B CLASS RADIO

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1933, Page 2

B CLASS RADIO

AUSTRALIAN RECORD

SYDNEY, January 14

On New Year's Eve, 1952, just .a simple twist of the dial brought to listeners throughout Australia and Tasmania, .a programme that took eight y e ars to make possible, and many weeks of careful, eo-ope-rative work to finalise. That programme was the N'-w Year’ Eve All-Australian relay of forty-two B-class stations throughout Australia, aim it was sponsored by the firm ol Wrigley’s (Australasia) Limited—-manu-facturers of the world famous chewing gunv.

Now that 1952 fe just a memory, radio listeners and the general public are liable to forget- the immensity aim the full value of this re-lay.

Looking hack on th e 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 Bclass stations, and also, that it was a ■fitting compliment to th e efficiency of our postal ■system. It was in short, the biggest two-way relay that has ever been carried out here or in any other part of the world.

It is estimated that at feast one million listeners tuned in and heard the Postmaster General, Mr Arch-dale Parkhill, speak through Station 2UW in appreciation of the goodwill messages that were relayed by the forty-two Bclasg stations.

on thfe historic broadcast included leaders in religion, politics, th e professional and the business world of Australia.

Besides the P.M.G., Mr Archda’e Parkhill, who spoke through Station 2UW., another member of the Federal Ministry, 'Mr F. FT. Stewart, Minister for Commerce and Transport, was heard through 2CA Canberra. Senator Charle? Hardy spoke 0 n th e Riverina. from the Wagg.a Station. Other speakers from th, political sphere included Hon. G. H. ■Wise, ex-P.M.G., Sir Stanley Argyle (Premier of Victoria) and Hon. J. P. Jones (Minister for Works), Frank Olde J. A. Beasley, H. M. Wragge, A. W. Fadden and W. H. Edgar. His Grace, Archbishop Duhig of Brisbane and B°v. W, Bradbury, M.C. (of Wangaratta) were the representatives of th e Church. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Aid. R. C. Hiagon, spoke from 2UiW and th ‘Mayors and Deputy Mayors of Mackay. Maryborough, Lismore, Newcastle, Goulburn, Albury, Bendigo, Ballarat and Hamilton (Victoria) spoke on behalf of their respective towns. Sir Benjamin Fuller was heard from OTTF. Sir Charles Kings ford Smith from 2CH and Major General Gordon Bennett from 2GB—all Sydney stations. Th e broadcasts of the Chamber Jof Commerce in Rockhampton and in -Adelaide, the President of the Rotary Club, Toowoomba, the President of the Retail Traders’ Association Brisbane, and W. B. Duffy, President of the Broadcasting- Federation Melbourne, all spok e on the relay. Leaders in business including E. T. < (Ramsay (Dep, PM.G. Adel.). E. .RDuncan, Newcastle, P. Honre, Brisbane, G. H. Brownhill (Ed. Geelong Advertiser), and Captain E. W. Ballantine, (English journalist), all added their jquota of speech (on a variety of subjects) to this most unique, interesting, and widespread Australian broadcast. Mr Byron Wrigfey, whose fi r m generously provided the telephone relay charges on thi-s colossal two-way relay spoke for a few minutes, and expressed hi a .appreciation at being included in this historic undertaking. From the two .vital broadcasting aspects—entertainment and receptionthe whole programme was perfect, an •the spirit of co-operation that was shown between the B-clas s stains themselves, and betwe e n the combine group and the postal system, S well f°r the future of Australia s B-clnas stations. ______