The Busy Radio

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 162, 12 July 1939, Page 3

The Busy Radio

SHIP TO SHORE A world-wide system of radio communication is provided by the stations operated by the New Zealand Post Office. Passenger liners on the route between the Dominion and England are never out of touch with New Zealand messages being exchanged throughout the whole voyage. Similarly, the transTasman liners carry on a fairly large exchange of telegraphic traffic, though the volume is smaller than other classes of ship-to-shore radio traffic owing to the fact that the radio-telephone is available for communication between the “Awatea" and thp shore. That the ship-to-shore radio business has reached substantial proportions is shown by the figures for the past year when 31,087 messages were handled by the New Zealand radio stations. . A special concession for ship-to-shore messages came into force in September, 1936, with extremely encouraging results, as the traffic for last year compared with that for 1936 shows an increase of 71 per cent., equal to 12,907 messages. Tho biggest factor in this increase ha§ been the ship-letter-telegram service, enabling passengers travelling on most of the important shipping routes to make easy contact with the Dominion. Passengers on ships in tho intercolonial run, as well as subsidised mail steamers operating between New Zealand, San .Francisco, and Vancouver, are able to transmit a radio message from the ship to a Now Zealand address at the rate of 2s 6’ for ten words, and 3d for each additional word. Passengers on all other vessels, including the liners running between New Zealand and England, may send a ship-letter-telegram at any point of the inward or outward voyage at the rate of 5s for twenty words, and 3d for each additional word. These messages are telegraped on the inland lines iij New Zealand so that they < in be delivered by post on the morning following Jodgmont with the ship's wireless officer. Last year the ship-letter-telegram traffic alone reached the following proportions: From overseas ships - 61,638 words From N.Z. and Australian ships 7,953 words Total 69,591 words These figures compared with the previous j r ear show an improvement of over 37 per cent, or 19,091 words.