WIRELESS FOR EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 7

WIRELESS FOR EMPIRE.

OBSTACLES TO CO-OPERATION ' DOMINIONS' "CONTRACTS. A. and N.Z. - LONDON, May 9The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that Sir W. Joynson | Hicks, Postmaster-General, in carrying; out the Government's recently declared '■ policy in favour of both the Post Office ; and private enterprise, providing direct) wireless communication with India and, the Dominions, is encountering difhcul- : ties. He has been conferring with the I Marconi Company's directors with a view to their co-operation with the Govern- j ment in conducting Empire wireless j plants, but no solution has been reached. | The company has contracts for the pro- J vision of high-power stations in Britain j with Canada, South Africa, and Austra- ■ lia. These are not variable without the Dominions' consent. Sir Joynson Hicks wants to establish effective competition between the Post Office and private enterprise. Partnership ! with the Marconi Company on the Aus- ■ tralian plan is ruled out, and anything j like a monopoly is beyond discussion. j There remain two coursesfirst, re- j gional division; secondly, centralised con- ' trol by co-operation. It would not be ''■ advantageous to try to separate the Em- , pire from world wireless, and the only alternative appears to be co-operation and j centralisation of all wireless. Unless prac- j tical decisions are speedily reached, wire- | less, instead of being a factor in Empire j unity, may become a source of irritation t and misunderstanding. I