THE TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 31

THE TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT.

SPEECH BY HON. MR RHODES. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. At the opening of the Post Office at Ravensbourno on Friday, the Hon. Mr R.' Heaton Rhodes, Postmaster-general, made some interesting remarks on the work of the Department of Post and Telegraphs. Touching first on wireless telegraphy, ho said that the high power station at Awanui, 120 niece north of Auckland, had been completed. This was a station of 35 kilowatts, the*powcr for which was obtained » from an 80 h.p. gas engine. Tests bad for some time past been made to and from the Pennant Hills station at Sydney, in accordance with the contracts, and would bo continued for some time. They had been fairly satisfactory so far, but ho was making special arrangements for a scries of tests of so searching a character that. there should be little fear that the station would fail on any point when opened. Tho aerial of the- station was suspended from a single mast <IOO feet high, and was of umbrella shape. Tho station at Awarua Plains (near Bluff) would bo similar to that of Awanui. It was expected that this station would bo completed in about two months’ time, when similar tests would bo carried out. These two high power stations, it was anticipated, would bo capable of carrying on wireless communication with Australia at any hour of the day or night. These stations would be of the greatest value, because they would form part of a chain to Australia, India, and England, and it would be possible to be in touch with the British warships in tH 0 Pacific. Ho did not know how far the wireless would be used for commercial purposes. The Postmaster-general of Victoria, who visited New Zealand some months ago, was anxious that it' should be used commercially, and if possible he would arrange a scale of fees, so that it might be so used. At Chatham Islands a low-power station of 2i kilowatts was in course of erection. Buildings were being erected under the supervision of the department’s officers. Tubular steel masts 150 foot high would be scut from Wellington hr a few weeks’ time, and would be followed a little later by the electrical apjmratus. Tho wireless stations at Wellington and Auckland were working very satisfactorily and wero proving a great boon to shipping interests. As already announced, tenders had been called for full automatic telephone exchanges at six places in tho dominion, —viz., Auckland, Wellington. Blenheim, Hamilton, Masterton, and Oamaru. Tenders would close at the beginning of next month. Agents, representing the principal automatic telephone firms of the world, had been in Wellington ascertaining conditions, and there was evidence that there would bo keen competition. Tho now system would bo extended to other places later. A long-distance telephone circuit had just been erected between Auckland and Wellington for tho purpose mainly of telephonic communication. Tho circuit was at present being used for telephone work only after f» p.m., but ft would ultimately be available for bureau purposes at all hours. Conversation over the line was very distinct. Tho department had now under consideration the question of providing a submarine cable across Cook Strait especially adaptable for telephonic purposes. Tho provision of this cable, in conjunction with the modification and extension of existing land lines, would#ronder practicable telephone conversation from Auckland to the Bluff. Attention was being given by telegraph experts in other lands to directprinting telegraph appaTatus. Tho Chief Electrician of tho department, while abroad recently, saw such instruments at work. A machine which tho department had had brought under its notice was claimed to possess very considerable advantages, and the department was obtaining fuller particulars in regard to it. About matter* abroad in which tho public and tho department were properly interested, ho might inform them that the second Pacific cabjo connecting Auckland directly with Sydney was proving of considerable benefit. Communication to and from Australia had been expedited to a marked extent by this additional outlet. Considerable attention was being paid by the department, In its many ramifications, to labour-saving devices. Space had been reserved for a model post and telegraph office at the forthcoming Auckland Exhibition, in which it was intended to show as far as possible how tho business of the department was expedited by tho use of machinery. An automatic telephone exchange set would not be tha least interesting of the exhibits.