Big Brother Bill's Picnic

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 36, 21 March 1930, Page 25

Big Brother Bill's Picnic

The 4YA Annual Outing

‘ +H | THE second annual children’s picnic, organised by Big Brother Bill of 4YA, was held on Saturday, March 8. The happiest combination of circumstances made the affair a brilliant success.in every particular. The weather, usually rather fickle in Dunedin, did its very best to assist the happy crowds. A speckless blue sky, warm summer sun, and just sufiigient vwigid to make energetic movement rable. ~The place was the farm of Mr. O. J. Stenhouse, Wakari, cindly lent (to 4YA) as last year. The farm nestles at the bottom of a half eircle of foothills, with Flagstaff and Cargill Mountain towering over all; an ideally cosy place at which to hold a children’s picnic. | Crowds of Happy Pienickers. THE Crowd almost beggars description. Orderly and happy, they gathered by the thousand in front of the Law Courts, opposite to 4YA Station, before 10 a.m., the advertised time of starting for the picnic ground. A full staff of city traffic inspectors did its best to prevent congestion of traffic in Stuart Street, whilst a special staff of constables controlled the ‘inereasing crowds of picnic folk. Tie corporation motor buses began to move the crowd away at 9.30 a.m., and at 11 a.m., there seemed to be more remaining than when the _ transport began. The number who attended this year’s picnic has been variously estimated at any number between 3500 and 4000 people. Considering the number who walked, and the larger number who came in private cars, the estimate most likely to be true is about 3250. On thing was demonstrated very clearly on Saturday, and that is, there is no transport company in Dunedin with sufficient equipment to deal with 4YA’s picnic. Some other means will, have to be devised for handling the huge crowd next year. Ample provision was made for hospitality and entertainment-500lb. of biscuits, 550lb. of sweets, 100 gallons f orange syrup, bags of sugar, plenty lof tea, and gallons of milk were provided, Ye the steam rose all day huge cauldrons of hot water. which there was ice cream and bottles of soft drinks. A Popular Programme. ‘A FULL programme of sports, including a pillow fighting and

‘ greasy pole event, was arranged by ‘the sports committee, of which Uncle George was chairman; arid ‘the games side of the picnic was superintended by the games committee. Uncle Allan was chairman of the games committee, with Aunt Anita and Aunt Sheila associated with him. The children’s hour broadcast from the picnic grounds was a delightful happy-go-lucky impromptu programme. The "mike" stood in the midst of a great circle of seated and standing children, with every vantage point occupied by enthusiastic adults. Even the roof of the cowshed was crowded perilously, and the pigstye was like a raceday . grandstand, Wee tots came forward spontaneously to do their little act, some of the older children recited, and Cousin Tui nearly brought the cowshed down with an enthusiastically received whistling solo. Mr. Bennet, with his "gazooka" (a quite respectable accordian), helped the community singing of the bairns, by far the most popular item on the programme, "Misery Farm," "Abee," "Sweet Rosy O’Grady," "Get Out and Get Under the Moon," with others not, at all to classical taste, were on the’ programme, and the bairns appeared none the worse for the singing otf them. The programme concluded by the singing of the National Anthem. Arrangements for Emergencies. QNE thing must be gratefully recorded. Every necessary arrangement was made to cope with casualty of any kind should such misfortune atend the picnic. A competent staff of St. John Ambulance and Red Cross nurses were provided with a tent on the grounds. We record the very gratifying fact that their professional assistance was not needed. One young girl slipped off the haystack and sat down suddenly on a cold hard world, but broke no bones; and a boy tried to vault the beam on which the pillow fight was held. He succeeded only in turning a rather awkward back flip to the mattress. In both cases a litle comforting wiped away both tears and memory of the hurt, . Numerous Prizes. SoM excellent prizes were donated _ for the picnic, among them being a portable gramophone, a set of boxing

gloves, a ham, a goose, erystal sets, a first-class cricket " bat, a large bag of flour, a bag of coal, mouth organs, tennis balls, toys, torches, fancy goods, books, etc. There were twentythree sporting events, and two good prizes for each event. So great a crowd could not necessarily be either entertained or controlled without loyal assistance and cooperation on the part of a large committee. The 4YA Children’s Committee entered into the matter most enthusiastically as their first task. Mr. Phelan, representing the Scouts; Commissioner Feichley, representing the Girl Guides; Sister Nora, representing the Protection of Women’s Society ; and Miss Hare, representing the Y.W.C.A., should . be specially mentioned for service render: ed.

_. It was a field day for the children’s hour staff at 4YA, and, wherever they appeared among the crowd, they were immediately saluted by the clicking of cameras, There must have been some great snapshots taken. Uncle George dia magnificent seryice conducting the long sports programme, and looked magnificent with what looked like an Arab burnous draping his venerable forehead; Uncle Allan made himself popular for ever with hundreds of boys and girls by superintending the pillow fight. through all its most exciting phases; Aunt Anita and Aunt Sheila remained very charming and cool in spite of the warm day and games with the bairns; and the popular announcer at 4YA made himself more popular with his happy and genial assistance to the day’s success.