N.Z. CABLE SERVICE

Grey River Argus, 16 March 1932, Page 5

N.Z. CABLE SERVICE

CENTRED AT AUCKLAND Wellington Loses Line (Per Press Association;. AUCKLAND, March 15. With the object of effecting economics in the cable services, preparations are being made to close the Wellington Office of the Pacific Cable Board, which is associated with the Imperial and International Communications Limited. The Wellington-Sydney cable is to be operated from Auckland, instead of from Wellington, and, to give effect to this policy, the New Zealand end of the cable is to be removed from Wellington to Auckland. The transfer of the shore end of the cable from Wellington to Auckland represents a work of considerable magnitude. The intention is to bring it into Muriwai Beach at approximately the point where the Pacific Cable Board at present receives its AustralianAuckland cable. The work will be carried out by the cable steamer “Record-

er ’’ formerly the “Tris,” which is now at Auckland preparing for sea. The initial preparations include the removal of her spare cables to the shore, leaving her tanks free to receive the cable, which will have- to be taken up from the ocean bed prior to re-laying.

It is expected the Recorder will sail abowt the middle of next week for Wellington. Her first task ■will be to take up a considerable portion of the existing cable formerly operated by the Eastern Extension Company. After disconnecting th« Wellington end, the cable will be lifted from the bed of the ocean for several hundreds of miles out to sea, and will be stowed temporarily in the cable tanks on the steamer. When sufficiently distant from the land, the steamer will alter her course to a uorthly direction, paying out cable as she proceeds, until the coast at Muriwai is reached. There the end of the cable will be taken on shore, and a new land line will connect the cable with the Pacific Cable Board’s offices in the chief Post Office. Whe n the work is completed, the Board will operate four cables from its Auckland office, namely, two submarines to Australia, the Suva cable, and the line to Norfolk Island.