WIRELESS STATIONS.

Northern Advocate, 31 January 1922, Page 7

WIRELESS STATIONS.

A WANT I CLOSED AT NIGHT

A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE

A report that the Awanui wireless ration was closed down from 8 o'clock at night to 8 o'clock in the morning was mentioned in the House of Representatives last week by Mr F. N. Biirtiair. (Grey Lynn), who asked the Po«t-master-Geqeral (Hon J. G. Coates) "hether this was the case. Mr Bartram said that everybc Iv recognise the poetical demonstration of the lif« ; -sav ing possibilites of wireless telegraphy a Horded by the rescue of the crew of the Helen B. Sterling. It had been rumoured, however, that owing to ihe

economy campaign, the station Wc'» being 1 closed down nigh>ly. It was .-aid that the first message from the distressed ship was not picked up at Awaimi until the station opened in the morning, am' that if the station had been all night a message might have b'i-;:i picked up much earlier. Mr Coates said that the Awanui station was being closed from 11 p.m. until S a.m. The Auckland station came on at the hours that Awanui went off. Tim Auckland station had a receiving radius of about one thousand miles. It could ,>oi send to that distance, but if a message of distress was received, Auckland, immediately communicatc.d with Awr.nui, with which it was in communication by telephone and telegraph. The Auckland station had not received -my message of distress from the Sterling. Awanui had opened at eight in the morning and had received a call at 8.17. H« did not know what time the iirst message was sent out by the Helen B. Sterling. Wireless cost New Zcauia.l £4000 a year, and there was an installation at Samoa in addition. The Government realised that it could not be made a commercial concern, but it i measure of safety and must be retake 1 as such. A high-power oil engine ban to be run all the time that Awanui was

cpen. It was a matter of economy to close the station at night, and his advisers informed him that the arrangement in operation provided a sufficient measure of safety. The position being carefully watched, for the Gov crriment realised that it was neces.-ruy that distress signals should be pieced un from reasonable distances between hero and Australia. If the station wns situated where hydro-electric power could be used, the cost, of constant watching would not be great. He willed to assure the House that if experience proved that these low-power stations displayed any weakness, or failed to pick up messages sent out for help, the high-power stations would at once be put on and kept going. Mr E. .T. Howard (Christchurch South') —Could you not put one on at Lake Coleridge?

LMr Coates said that, as there wa< no Rial ion there, and as they would hpve to obtain complete, apparatus and install it, he did not think it would be worth while. The idea was to have a station at Waimarino where it won! 1 1)0 .strategically safe. He did not knoAv whether Lake Coleridge or Horabora would fulfil those requirements. He repeated his assurance that if it shouTil prove necessary the high-power stations would again be put on continuously.