against private control, and stated that it was his opinion that wireless would j be eventually cheaper* and more efficient than cable, i He urged the authorities in Britain to bestir themselves. Sir William . Mcintosh said that South Africa having entered into a contract, he did not consider that it had any status to interfere with anything' Britain might wish to do. Mr C. A. Innes, on behalf of India, said that while agreeing that Britain's wireless policy was entirely a matter for the British Government, he hoped that when India's high-power station was erected, it would not ibe held up by lack of adequate reciprocating arrangements in Britain. Sir L. Worthington-Evans declared that the British station would he operating by the end of 1924. He dwelt on the difficulties of reaching an agreement with Marconi and Co. Either they had to yield to pressure from the Marconi Company, which was tantamount to granting them a monopoly t or to .resist it. Sir L. Worthington-Evans went on to say that Marconi's had not yet refused his offer to erect a Government station to communicate with South Africa and Canada and permit them to erect two stations for communication elsewhere in the Empire, but they had been putting pressure by propagandaupon all of the delegates to the Conference. Mr Bruce interrupted, declaring that the Marconi Company never had tried to influence him. Sir L. Worthington-Evans: The real point is, are we prepared to gitfe tho Marconi Company a virtual monopoly? Mr Massey: That can only be answered in the negative. Sir L. Worthington-Evans went on tj say he was confident the Marconi Company would recognise the fairness of the Government's offer, and that a monopoly was out of the question, otherwise the British Government must consider the erection of further stations. He preferred to see the Government and a private firm co-operat-ing. A resolution in favour of establishing an Imperial service as quietly as possible was adopted on the motion of Mr Bruce. [A message sent out from London on November 11th said the Post Office had bought 950 acres of land near Rugby on which to erect the world's largest wireless station.]