MESSAGES FOR SHIPS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1931, Page 7

MESSAGES FOR SHIPS

NEW ADMIRALTY SCHEME. LINKING UP THE WORLD, Arrangements made by the Admiralty to broadcast by wireless messages considered to be of sufficient importance to communicate to all British merchant ships in any part of the world, are notified in the Gazette. The scheme will be introduced for trial purposes for one week from January 1 and July 1 each year. During these test periods brief, messages will be issued by the Admiralty to all British merchant ships, and by the Naval authorities responsible for certain of the respective H areas into which, for the purpose, the world has been divided. Should it be desired to send a message of special importance at any time other than the periods fixed for trial purposes, the scheme will be brought into operation temporarily for the purpose. If and when the occasion arises to bring the organisation into force, the message's will be broadcast from Rugby, certain medium and high-power stations abroad, and certain stations, handling commercial traffic. It is not intended to interfere with or replace existing arrangements for broadcasting to merchant ships messages- concerning navigational dangers, weather reports or gale warnings. . . . ~ . The Naval Board, Wellington, is, the authority responsible for the New Zealand area, which embraces the following wireless stations:—Auckland, Wellington, Awarua, Chatham Islands, Rarotonga. Apia, Suva and Ocean Island. These stations will not broadcast test messages, but when called up to opciate under the scheme they will broadcast at 1 p.m. and 9.15 p.m., New Zealand standard mean time, and at any time when ships with one operator are keeping watch. Ships in the New . Zealand or°anv other area may also receive messages from Rugby at mid-day and midnight, Greenwich mean time.