WIRELESS INSTALLATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3099, 6 August 1913, Page 6

WIRELESS INSTALLATIONS.

DRAFT REGULATIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 29. Regulations to make it compulsory that the wireless system should be installed on all Now Zealand steamers carrying passengers and engaged in the foreign or 'intercolonial trade, and also on home steamers authorised to carry not less than 50 passengers, have been in preparation by the Marine Department. The Minister of Marine (tire Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) informed your representative this evening that the draft regulations had been submitted to the shipowners whose vessels would be affected by them, and also to the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation, and that replies had been received from them. The Union Company had stated that it had already equipped all its passenger steamers engaged in the foreign or intercolonial trade at a cost of £6OOO per annum, that the ferry steamer Wahino had been equipped, and that the Maori would be equipped before she started running again. The company objected to being required to equip its borne trade steamers, on the ground that their voyages were only of a few hours’ duration, that they wore equipped with Morse-signalling apparatus, that they were seldom more than five miles from land, and that owing to the short masts of some of them it would not be possible to radiate sufficient energy to obtain anything like a range of 100 miles. The company also objected to having to employ a bighly-quali-lied operator for coastal work, and suggested that the regulations should be carried out by the Post and Telegraph Department, and not by the Marine Department. The Northern Steam Ship Company, which owns coastal steamers only, objected to having to instal wireless on its vessels on the ground that its trade was almost entirely confined to tI(C province of Auckland, that steamers were never out of sight of land in the day time, that they were equipped with Morse signalling apparatus, and that during the last 26 years wireless would not have been the means of saving life or property on its steamers. It expressed a hope also that if the Minister intended to bring the regulations into operation lie would first receive a deputation from the Ship-owners’ Federation. Messrs Jagar and Harvey, owners of the auxiliary schooner Huanui, trading to tho Cook Islands, stated that they did not expect this vessel would be required to carry wireless' as there were no shore stations in the Cook group. . Tho Ship-owners Federation objected to the regulations applying to homo trade steamers. It recognised the great value of wireless on passenger steamers making voyages for long distances from the coast, but considered it unnecessary for small vessels running close to the land. The federation also asked the Minister to receive a deputation on tlio subject. Tho replies received from the various companies will bo considered by the Minister of Marino.