WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 39, 15 February 1921, Page 8

WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA

STATION FOR. THE OUT-BACK.

(»SOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

SYDNEY, 9th February.

The Postmaster-General's Department is > actively interesting itself in the de-^ velopment of wireless, and important proposals are receiving consideration. The new Imperial, trans-ocean scheme, under which there is provision for a highpowered station in Australia, has already been commenced in England. There are to be hig stations in England, Cairo, India, Singapore, Canada, and Australia. The stations are now being designed by a special commission, and the English and Eorvptian stations, are actually being erected. It is expected that the Australian station will be located in West Australia. This system will link up with Africa, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands stations. r

A series of radio stations is proposed for those inland parts of Australia where it would be too expensive to erect telegraph or telephone lines. A new regulation allows private installations of this character, and the Department is to provide public stations to collect traffic from the private stations. ' Such private stations are now being provided by biff station-owners in Northern West Australia and in the .remote back of Queensland. In thejj cases, where the annual revenue is short of the annual charges, the Department will make up 75 per cent, of the deficiency. Small isolated communities, of which there are many in this country, will, of course, be allowed to erect their own stations in the same way. The Government has adopted a liberal policy in this matter, and is encouraging 'and assisting the establishment of private stations.

The Department has- been keeping closely in touch with' wireless-telephony development, but this new style of communication is not vet considered to be far enough advanced-to provide a satisfactory service on a commercial basis.