Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether all wireless telegraph stations, including those under Government control, are available for use by any vessel in distress if fitted with the requisite apparatus?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAny wireless station, whether on board ship or on land, which hears a distress signal, is bound to give priority to such a message and to take such steps as the call may render necessary. It must be understood, however, 367W that if a station is not working on the same wave length as the ship it might not hear the signal.
§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Postmaster-General whether any condition is imposed on the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company necessitating a non-inter-ceptible message service; have Marconi operators instructions to ignore messages received from other wireless telegraph systems; and can he say whether other wireless telegraph systems are similarly hampered by any such instructions?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo such condition as that referred to by the hon. Member is imposed, and would, indeed, be impracticable. All wireless telegraph installations on board British ships are capable of being used for inter-communication with other systems, and they are worked in accordance with licenses issued by the Post Office. The Radio-telegraph Convention does not provide for the compulsory interchange of messages between ships for other than distress purposes; and I understand that the Marconi Company decline to inter-communicate, except in cases of distress, with ships fitted with other systems unless the matter has been arranged by agreement. I am not aware that other systems are similarly hampered.
§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether there are any regulations dealing with the on-duty hours of Marconi operators ashore or afloat; can he state the rate of pay per hour or otherwise given to operators on such lines of ships as the Cunard, White Star, and Allan Lines; what is the annual cost per ship of the lines indicated for installation, upkeep, and general working of the Marconi system; and will he have suitable inquiry made, if necessary, with a view to satisfying public opinion as to whether the rate of pay made to wireless operators is consistent with efficient service and the safety of the travelling public?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere are no official regulations governing the hours of duty of operators employed by the Marconi Company. The conditions of employment are matters of arrangement between the company and the shipowners. This as well as other matters affecting the safety of vessels and persons at sea can be dealt with in the course of the official inquiry into the loss of the "Titanic."