ENG-1951 — Page 124

The buildings of the new receiving station on the slopes of Mount Butler have been completed and modern equipment is rapidly being installed. This new station will shortly be in full operation and will supersede the Peak Station as the main overseas receiving station. The Peak Station will continue in use for short-distance and local services.

New buildings at the Cape D'Aguilar transmitting site are nearing completion and several new transmitters have been installed to augment the overseas telegraph and telephone services. An extension of the main transmitting hall has been planned to house one of the most powerful telecommunications transmitters in the Far East. This transmitter is to be installed early in the new year and it will be used for long-distance

services.

The aeradio transmitting building at Hung Hom has been considerably enlarged to provide for additional transmitters as part of the aeradio expansion scheme. Some of these transmitters have already been installed and modern equipment has been installed at Kai Tak for the reception of aeradio and meteorological services.

During 1951, new radiophone services were opened to New Zealand and to Jesselton in North Borneo. The existing radiophone services to Europe, America, Australia and most Asian countries continued in full operation. Some additional channels were provided to Macao and other services were extended. Further expansion of the overseas radiophone service is planned for 1952. A local ship-shore radiophone service is to be opened early in 1952.

A telegraph office was opened at Cheung Chau in November for the acceptance and delivery of telegrams to and from Hong Kong and Kowloon, in addition to international telegrams. This is the first office in the Colony to handle internal telegrams; it is hoped to extend this scheme to other centres of population in the New Territories at a later date.

Telephones

The public telephone service is provided by the Hong Kong Telephone Co., Ltd. On the 31st December 1951, the total number of direct exchange lines working on the company's system was 23,198, and the number of extensions 11,430, making a total of 34,628 stations

A considerable quantity of telephone equipment has been ordered to meet the large demand for service throughout the Colony.

Broadcasting

Radio Hong Kong first took the air in 1928 and has until 1951 been under the control of the Postmaster General. On 1st April the

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