WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1927, Page 7

WIRELESS IN AUSTRALIA

LABOUR OPPOSE AGREEMENT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable AssooiationJ CANBERRA, December 9. In the House of Representatives, following on an acrimonious debate, the House, by 33 to 19, adopted a clause in the Wireless Agreement Act, approving of an agreement between the Commonwealth and Amalgamated Wireless. The Bill was then passed. Mr Brennan said that under the clause in question, the Government was going to give away a fresh service to a company which had done more than anything else to shatter private enterprise so far as wireless was concerned. He urged the Government to retain control itself. Mr Charlton said that wireless is one of the greatest developments of the past half century,' and said that this was the time for the Government to take control. . Mr Theodore said that the proposed payment to the Amalgamated Wireless Coy. in return for its illusory patent rights, was entirely out of proportion, because, through the constantly increasing number of license holders, this company in a few years, would receive almost the sum which it claimed to have paid for the patents, namely, £93,000. Because of the potentialities of wireless, the Government should not invest complete control in. a private company for four years. “When this agreement terminates,” he said, “it may be too late for the Government to reap the benefits of the great pending wireless developments.” Referring to the question of patent rights, Mr Bruce said the Members had asked why the Amalgamated Wireless did not go to Court against those dealers who had infringed its patents. Had such action been taken, 7 they would have complained, and now they complained that the Company would not prove the validity of its claims.

NEW STATION PROPOSAL. SYDNEY, December 10. The president of the association for developing wireless in Australia and New-Zealand announced that he had lodged an application with Mr Bruce, asking permission to establish in Australia a new wireless station for commercial traffic with Britain and other parts of thei world. He states that estimates had been prepared showing it to be commercial- . ly possible to reduce rates of the beam by fifty per cent, below the present charges, and yet run the wireless station at a handsome annual profit. There is sufficient capital behind the new proposal to ensure first-class radio station being established in Australia for world communication. Arrangements are advanced, but nothing can be done until the Federal Government has given permission for. the erection of the station. One of the guarantees to be given to the Government.will be that the station will be so operated that it will give continuous reliable service and not interfere with any other radio station. The object of the promoters is to prevent any combination being made with the controllers of beam wireless and cable companies to maintin high rates for intcr-Empire and international communication. The will ba given a guarantee that all traffics will be handled on a basis which will, produce eight per cent, on the cost of erecting and maintaining of the station, and this will ensure reduction of more than fifty per cent, on the present charges.