Hospital Radio Equipment Wanted

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 33, 22 February 1935, Page 22

Hospital Radio Equipment Wanted

"Big Brother Bill" Goes Ahead With Scheme for Entertaining PatientsHarry Thurston’s Tour Welcom.--Dunedin’s Big Regatta DaySkirl of Pipes. | |

RITING from memory, the "Radio Record’s" Otago correspondent wouldl say that it is over two years since Big Brother Bill, of 4YA, hit upon the scheme of equipping all the beds ‘in the Dunedin Public Hospital with headphones connected to a master set located in official quarters. By means of these headphones, patients could then listen-in whenever and as long as they wished to without disturbing others who did not care for wireless entertainment at the time. Big Brother Bill started a fund to realise his scheme, and the collecting went well to begin with; but times were hard two years ago, and before long it was difficult to obtain donations, and so the money has been coming in very slowly ever since. When the sum of £150 had been reached, the organising Brother Bill decided to modify the original plan, and to place a receiver in each of the twelve wards in-the institution. This has now been done, and every ward can have the benefit of the pro-: grammes when desired. It is under-: stood that the Otago Hospital Board is going to have an aerial system erected which will allow the sets to be tuned to other than local stations. ‘When the administration block, at pre-

sent being built, is completed, Big Brother Bill intends to carry on with his oviginal plan. BOUT the end of this month, the English character comedian, Harry Thurston, is to commence a tour of the main stations in New Zealand, A favourable reputation precedes this artist, and many listeners in the Otago district are looking forward to his tour of this country and particularly to his visit to the local station. He has been engaged to broadcast from 4¥YA on March 15, 19, and 20. N Saturday next the staff at Dune‘din’s main station is in for a busy time. This will be the day on which the annual regatta of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club will be held in the Upper Harbour, and following its usual practice 4¥YA is to broadcast descriptions of the events. The Port Chalmels regatta is regarded as.one of the most important fixtures in the season, and besides the local inhabitants, who usually turn out en masse, quite a large number of enthusiasts make the journey to Port Chalmers by train or car, but there are always some who cannot be present, and they are the ones who benefit by the broadcasts, All being well, Saturday will be the second day of the Plunket Shield cricket match between Otago and.Canterbury, and the local station is to fit in. relays of cricket descriptions be: tween the boating races. {= might be argued that because Dunedin is a Scottish town it must necessarily welcome the sound of the pipes at all times, but that ig hardly

the true position. While the town as a whole is proud of its Highland Pipe Band, there are some who do not appreciate the sounds that it makes, so when the band broadcast from 4YA one’ night last week only those with real Scots blood in their veins thrilled to the skirl of the pipes. It is not often that the band broadcasts, but as the object of radio entertainment is to please everyone at some time no: one should complain when the pipes give pleasure to the Heilan’ ears,