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RADIO SERVICES (INLAND) Radio is increasingly important in the modern world, and in New Zealand development is continuously taking place in the use of radio-communication services, internal as well as overseas. Approximately seven hundred frequencies are now in use by a wide variety of users (Post Office, Armed Forces, Forestry Department, Police, Broadcasting Service, private commercial users, &c.) for such purposes as broadcasting, point-to-point telephony and telegraphy, maritime mobile (including distress), aeronautical radio (including distress), navigational aids for shipping and aircraft, meteorological services, &c. The past year has seen continued development in the Post Office internal radio services, notably in the very-high-frequency radio-telephone service for mobile units, and in the number of licences of various kinds issued by the Post Office as the Department responsible for the administration of the Radio Regulations. POST OFFICE SERVICE FOR MOBILE VEHICLES The Department's very-high-frequency radio-telephone service for mobile units mentioned in last year's report is expanding rapidly, and service is now available at eight centres. Various difficulties which were to have been expected in the development stages have been overcome and good service is being given to the users of the service. Twenty-three channels are now in operation, serving forty-two subscribers with a total of 297 mobile units. RECEPTION OF PUBLIC TELEGRAMS FROM OVERSEAS AIRCRAFT On the Ist April, 1949, a service was introduced to provide for the handling of telegrams from passengers in aircraft to addressees in New Zealand and beyond New Zealand. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines is the only airways company using the facility at present. CHATHAM ISLANDS RADIO Extra equipment has been installed at the Chatham Islands Radio Station to provide adequate radio-communication facilities for aircraft flying to and from the islands in the service inaugurated during the year. In addition, the services of a wireless operator are made available on " flight " days to operate the radio-telephone equipment on the airtraffic control launch. This facilitates communication with aircraft on arrival and departure. RADIO-COMMUNICATION FOR SHIPS AT APIA AND RAROTONGA The Post Office is collaborating with the Department of Island Territories in the provision of radio-telephone facilities at Apia and Rarotonga to enable ships in the roadstead to communicate with the shipping agency ashore. It is hoped later to extend this service to some of the smaller islands in the Cook Group. NUMBER OF LICENCES CURRENT FOR VARIOUS SERVICES Private Radio-telephone Shore Stations : Services for Small Marine Craft In areas not served by Post Office coast radio stations the owners of small marine craft are permitted to form associations to establish and operate private shore radio stations to provide radio-telephone communication with their boats. Twenty-eight such stations (compared with sixteen a year ago) are in operation, serving the needs of 140 fishing-trawlers, launches, and the like. Post Office Radio-telephone Service for Ships Two hundred and eighty-eight ships are licensed to carry radio-telephone installations for communication with coast radio stations controlled by the New Zealand Post Office, compared with 206 ships so licensed a year ago.

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