DIRECT RADIO SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 February 1942, Page 3

DIRECT RADIO SERVICE

NEW ZEALAND AND U.S.A. WELLINGTON, February 23. Direct radio communication between New Zealand and the United States was inaugurated to-day. Appropriate messages were exchanged between the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, and President Roosevelt, and between Mr Fraser and the New Zealand Minister at Washington, Mr Nash.

Mr Fraser’s message to Mr Roosevelt stated: “The inauguration of direct radio communication to-day between New Zealand and the United States enables me to send you a cordial message of greetings and goodwill from the Government and people of New Zealand, and to wish you all good fortune in the days of stress that lie ahead. This further link will, I trust, serve to bind still closer the warm ties of long-standing friendship between the American and New Zealand peoples, and will undoubtedly provide a most valuable means of practical co-operation in the prosecution of the common task to which both peoples have set their hand — the achievement of a complete and lasting victory over the enemies of freedom and democracy.” President Roosevelt’s message to Mr Fraser stated: “My dear Prime Minister: The establishment at this time of a direct radio-telegraph circuit between the United States and New Zealand is another link in the: ever-tightening bonds, between our, two countries. It gives me _ grea + ( pleasure to make use of this new rapid channel of communication to convey to you personally, and, though you, to the people of New Zealand, the warm and fraternal greetings of the American people, and to assure you that we shall leave nothing undone to achieve our common objective of freeing the world once and for all of the forces of aggression.” Mr Fraser’s message to Mr Nash was as follows: “On the occasion of the opening of the direct radio communication channel with the United States, in which you have the honour of being New Zealand’s first Ministerial representative, I send you the warmest greetings from your colleagues in the Government and from the people of the Dominion. I sincerely trust that the new service will not only promote a closer relationship between the Governments and peoples of the two nations, but will also assist them materially in the present struggle for the preservation of the democratic rights and privileges which they now enjoy.” Mr Nash’s message to Mr Fraser reads: “Your message extending the

channels of radio between two of the democracies of the North and South Pacific heralds new possibilities for closer relations between two free countries. The people of this great nation welcome the enterprise which has extended the communications between the peoples of the United States and New Zealand. From the President, with whom you have just exchanged messages; from the Secretary of State; members of Cabinet, under-secretariesj diplomats, manufacturers, chiefs of staff, Government officials, men and women in commerce and transport, and all forms of productions have come messages of appreciation of the achievements of our men, and of good will to your people, accompanied with pledges that the resources of this great nation will be used to assist in the defence of our country, and that they will not rest until the world is free from the menace of aggression, tyranny and oppression. The men and women of New Zealand resident here realise the trials through which you are now passing, and the harder tests which may come, but, with this realisation, is confidence in the strength and will

of our people to face and come through any ordeal. Please convey greetings to all relatives and friends in New Zealand from all New Zealanders here, and say that we, with them, will devote our lives, wherever they may be required, to the cause to which we are pledged until the issue of the present conflict is rightly decided. TO ELIMINATE DELAYS. NEW YORK, February 22. The Radio Corporation of America has announced that direct, radiotelegraph communication between San Francisco and Wellington would be established, with a view to eliminating traffic delays occasioned by the present transmission by way of Australia.