CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1911, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

WIRELESS STATIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND. TO THE EDITOE. Sir, — I notice in a recent issue of youa 1 paper an advertisement of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, warning the public a& to infringement of their patents taken out in New Zealand. The necessity of having to publish such a warning has made me look into the reason for it, and I iind from the newspaper Press Association report, published on 11th inss., that the New Zealand Government is about to take up the system of the Gesellschaft fur Drahtlose Tele^ graphic, known as the Telefunken Wireless System. 1 feel compelled to ask the courtesy of an opportunity of calling I public attention to this matter, and to i ask why it is thai New Zealand, one of ' tho most Imperialistic of the British colonies, and the first to step forward when the Mother Country looks to her possessions for assistance, should adopt a wireless telegraph system different to that approved of by the British Government, and the same as that installed in the German navy. I find on making enquiries that the only reason the New Zealand Government has for adopting the German system is that it is cheaper than the Marconi system, which has been adopted by tho British Navy,. British Army, British. Post Office, British Mercantile Marine, Canadian Government, South • African Government, and Indian Government. The marvellous possibilities and importance of wireless telegraphy for the protection of life and property in, with or about this Dominion, both in times of peace and hostilities, can hardly be estimated. If the public would only realise that this branch of electrical science will be the most important in future hostilities between nations, and that battles on land and sea may be directed entirely from a central position, perhaps thousands of miles away from the field of combat, they would come to the conclusion, as I do, that the Governments of all British colonies should be guided by the policy of the Home, War Office or the Admiralty before entering into contracts for- 1 foreign wireless systems. N ' Why does the British Navy now consider it essential to keep entirely secret the wireless apparatus installed on its warships, as well as the adjustments' and arrangements for conducting the nation's wireless services? The wireless cabin on board a British man-of-war is regarded by the captain of the ship as being of more importance than the armaments or engine-room, and even British subjects are debarred from inspecting and investigating the apparatus installed. Germany is at the present time making every effort to establish her own particular system throughout the world, and will have no other system installed within her own Empire or warships. Germany likewise keeps her wireless installations and adjustments of same under the closest secrecy. It should, therefore, be very evident to any Government about ,to install a wireless system for its defence and protection of its shipping, that there must be some special advantage to be gained for defence purposes by having a system installed, the details and adjustments of which can be preserved from the know-, ledge of any possible enemies, and one in which the particular apparatus is manufactured in. British territory by British workmen. The British merchant service seems to bo entirely equipped -with the Marconi system, and in future naval warfare many of the steamers will be converted into cruisers. It would therefore seem important that not only the land stations in the British colonies, but the steamers trading between these colonies and Home ports, should be equipped with a system similar to _ that used on our warships. The Canadian Government has evidently realised the importance of adhering to the British Marconi system, when they have subsidised to the extent of £16.000 two of the largest wireless stations in' tho world, which maintain communication between Canada, and the shores of Great Britain. Is it possible, Sir, that our Government has lost sight of the fact that Great Britain is spending millions every year in increasing the naval and land defences of the Empire, chiefly , because Germany is making enormous increases in her armaments, and is purchasing implements of war, including wireless telegraphy equipments for use on land and sea.? Most of us in New Zealand will realise that the installation of a wireless system in the Dominion similar to that in vogue in the German navy will be a feather in the cap of German diplomacy, deserving merit far greater than any temporary advantage which may accrue to our finances from the saving gained by installing the cheaper German system and' apparatus in New Zealand. — 1 am, etc., IMPERIALIST., 17th February.