SHIPS AND WIRELESS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19478, 22 December 1925, Page 8

SHIPS AND WIRELESS

On January 1 new regulations relating to the equipment with wireless of ships registered in New Zealand will come into force. It will be remembered that the loss of the steamer Ripple caused a great deal of discussion concerning the installation of wireless on small coastal vessels, and the Government adopted the principle of making it compulsory for all vessels over a certain tonnage or carrying more than a certain number of persons to be equipped with wireless. New regulations were framed with the object of increasing the security of shipping, and their application next month will mean a great improvement. There is, however, one provision in the regulations which has been severely criticised. Vessels carrying not more than 400 persons are to be permitted to entrust the care of their wireless to deck officers instead of carrying separate wireless operators. Deck officers will be required to qualify for wireless duty by means of examination, but the “Otago Daily Times” points out that the deck officer, however well qualified he may be, may have little time for wireless work. He is first, and foremost a deck officer, and he cannot be expected to give due attention to two totally different tasks. The deck officer cannot be simultaneously on deck and in the wireless room, and yet he may be urgently required at the same moment in both places. If he is only to attend to the wireless when he is not otherwise engaged the results will not be satisfactory. “Listening in” is an important duty on ships, and someone should be available to perform it. In the case of vessels carrying hundreds of persons wireless efficiency is needed.