Value Of Radio In Pacific.

THE visit of Mr. W. G. Clarke to Fiji in connection with the wireless ser vices of Amalgamated Wireless Ltd. recalls the utility of radio communica tions across the rugged country in the interior of Viti Levu, the principal island in the Fiji Group.

Hurricanes are one of the bugbears of life in Fiji, frequently sweeping the country from end to end. In 1930 the telegraph line running from Suva to

Lautoka, over a distance of 150 miles, was blown down for a considerable por tion of its length. This line passes through rugged country, with moun tains rising in places to a height of over 4,000 feet. To repair the broken wires and re-erect the telegraph poles would have been costly work.

The resources of A.W.A. were such that at the request of the Legislative Council modern wireless transmitting and receiving equipment was quickly transported to and installed at Lautoka.

Three days after the storm communi cation with Suva was again established.

This service was found both efficient and expeditious, and shortly afterwards the Government decided not to re-erect the landlines. Instead, an arrangement was made with Amalgamated Wireless to carry on communication by radio be tween the two towns. That arrange ment has been operative for three years and seems likely to continue indefinitely.

The wireless services of Amal gamated Wireless on the Australian mainland are frequently called into operation following upon breakdowns of the landline.

In 1928 the submarine cable connect ing Thursday Island with Cape York was broken and for over two months all the telegraphic traffic was carried by the wireless stations of A.W.A.

Similar breakages in the landlines occur also in the far North-West of Australia between Broome and Wynd ham. Here the A.W.A. stations at Dar win, Wyndham and Broome are brought into action to avoid delays in normal telegraphic traffic. On occasions the A.W.A. wireless stations have main tained communication between Hobart and Melbourne.