SECRET WIRELESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14924, 23 February 1912, Page 4

SECRET WIRELESS.

THE FEDERAL INSTALLATION. RETICENCE OF THE MINISTER. Sydney, February 14. The Commonwealth Government is busily carrying on its wireless station in the Melbourne Domain, and proceeding with the erection of other stations; and still the electrical world is unaware what system is being used.by the recently-imported wireless expert. Representatives of the wireless companies in Australia are anxious to find out what ■ apparatus is installed in the Melbourne sta- \ tion, and the Commonwealth officials are anxious that nothing should be known about the" plant. It may be asked: What is the reason for all this hide and seek ? To begin with, wireless telegraphy has as many patents connected with it as a sewing machine type-setting machine, and motor ear combined; and, as all the companies are interested in one or more of these patents, they are anxious to see that the Government is not utilising their property without just payment for it. The Postmaster-General (Mr. Frazer) has adopted a peculiar attitude in regard to the whole affair. He has talked much I about what the Government would do. It would deal fairly with the patentees' of any of the plant it was using on behalf of the people of Australia, and the Commonwealth Government would pay for any in- I : fringements. That seems fair enough, but the trouble comes when the patentees try to prove that they are being exploited by the Government. They might have, a fair idea that their inventions are being use but that is not proved and apparently I the Government is not going to pay for anything without proof. l ' ' After what the Postmaster-General has said it would be thought that ho was in- ! viting the patentees to step in and see if ! any of their ideas were being used. Such i however is not the case. The plant at ! the Melbourne station is better guarded i than the harem of a sultan. It Tin J ' buck building, and nobody is allowed! near the place without a permit. At the I official opening only ladies and hi"h offi- I cials were privileged to see the inner' work- i ing of the plant, Nobody connected with I wireless is allowed a peep at the instal- : lation. " j The representatives of the wireless com 1 pames in Melbourne state that they an- ' phed through their solicitors for permis- • Rion to view the plant, but ftiey received no answer. The Postmaster-General claims that no such request has come to hand, and that when it does the Government will deal with it. The general impression in Melbourne however, is that as long as the Govern' ment can carry on their stations in secret they will, and thus avoid any inconvenience of having to answer for infringe ment. ° <