2ZF Palmerston North

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 23, 21 December 1928, Page 4

2ZF Palmerston North

PPHE annual report of the Manawatu Radio Club for the year ending November 50 portrays a very healthy position. The membership of the club has been -07, but progress is still being made, and it is hoped to reach the 500 mark in the coming year. The service given by this station to this district has been appreciated, and the elub hus been the subject of a great deal of valuable assitance from all interested in radio. The station was opened on March 7 and has been on the air with three programmes: per

week ever since. The station is situated in the building of Collinson and Cunninghame Ltd. whose generosity.. extended to a donation of £100 io wards the cost of the equipment, and also free use of a large room on the first floor of the building for a broadcasting studio, besides alterations to permit of a private entry to same. The thanks of the club are due to this firm for their great assistance . Appreciation is also recorded’ of the donation of several thousand gramophoné. records by Messrs. Cole’s Music Warehouse. The same firm has also /supplied the gramophone and studio piano rent free. A subsidy of £50 was received from the Palmerston North Borough Council, this being the oiy case in New Zealand where a borough subsidises broadcasting. Record is also made of assistance and service received from a number of firms handling radio equipment. N the service side the report outlines the outstanding broadcast events of the year, these including special programmes during Winter Show week, relays from overseas and New Zealand station, and, most dut- — standing, the service in connection with the Manawatu floods. On this occasion, "Owing to the alarming rapid rise of the Manawatu river, the station was started up and warnings of the flood were broadcast. Although it was not a regular night for our station to be on the air, it has since been ascertained that our broadcasting of the danger was picked up by a large number of listeners in the danger zone of the flood, These listeers promptly spread the news; and all stock was removed to _ higher ground at once, while many families immediately vacated their homes. The operating of the stations entails, a lot of work and requires the se) vices of quite a number of club members to keep it going. Messrs, 8, Hansen, R. Tanner and K. Lane are the licensed operators of the "club, and have generously given their time for the work. The children’s sessious have been conducted by "Uncle Jim" (Mr. I. N. Leet), "Auntie Pat" (Miss Daphne McAlister), and "Ayntie Billie’ (Miss Gwen Williams). while Messrs. I. N. Neet, A. Roe and H. R. Bell have done the work of announcing, Messrs. Barlow, Grey, Swindell and many others have also been regular attenders at the station and assist in broadcasting." The balance-sheet of the club shows a eredit balance of £75 8s., but it is pointed out in the report that considerable expense will be involved during the coming vear in replacement of equipment, ete., so that it is hoped the support upon which the club depends will be maintained on a satisfactory level.