AWANUI WIRELESS STATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18465, 28 January 1922, Page 14

AWANUI WIRELESS STATION

. CLOSING DOWN AT NIGHT, THE HON. J. G. COATES’S EXPLANAv TICK. (Fbou Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON,-January 27. A report that tho Awanui wireless station was closed down from 8 o’clock at night to 8 o’clock in the morning was mentioned in the House to-day by Mr F. N. Bertram (Grey Lynn), who asked the. Poatmaatorgeneral (the Hon. J. G. Coates)'whether this was the case, Mr Bertram eaid that everybody recognised the proof ical demonstration of the life-saVing possibilities of wireless telegraphy afforded by the rescue of the crew of tho Helen B. Sterling. It had been rumoured, however, that owing to the economy campaign tho station waa being closed down nightly as stated. It was said that the first message from the distressed ship was not picked np at Awanui until the station opened in the morning, and that if the station hod been open all night a message might have been picked np much earlier. .Mr Coates said that the Awanui station was being closed from 11 o'clock at night until 8 in the morning. The Auckland station came on at the hours that the Awanui station went off. Tho Auckland station had a receiving radius of about 1000 miles. It could not send to that distance, but if a message of distress' were received Auckland iro mediately communicated with Awanui. with which it was in communication by telenhono and telegraph. The, Auckland station had not received any, message of distress from the Helen B. Sterling. Awanui hod opened at 8 in the morning, and had received a call at 8.17. He did not know what time the first messaere was sent ont by the Helen B. Sterling. Wireless coet New Zealand about £4OOO a- year, and there was an installation at Samoa in addition. The Government realised that it could not bo made a commercial concern, but it waa a men sure of safety, and must be retained as such. A high-power oil engine had to be run all the time that Awanui was open. It was a matter of economy 'to close tbe station at night, and hia advisers stated that tho arrangement in operation provided a sufficient measure of safety. The position was being very carefully watched, for the Government realised that it was necessary that distress signals should be picked np from reasonable distances between hero and Australia. If the station were situated where hydro-electrio power could bo used tho coet of constant watching would not b© great. Ho wished to assure the House that if experience showed that thee© low-power stations displayed anv weakness or failed to pick up messages sent out for help, th©, high-power stations would at once be put on and kept going. Mr E. J.. Howard (Christchurch South): Could yon not put one on at Lake Coleridge? ' Mr Coates said that as there yrae no station there, and as- they would have to obtain a complete apparatus and instal ’it. he did not think it would be worth while. The idea, was to have a station at Waimartno, where it. would be strategically safe. He did not know whether Lake Coleridge or Hora-hora would fulfil those requirements. He repented Jiis aeouTnnqc that if it should prove necessary th© high-power stations would again be put on continuously.