The radio station at Malabar, which was opened for public service 
in 1923, has been in direct communication with stations in the United 
States since July, 1925. The traffic of this station has increased to 
the point where over 60 per cent of the messages formerly sent by 
cable are forwarded by radio at the present time. 
RADIO BROADCASTING 
Radio broadcasting has not kept pace with the development of 
wireless communication in the Netherland East Indies.” At present 
there are only 10 stations broadcasting regularly, namely, 3 
Government stations, the Bandoeng Laboratories, the Malabar radio 
station, 3 stations maintained by local chapters of the Nether- 
lands India Radio Association in the major cities, and 2 stations 
operated by private companies. In addition to the above, there are 
about 30 amateur stations which broadcast irregularly. All broad- 
casting is short wave, and the programs offered are poor both in 
quality and variety. 
MARKET FOR RADIO EQUIPMENT 
‘Although there are few good programs broadcasted by stations in 
the Netherland East Indies, the public is considerably interested in 
buying short wave radio seis operating on 10-85 meters in order to 
pick up stations broadcasiing from the Netherlands, Australia, and 
the United States. Numerous attempts have been made by American 
manufacturers to market their products in the islands, but few have 
met with success because their sets were not suitable for local climatic 
conditions, which have a deleterious effect on most radio sets that are 
not specially wound and insulated to withstand an unusual amount 
of moisture. Unless American manufacturers can produce an efficient 
short-wave set specially insulated to withstand a tropical climate, they 
have little chance of securing business in the Netherland Ifast Indies. 
A large Dutch radio manufacturer (The Phillips Co.) has spent a 
considerable sum in experimenting and advertising in the Netherland 
East Indies. As a result it has secured approximately 90 per cent of 
the business. The most popular model set now being sold in the is- 
lands is a 4-tube receiver operated on domestic lighting current. 
WIRING 
WIRING DEVICES 
The Netherland East Indies offers a poor market for American-made 
wiring devices, wire, and conduit material. Wiring practices in the 
Netherland East Indies follow closely those of the Netherlands and 
Germany. The wiring rules in force are those of the Dutch Royal 
Institute of Engineers, supplemented by local rules issued by the 
Bureau of Water Power and Electricity. Adherence to these rules 
is invariably stipulated in the concessions granted to the public- 
atility companies, which are held responsible for seeing to it that all 
installations connected to their network comply with the existing 
regulations. In addition to enforcing the above rules, the electric 
licht companies also impose certain of their own additional require- 
ments. There is no organization in the Netherland East Indies 
corresponding to the American Underwriters’ Laboratories. Insur- 
ance companies do not inspect electrical installations, such work 
being left to the electric light companies.