Activities On New Station Site

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 42, 26 April 1935, Page 21

Activities On New Station Site

Start Expected in a Few Days-Contractors Busy Taking MeasurementsRalph Connor’s Broadcast-Otago Schools and the Educational Sessions — Football and Radio.

VIDENCDH that the preparatory work necessary to the erection of the to house the new 4YA station on the Otago’ Peninsula has begun is furnished by the presence of workmen on the road that leads to the new ‘site. Olbservations are.at present being made on the road, which will probably be altered in many respects to allow the heavy traffic that will be required for the. carting to readily and safely hegotiate it. Some very heavy . materials and electfical gear will haVe to be taken over this road, and it is, therefore, essential that the progress of thé vehicles used for this pur pose should not. be hindered in any way. Activity has also commenced on the location, where test excavations for sub-soil are being made before the actual construction work commences. This is alsa a necessary task, as it will help to speed up the job of the contractor wien he goes out there. ONS or ‘two local ‘contractors have been noticed of late busily taking measurements, in the vicinity of .the new station site, and frequently recording the results of their observations in. notebooks. Obviously they are considering sending in tenders to the board. It is quite likely that about the time these notes are published the board’s attention will be given to the consideration of the: tenders received. That being the case, it should only be a few more days now before the build‘ers’ material is carted out to the site ready for the work to start. The U.P. ‘and L: Department has’ been -for some ‘time extending the powér linés to ‘the site, and increasing the voltage to 6000. Two distinct lines are going to the station buildings, one coming up the side of the hill from Macandrew Bay and the other stretching from the Toma--hawk line. The provision of two power lines will make it possible if one source of supply at any time fails w utilise the other as an emergency. DUNEDIN has recently had a visit from a man of obvious knowledge, experience, and sincerity, and as pre‘viously mentioned on this page, the 4YA authorities were smart to snap him up for a radio talk.. The personality referred to is, of course, Dr, Charles Gordon, better known, to thousands as the -Canadian author, Ralph ‘Connor, A great deal of interest was taken in Dr. Gordon’s visit,. and the public availed themselves of every opportunity of hearing the distinguished man speak, so that.it .was not surprising -to. find afterwards that a large number tuned in. to: hear his wireless talk, Listeners however, were’ a little disappointed in what they heard, but the writer hastens . to detach any blame from the speaker, who was obviously tired when he came before the microphone, It was a-Sun-day, and Ralph Cannor had ‘had ‘a busy ‘day. He -had preached ‘two lengthy ‘sermons, and by: the time he was due

at the radio station’ he was really in need of rest; but rather than disappoint the radio audience altogether, he went to the studio at the prearranged time. What he said over the air was as sound and sincere as his remarks elsewhere, but there was a hesitancy in his speech that was most noticeable. : [z is welcome news that the visiting tenor Lionello Cecil is due back in Dunedin at the end of this month to give a further series of broudcasts. On the two former occasions on which he was featured on the 4YA programmes he delighted listeners with his fine singing, and many are naturally looking forward to his return in a few days. BROADCAST descriptions of. Rugby matches every Saturday are about to commence for the 1935 season. ‘Last year’s top-notch sporting announcer, who incidentally, was heard the other day at the bowling, will’ no doubt be on the job again enlivening the homes of listeners: with his vivid descriptions of the ball game; Dunedin is rightly proud of its sporting commentator, Mr. "Bob" McKenzie-it is not giving away any confidence to use the name herewho is well-known in Press circles It has been argued practically the world over that broddcasts of football games las’ a detrimental effect on the gate takings, but ‘strangely enough, no one has been able to produce any conclusive proof that radio has serivusly effected the receipts here. On the contrary, the various controlling bodies

will probably admit to themselves at least that broadcasting has been. the méans of giving the game the biggest "boost" it has ever had. ‘The Otago Rugby Football Union has excluded itself from the argument against broadcasting, and has wisely given 4YA the privilege of handling its matches. ‘THE benefits to be derived from the * educational broadcasts given from 2YA and rebroadcast by 4YA every Thursday afternoon are not latgely availed of in the Otago educational district. A local paper discussing the matter suggests that the reason of Otago’s diffidence is the fuct that in the beginning 4YA did not take any part in the broactsts, and that reception from northern stations was not always reliable. However, it is a year now since -4YA commenced taking a-hand in the educational sessions, but in that time. so far as is ascertainable, only one school in Dunedin has been equipped with a receiver, and this only a fortnight ago. The only available figures now show that only 12 schools in the’ (listrict have access to the weekly talks given by authoritative speakers.