EMPIRE WIRELESS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16122, 10 May 1923, Page 3

EMPIRE WIRELESS.

BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POLICY.

/Elec Tex. Copyrlßtit—United I'ress Assn., i-Austvaltnn anil N.Z Cable Association.;

(Received May 10. 10.30 a.m.)

LONDON, May 0.

A special correspondent of the. Daily Telegraph nays : Sir W. Joynson Hicks, in carrying out the Government's recently declared policy in favor of both both Post Office and private enterprise providing direct wireless communication with India and the Dominions, is encountering difficulties. Sir Joynson Hicks has been conferring with Marconi, with a view to their co-operation with the Government in conducting Empire wireless, but no solution has been reached. The company has contracts for the provision of high-power stations in Britain with Canada, South Africa, and Australia. These are not variable without the Dominions' consent. Sir W. Joynson Hicks wants to establish effective competition between the Post Office and private enterprise. A partnership with Marconis on the Australian plan is ruled out. Anything like a monopoly is beyond discussion. There remain two courses: First, regional division; secondly, centralised control by cooperation. It would not be advantageous to try to separate the Empire from the world wireless. The only alternative appears to be co-operation and'centralisation of all wireless. Unless practical decisions are speedily reached, wireless, instead of being a factor in Empire unity, may become a source of irritation and misunderstanding.