Spectrum was a long-running weekly radio documentary series which captured the essence of New Zealand from 1972 to 2016. Alwyn Owen and Jack Perkins produced the series for many years, creating a valuable library of New Zealand oral history.
This documentary is about a team of New Zealand Army Engineers who visit a village in inland Fiji. The high rate of disease among the villagers is often caused by a polluted water supply. One solution is the installation of army-designed water-seal toilets.
Jack Perkins joins the army public relations team on a visit to a New Zealand Army Medical Unit carrying out sanitation work in Burirua [?], Fiji. Lieutenant Barry Hutton, leader of the medical team, talks about the installation of the water-seal toilets and how the army has been dealing with the rain. Jack describes what the toilets look like and how the project is funded. Lt. Hutton says the villagers have been very welcoming.
Dr Loening Gerner [?], the local area doctor, comes by to check on the progress. He was involved in the launch of the toilet building project to help combat disease and part of his work focuses on educating the public about health matters.
Lt. Hutton explains how they’ve had to adjust to the rhythms of village life and describes the yangona (kava) ceremony which was organised to welcome the visitors. He also explains the dining protocols while people eat and chat in the background after the yangona ceremony.
Jack turns down a dinner invitation as he and the army PR’s team must make their way back to Suva.