WIRELESS TELEPHONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20725, 19 November 1930, Page 10

WIRELESS TELEPHONE.

BRITAIN TO NEW ZEALAND, SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATION, MR. FORBES TALKS TO FAMILY, EARLY USE BY PUBLIC. [by telegraph.—press association \ CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday. The first private conversation bv wire, less telephone between Britain and New Zealand took place this evening, when the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W Forbes, and Mrs Forbes spoke from London to members of their family a t their home at Cheviot. Tho call came from GBP, Rugby, a fi 9.15 p.m. It was received by VLW, Wellington, transmitted by the Cook Strait telephone to the Christehurch exchange and thence through the Cheviot exchange to Mr. Forbes* home. The return speech was transmitted by VLW to 2ME, Sydney, from which it was picked up by GBP, Rugby. After a -little early difficulty t) IQ speakers at each end were able to hear and recognise tho voices at the other end as easily as in ordinary telephone conversation. Within the past few weeks many tests of the system have been made. When it is perfected, probably in less than a week, the wireless telephone will be mad® available to the public. TALK TO WELLINGTON. CONVERSATION' WITH MINISTERS. [BV TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A small gathering in Parliament Buildiugs, Wellington, took part in convcrsa. tions for nearly an hour this evening with the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes, and his party in London. London and Wellington were in constant touch by means of wireless telephone. The occasion was unique, /or it marked what was probably a record long distance wireless telephone connection. Although at times the voices faded, tho reception.at each end was remarkably clear. On many occasions those in Wellington might have been speaking to someone on the opposite side of the street, and sometimes the voice from London, coming through with great force, could be heard all over the room. Those in the room waited anxiously for several minutes and then a bell at the elbow of the acting-Prime Minister, the Hoi). E. A. Ransom, rang. Mr. Ransom lifted the receiver and said: "HuJlo, George, how are you ?" Th# voice at the other end replied: "Hullo, good morning." Mr. Ransom was able to tell the • Prime Minister about a cablegram he had received from London | that morning. Mr. Forbes said he had just returned from Scotland arjd that the weather had been very cold. Everyone in the party was well, and they wero looking forward to leaving for NewZealand. "What is the time over there?" Mr. Ransom asked, and the reply „ came back, "Twenty minutes to nine in the morning." Others then had conversation with Mr. Forbes. • Sir. F. D. Thomson, permanent head of tho Prime Minister's Department, asked -what horse won the New Zealand Cup and he was told that the winner was Nightmarch. For nearly an hour others in the room spoke to those in London. Mr. Forbes then leturned to the telejjhone and he spoke briefly to the Minister of the Hon. A, J. Murdoch, whom he told he had visited Smithfield as well as other places identified with the marketing of New' Zealand produce. DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA. PUBLIC SERVICE NEXT WEEK. • (Received November 19, 1.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. IS. The final tests of the wireless telephone between Australia and New Zealand are now being made. The service is expected to be opened for the use of the public on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. There is to be a daily service from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The minimum charge for conversations will be £o for three minutes and £1 for each additional minute.