WIRELESS SETS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 August 1928, Page 8

WIRELESS SETS

ABUSE OF MONOPOLY (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, August 25. ’l'lie British Patent Office announces that a special tribunal has heard the Loewe Radio Coy.’s applications for either a compulsory license under, or a revocation of five letters patent owned by the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company and the British Thomson Houston Company. The tribunal is satisfied that an abuse of these companies’ monopoly rights has been established, and it has decided that the applicants should be granted a license, they paying in future royalties of ten shillings for each triple-valve receiving radio set, and 7/6 each for their double valve sets, subject to a condition under which the parties are allowed twentyone days to settle. The Loewe Coy., claimed that wireless receiving sets equal to the threevalve ones could be made and sold in Britain for thirty shillings each, and, eventually under mass production for twenty-five shillings apiece. The wholesale price of these sets in Geimany is 25/-, and the retail price 39/6. Royalties amounting to £35,000 were paid to the Telefunker Company in Germany in 1927. The Loewe Coy. is prepared to pay equivalent royalties to Marconis, and are also anxious immediately to transfer theii* manufacture to Britain.

The Comptroller-General and the Assistant-Comptroller in announcing this decision, are of the opinion that the royalties charged of 37/6 on the Loewe triple valve sets, and 62/6 on the long-range sets are overhigh. The respondents insisted on these royalties and thus with their refusal of more reasonable terms, prejudice the establishment of a new British industry. A commercial policy excluding large sections of the public from the full enjoyment of broadcasting is not justifiable.