BEAM WIRELESS

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1924, Page 5

BEAM WIRELESS

AUSTRALIAN ADOPTION. HIGH-POWER DISCARDED. FOUND TOO COSTLY. (Received 11.10 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. Mr S. M. Bruce, Prime Minister, in moving the second reading of the Wireless Agreement Bill said that the British Government recommended Australia to proceed with the beam system and at the same time to carry on with the high-power station, but the Federal Ministry had deeided that it would be a mistake to proceed with anything but the beam station. Under the old agreement it would cost £500,000 to erect a high-power station to provide the service, while under the new agreement the capital cost would not exceed £120,000, and he believed it would be considerably less. The new agreement stipulated a service of 50 words a minute and a sevenihour day for 300 days a year, against 20 words 12 hours and 300 days under the old agreement. The Amalgamated Wireless Company Tiad been released from its obligation to provide high-power reciprocal stations in Britain and Canada and thus would only control the service from the Australian end. The other end would be controlled by the British Government. Mr W. G. Gibson, Postmaster-Gen-eral, was now negotiating with the British Government regarding the costs and if successful the rates would be as follows:—Full rate 2s, deferred Is, week-end 6d, Government Is, Press sd, and deferred Press 3d. The service should be operating in

nine or ten months,

The debate was adjourned. —A. and