WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15563, 19 September 1912, Page 3

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

PROGRESS OF NEW-ZEALAND SYSTEM.

(Fnou Quit Own Coreesfoxdekt.)

AUCKLAND, September 17.

In a few weeks' time, exactly how long depends a good deal upon weather conditions, tlie wireless station at Awaniri Bay, North Auckland, will bo in operation. This installation is so far tho best tiling in wireless which Now Zealand has got, and it compares very favourably with tho Pennant Hills" station, Sydnoy, and the high-powered one 'at Pwanantlc, 'J'lie installation at Awanui is a 30 kilowatt one, and will bo ablo to "speak" to Sydnoy all day and all right. This station is tho northern link in the Australasian chain. Tlio southern link, which will.complete tlio circuit, will bo at Bluff, and this is now -under construction. It will take some six months to complete, and will bo built on almost identical plans with Uic northem station, and will bo of tlio samo power. At tho end of this week experiments will bo mado with tlio plant now being erected on the top of tho now Chief Post Office. It is a low-powered station, but good resulte are expected from it under yood working conditions. On a still night, for instance, it is rrtrito within tho bounds of possibility that the Pennant Hills station will bo icard and replied to qirilo distinctly. For ordinary whipping puqxwcs, howover, tho local station will no doubt provo amply powerful enough.

Tlio work of linking up tlio islands lying out from New Zealand by means of ,a system of law-powered wireless, stations has not, ns many suppose, been lost Bight of by tlio Government. Thcro was an agitation soino timo ago for the establishment of a wireless station at the Cliatliams, and it was also suggested that the Cook Islands should bo similarly connected. Plans and estimates of this schemo aro now being prepared, and tlio preliminary surveys made.

Wen the Bluff, Awanui, and Tinakori Hills illations aro in operation the plant at Now Brighton, near Cliristchirrch, will bo iai tailed, and this will bo tlio station which will bo used for the direct communication being set np between Uiesc- island groups and New Zealand. These islands liavo iio cablo connection, and tho mail cervices aro both irregular and infrequent. Willi the approaching completion of 6cvoraJ ■wireless stations in tho dominion it has been suggested that tho Telegraph Department would havo lo fnco a problem in finding suitablo operators Tot tho various stations. Tlio problem, howover, lias been automatically solved by the officers of tho department themselves. Wireless telegraphy ami its study has been such an interesting snbject that already there aro qtiitc a largo number of men in tho service who have become cflicicnl, if not in practice, at least in the theory of the otheroal science. From these men tho department is now enabled te draw ft good supply of capable operators, their practical oxpo.rio.nco having been gained by a short course of study at tho Wellington Post Oflico ns opportunity occurred. In all probability tho operators for tho Auckland Post Office station will be Wellington men, and an opportunity Anil lm given within tlio next few nionlhs lo several Auckland officers who have an inclination te enter the field of tho latest telegraphic scicmco te gain practical oxperienco.