WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 140, 10 December 1909, Page 7

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

THE MAKURA COMMUNICATES WITH VANCOUVER. By Telejjraph.— Preai Association.— Copyright. SYDNEY, 9th December. Word has been received here to the effect that the Union Company's steamer Makura, on which wireless telegraph apparatus has been installed, communicated with Vancouver when 1320 miles distant, signalling " All well 1"

In connection with the Wireless Telegraphy Conference, to be held in Melbourne on the 15th instant, and which has been called by the Commonwealth Government, the question of linking up Australia with the British possessions in the Western Pacific will be considered. Such a scheme would connect Queensland, Papua, Solomon Islands, Ocean Island, Tonga, Raratonga, and New Zealand with the "wireless" station which the Federal Government is about to erect at Sydney. There is also before the Government (states the Melbourne Argus) the wider scheme, embracing island possessions of other Powers, which was submitted by the representative of the Pacific RadioTelegraph Company. In this connection the question has arisen as to whether it is desirable to establish the system under international control, quits apart from the merits of fhe scheme, upon which the Governments concerned are disposed to look favourably. At the conference the Imperial authorities will be represented by Sir Everard im Thurn, High Commissioner of the Western Pacific. The conference will have three broad questions to consider. First, whether the international scheme submitted, embracing 23 stations, should be adopted. Second, whether an "all red" system, as outlined, end controlled jointly by the Imperial, Australian, and New Zealand Governments, would prove sufficiently comprehensive, and whether the technical and financial aspects of the scheme are satisfactory. Third, whether Australian needs would bo met by the establishment of stations at Cape York, (Queensland), and at Port Moresby, Papua. 4 In view of the Australian opinion that the control of the Western Pacific must pass, sooner or later, whether wholly or partly, into the hands of the Commonwealth, the last ' and most limited proposal would (remarks the Argus) seem too narrow. If the conference should take that view, then its task would become at once the consideration of an "all-red" system, as opposed to the international proposals, in which the ad\antages of the wider scheme would "have to be weighed against any objections that might be 6een to a divided control. The consideration or the varying proposals will open to some extent the Droblem of what part Australia is to play in the development of the Western Pacific, a problem which is rapidly approaching the stage of practical politics. Mr. J. K. Logan, Superintendent of Electric Lines, will represent New Zealand at the conference.