WIRELESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 May 1917, Page 8

WIRELESS

SHORTAGE OF OPERATORS. Till': MILITARY SERVICE ASPECT. WELLINGTON. May 11. The shortage of wireless operators Mas mentioned to-day before the Military Service Board, which had before it an appeal made by Amalgamated Wireless. Ltd., on behalf of Hubert Sharland Taylor, who is employed as a radio-telegraphist on a New Zealand steamer. Exemption had been granted in other cases of a similar character. but the Board now asked for further information regarding the supply' of operators and the prospect of releasing men who were members of the First Division,

The local inspector, fur Amalgamated tireless, Ltd. (Mr. Mulholland)

..aid tlnft there was au actual shortage <»f wireless upurulore at the present time. It was essential that ships, espeeially transports l , should be supplied with qualified men. i 1 is company had 110 operators, all single men, but only • fifteen or twenty of them were New Zealanders, and so members of the First Division. 'J he others' were domiciled in Australia. At least live of the New Zealanders were working mi New Zealand transports. Efforts had 1 a>en made to secure additional men without much success 1 . Many learners did not complete their courses. Some had been called up and taken into camp. AU the men who had qualified recently had been engaged h v him for work on New Zealand transports on behalf of the Transport Board. A shortage of operators was similarly acute in Australia.

In answer to a question, Mr. Mulholland said that in the United Kingdom wireless operators were not allowed to enter the Army.

Mr. Mack (a member of the Board) said it appeared that some additional men were qualifying in New Zealand, while at the same time’the number of ships to be served was decreasing. He would like some additional information.

Mr, Mulholland said that the company had considered the desirability of bringing Australian operators to Now Zealand to work on coastal ships. He asked if these men would become liable for military service under the New Zealand military law. The chairman of the Board (Mr. Moorhouse) Skaid these men would retain their Australian status unless thev actually became domiciled here. The Board adjourned the case for a fortnight in order that Mr. Mulholland might supply detailed information regarding the number, of New Zealand operators employed on transports and elsewhere.