HOPE FOR WIRELESS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 6

HOPE FOR WIRELESS

Our position as an outlying part of the Empire and our smallness compared with Australia, Canada, South Africa, and India apparently iuake it necessary that we should trail behind the bigger and more populous Dominions in tjie devel-' opment of wireless communication; but we do not wish to be too far behind. It is satisfactory, therefore, to observe that Mr. Massey intends to submit to Cabinet definite proposals for the erection and equipment of a high-power wireless station linking New Zealand with London and other Empire centres. His reference to this plan contains no details, but the terms suggest that direct communication is; now proposed, and not dependence upon any other Dominion by.. means of a chain .'scheme. Previously we were told that New Zealand could not complete her plans until Great Britain had adopted a. definite scheme-. The Imperial Conference, despite outspoken protests by Mr. Bruce, was unable to remove the difficulties impeding the adoption of such a scheme, and only this week we were informed that an agreement with the Marconi Company had not yet been concluded. About the same time, however, there was a confident p/ediction that a Labcur Postmaster-General would end this long-standing dispute. Bringing a fresh mind to the problem, he may succeed, if the Labour Government remains in office long enough. Under any circumstances we believe that New Zealand should equip herself so she may take advantage of facilities for world communication when they do become available.