B STATIONS MAKE RECORD

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 4

B STATIONS MAKE RECORD

Last New Year’s Eve a simple twist of the dial brought to radio listeners throughout Australia and Tasmania a programme that took eight years to make possible and many weeks of careful co-operative work to complete. That programme was the New Year’s Eve all-Australian relay of forty-two 13class stations throughout Australia. Now that 1932 is just a memory, radio listeners and the general public are liable"to forget the immensity and the full value of this relay. Looking back on the great success of the whole intricate programme, it is easy to realise that it was, in every possible way, a powerful tribute to the remarkable growth of Australia’s B-class stations, and also, that it was a fitting coriipliment to the efficiency of the postal System. It was, in short, the biggest two-way relay that has ever been carried out in any part of the world! It is estimated that at least 1,000,000 listeners tuned in and heard the Post- ■ master-Gbneral (Mr Archdale Parkhill) speak through Station 2UW in appreciation of the goodwill messages that were relayed by the forty-two B-elass station's. Speakers on this historic broadcast included leaders in religion, politics, , the professional, and the > business world of Australia. Besides Mr Archdalo Parkhill, another member of the Federal Ministry, Mr F. H. Stewart (Minister for Commerce and Transport), was heard through 2CA, Canberra. Senator Charles Hardy

spoke on the Riverina from the Wagga Station. Other speakers from the political sphere included Hon. G. H. Wise, ex P.M.G., Sir Stanley Argyle (Premier of Victoria), and Hon. d. P. Jones (Minister for Works), Frank Okie, J. A. Beasley, H. M. AVragge, A. AV. Fadden, and AV. H. Edgar. His Grace, Archbishop Duhig, of Brisbane, and Rev. AV. Bradbury, M.C., of AA’angaratta, were the representatives of the church. The Lord Mayor of Sydney (Alderman R. C. Hagon) spoke from 2TJAV, and the mayors and deputymayors of Mackay, Maryborough, Lismorc, Newcastle," Goulburn, Albury, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Hamilton (Vic.) spoke on behalf of their respective towns. Sir Benjamin Fuller was heard from 2UE, Sir Charles Kingston! Smith from 2CH, and Major-general Gordon Bennett from 2GB—all Sydney stations. The broadcasts of the Chamber of Commerce in Rockhampton and in Adelaide, the president of the Rotary Club, Toowoomba, the president of the Retail Traders’ Association, Brisbane, and AV. B. Duffy, president of the Broadcasting Federation, Melbourne, all spoke on the relay. Leaders in business added their quota to this most unique, interesting, and widespread Australian broadcast. Mr Byron AA 7 rigley, whose firm provided the telephone relay charges on this colossal two-way relay, spoke for a few minutes, and expressed his appreciation at being included in this historic undertaking. From the two vital broadcasting aspects—entertainment and reception—the whole programme was perfect, and the spirit of co-operation that was shown between the .B-dass stations themselves, and between the combined group and the postal system, augers well for the future of Australia’s Bclass stations.