BY WIRELESS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1190, 27 July 1911, Page 4

BY WIRELESS.

FIRSTPU^S^ mEDIN

Ail important development in telegraphy took place yesterday as far as New Zealand is concerned, when the Post and Telegraph Department intimated to the public that if was prepared to .accept messages for transmission by wireless. Only n few weeks ago a steamer crossin.' the Pacific Ocean from ban l;rancisco to Yokohama never lost touch ot land the whole voyage, and in Wellington a few nights ago, a wirclefs expert who was "on the listen caught messages being sent from Fiji lo the Australian coast. "Freak nights" occur now and again when instruments which catch up to 1200 ordinarily catch messages from as far oil' as 2500 miles. The lowpower station in Wellington, thought to be good up to 600 or 800 miles, has heard Svdnev "talking," and the writer his heard the Challenger 1300 miles away to the east of Wellington "chatting to U.M.S. Pioneer in kelson. At present the following steamers trading to New Zealand are equipped: Maitai, Aorangi, Alhenic, Tainui, Corinthic, lonic, liuahiilc, Uotorua, Arawa, Zealandia, Mnkura, Marama, and tho vessels of his Majesty's Navy in these waters. The Department has decided to 'make a charge of lOd. per word (of which tho ship is to receive 'Id.), and messages from sea will bo delivered to address given by telegraph messenger. So far only the Wellington wireless office is open for businrss, but people resident elsewhere in New Zealand may send messages to vessels with which communication can be established by paying the ordinary telegraphic rates between any point and Wellington. It is understood that the Department will post up outside the General Post Oflioe each morning the vessels that are within range of communication by wireless each day.