Relay from Hamilton

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 47, 7 June 1929, Page 7

Relay from Hamilton

A Successful Event

"TRH broadcast on relay from Hamilton by station 1YA, Auckland, on Tuesday afternoon last of the opening ceremony of the Waikato Winter Show and the special musical programme arranged for the occasion was an achievement highly creditable. It had been arranged to put over a three hours’ broadcast, from 2 to 8 p.m., but when the company’s representative, Mr. John Ball, ‘arrived in Hamilton he was concerned to discover that the official programme would in all probability occupy less than an hour. The entire programme comprised a bugle call (to call the assembled thousands to attention), the singing of an opening ode, four short speeches (estimated correctly to average not more than ten minutes), and the National Anthem.

It was only necessary to mention the apparent oversight to the keenly enthusiastic officials of the Winter Show Association. The secretary, Mr. Paul, whose outstanding ability as an organiser is so eloquently demonstrated by the magnitude of the splendid exhibition, was determined that there should be no "let down" so far as the broadcast was concerned, and promptly placed the company’s representative in touch with Mr. T. 8S. Webster, the wellknown organist and choirmaster, Mr, Webster, who, by the way, prior to his removal from Auckland to Wellington, treated listeners-in to many delightful organ recitals, was just the man to save the situation. Enlisting the aid of his Exhibition Choir and Orchestra, and some of the leading vocalists and instrumentalits of Hamilton, he very capably organised an acceptable programme which, with the official ceremony, enabled 4YA to keep on the air for the full three hours, save for a slight interval occasioned by the necessity of transferring the microphone from the official to the concert platform. The programme was so arranged. as to enable Mr. Ball to put over sev~ eral interesting and informative "talks" relative to the show, the town and district, and the great primary industry in which the Waikato holds such a foremost place. These "talks" included a specially-prepared description of the show and a statement of great value to dairy farmers throughout the Dominion concerning the won~ derfully beneficent results accruing from herd-testing and New Zealand’s unique system of calf-marking. Before leaving Hamilton the company’s representative was afforded ample evidence of the pleasure occasioned by the broadeast, prominent officers of the Winter Show Association and leading citizens of Hamilton expressing to him their warm appreciation of the company’ enterprise. ‘