SHIPS AT GISBORNE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 82, 18 March 1933, Page 4

SHIPS AT GISBORNE

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. EADIO-TELEPHONE PLANT. Evidence of the initiative of the Gisborne Harbour Board in making provision for racto-telephone communication between ships in the roadstead and the shore is contained in the news of experiments which have only now been commenced in Australia. The Gisborne Harbour Board’s apparatus of a similar nature has now been in constant operation for 18 months, and has rendered such splendid service to overseas shipping that it was the subject of special comment in the chairman’s annual report. The Gisborne plant was designed and constructed entirely by local amateurs. Three sets are available for use, one at the signal station and the others for liners in the roadstead, and it is possible for all three to be used simultaneously. They were first used officially in October, 1921, and since that date have been availed of by every overseas ship that has visited the port. Another unique feature of the equipment is that it permits vessels at sea, not only to communicate with the land station, but also to be connecter with the local telephone exchange and through it with the land telephone system to any part of New Zealand, toll calls to Wellington being frequently made by the masters of visiting ships.