WIRELESS ON SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 93, 14 January 1926, Page 8

WIRELESS ON SHIPS

THE POSITION OF OFFICERS. Sir,—Many of the officers on the small boats around the coast arc over forty-five years of age, and the recent test for wireless signalling, at the rate of ten words per minute is not at all fair to them, and is almost impossible of attainment to men of that age. Indeed some are over fifty, and some close on sixty years of age, and the powers of brain and concentration decline with declining years. Now, in the Marine Department’s own issue of the “New Zealand Nautical Almanac” for 1926, on page 226, we read the following: “A ship in distress, should therefore transmit the first S.O.S. signal for a minute at a rate of about five ■words per minute, special attention being given to the sending of long, clear dashes. All stations taking part in repeating a distress call should, when making the actual S.O.S. signal, transmit at a rate of five words per minute.” Now, a signal such as “We are sinking! Send help,” is a minute one, and latitude and longitude, can be sent in another minute. We have the distress call and ship’s position in two minutes, which should be good enough for anything. So why do the Marine Department impose a quicker test, and one impossible of attainment to men over middle age, though it is all right for youths? Nor is any mention made of extra pay for this added duty put on to ships’ officers, whose requirements are manifold now. But it has apparently been agreed lo by the secretary of the Merchant Service . Guild—the man who looks after our interests. Fancy an extra duty being imposed upon' sailors and firemen, without extra pay, and a union official agreeing to it. But now that I have shown that such a severe test of wireless is not at all necessary, what is our secretary going to do about it?—l am, etc., S S SHIP’S OFFICER.

Wellington, January 11, 1926.