WIRELESS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 107, 22 January 1923, Page 7

WIRELESS

SCHEMES FOR LONG-DISTANCE COMMUNICATION

NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT

URGED

BY Telegraph— pbess association. —Copyeight.

London, January 19.

The Federation of British Industries passed a resolution urging the Government immediately to grant facilities for the rapid development of long-dis-tance wireless communication. It is strongly of opinion that this will be best accomplished by private enterprise. The federation points out that the Dominions favour private enterprise. Wireless experts draw attention to the fact that the Post Office’s schemes include the erection of only one station considerably less powerful than those of tho Dominions for the. traffic of tho whole Empire. . Facilities for transmission from Britain would thus be totally inadequate. The station would not be sufficiently strong to counter atmospheric difficulties. The wireless industry is prepared to undertake the whole work and provide tho large capital necessary, while the Post Office Will bo able to possess stations in emergency. Thus, the State would have all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of a nationalised service.

The federation insists upon an immediate and definite decision regarding the future of wireless in Britain, and points out that other countries have developed wireless facilities far in. advance of Britain. It would be a disaster if the wireless industry were compelled to go abroad owing to official inertia. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CABLE DUPLICATION OR WIRELESS? DIVIDED OPINION ON PACIFIC BOARD London, January 19. There is dissension among the Australian members of the Pacific Cable Board regarding the advisability of erecting an experimental wireless station at Fiji in lieu of the duplication of the cable from Fiji to Vancouver. Sir James Allen, with the majority of the board, favours the erection of the station, declaring his belief that it will be a valuable insurance against a complete interruption of the service in the event of the cable breaking, which is preferable to duplication or relaying, which must be undertaken sooner or later, besides facilitating the dispatch of messages. . Sir Joseph Cook and Sir Timothy Coghlan strongly oppose the proposal, believing that the station, if made permanent, is opposed to economy, involving stationing a costly staff on the islands and a repetition of messages to Sydney, thereby occasioning delay and a substantial increase in costs. Both Sir Joseph and Sir Timothy preferably favour direct wireless to Australia and New Zealand, thus obviating the objections raised. Tho matter was discussed at the last meeting of the board, which did not alter tho substance of a previous decision to proceed with the Fiji scheme, which is purely experimental. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.