Our Industries

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 934, 29 March 1930, Page 6

Our Industries

This is the eighth of a series of informative articles that are bring pub lisiied in THE HEX. tceekly throughout 1930. describing many of yen Zealand's most important industries.

La Gloria Gramophones

ELEVEN YEARS PROGRESS BY FLOURISHING AUCKLAND FIRM

GRAMOPHONES of sueh high artistic merit have come on to the market within the last few years that the reproach onee levelled against them as being mere mechanical soundreproducers no longer applies—indeed there are few homes in the Do- linion today which do not posses a gramophone ot some kind. It is interesting to note in this connection that Xew Zealanders are now showing a decided preference for the Auckland-made La Gloria, an instrument which measures up to the most critical standards, and which affords a striking example of the ability of Xew Zealand craftsmen to produce an article equal in all respects to those imported from overseas.

Few industries in the Dominion have started from such humble beginnings as La Gloria, and few can boast such a proud record of achievement during a mere 11 years of existence. Although the first La Gloria did not make its appearance on the market till 11 years ago it was actually the result of over 20 years of experiment by the inventor, Mr. W. H. Newcombe. Realising the imperfections of the gramophone as it then existed Mr. Newcombe, himself a keen music-

ian, set himself the task of endeavouring to effect a perfectly natural reproduction of the sound waves recorded on the records. Strange to relate although big gramophone companies were supplying instruments to all parts of the world no effort was apparently made to apply a scientific knowledge of acoustics to one of the most important parts of the gramophone—the amplifying system. It was along these lines that Mr. Newcombe pursued his early investigations. First he turned his attention to the throat of the amplifier, or the horn as it was in those days. After many experiments, many of which resulted in failure, he discovered that shape and size were the governing factors. He mad* 1 - hundreds of experimental throats, until his efforts were crowned with success and he obtained the ideal construction. He then turned his attention to the amplifier itself. Working along the same lines, and altering the dispositions of the opposing surfaces, he at last discovered the correct proportions, and these are today recognised by all manufacturers of gramophones as being as near perfect as possible. Although these advances placed the La Gloria in a class by itself. Mr. Newcombe was determined to make still further improvements, and set himself to discover an ideal material which would register the proper sound vibrations recorded on each record. He tried over 100 different substances,

even such articles as sandpaper, silk, cloth, aluminium, copper, etc. At length he discovered the secret combination of metals which are now used in every La Gloria amplifier. COMPANY IS FORMED And now comes perhaps the strangest part of the story. One of Auckland's leading citizens who. in his own words, “detested gramophones and would not have one as a gift,” happened to hear one of Mr. Newcombe’s instruments and became an immediate'' convert. Not only did he immediately place an order for one, but ne also saw the commercial possibilities in the manufacture and marketing of

La Gloria’s, and as a result of his efforts a small company was formed to exploit the instrument. Like most pioneering industries the company had many trials and tribulations, and met with many discouragements, not the least of which was the rooted prejudice of New Zealanders bo any article made in their own country by their own craftsmen. The outstanding qualities of the La Gloria, however, forced even the most sceptical to review their judgment, and when on the occasion of the visit of the famous New' South Wales State Orchestra in 1920 the worldfamed conductor, M. Henri Verbrugghen, personally selected a La Gloria for his own use in the Sydney Conservatorium, the seal was set on La Gloria’s supremacy, and from that time on the company went ahead by leaps and bounds, its activities extending to the remotest parts of the Dominion. USE OF DOMINION PRODUCTS A noteworthy feature of the La Gloria business has been its loyal support of Dominion products. Unlike many imported instruments the La Gloria is almost entirely built up from components produced either in the Dominion or the British Empire. Actual figures supplied by the company’s auditor show that the actual cost of each La Gloria is made up as follows: New' Zealand labour and material, 79.4 per cent.; Empire material, 11.4 per cent.; foreign material (not obtainable in the Empire),

| 9.2 per cent. It is claimed that few I Dominion industries can show such I impressive figures to substantiate their claim to be classed as producers of I “all New Zealand made” goods. A visit to the La Gloria factorv and assembly departments reveals many features of interest. The manufacturing plant is one of the best in Australia or New Zealand, and new equipment now being installed will enable the company to produce any class of gramophone or radio cabinet, including styles which have hitherto been too costly for New Zealand factories to produce on a commercial basis. THOROUGHLY TESTED In the assembly and testing departments there are several unique features, including a special testing ; apparatus, which reveals the slightest I variation in any part of a gramophone j motor. The use of this apparatus : ensures that only a perfect motor is t installed in any La Gloria. Every La Gloria undergoes a searching test before being offered for sale, not only to test its mechanical eifi- ! ciency, but also to ensure that its ! tonal reproduction is perfect. For [ this purpose special test records have j been procured from England. These | records include a full range of the | instruments in an orchestra, and the j reproduction of each of these instru- ! ments is minutely tested by an expert musician, who rejects any sound-box which does not register at least 95 per cent, efficient. SERVICE BY INSPECTORS Another outstanding feature in connection with the La Gloria business is the service which is given with each instrument sold by the company. Every instrument is fully guaranteed, and a permanent inspector is maintained on the staff of the company to visit periodically the home of every purchaser ‘of a La Gloria, to test the

instrument and make any adjustments necessary. This ensures that every La Gloria is in perfect condition and gives a faithful reproduction of any class of record.

In the course of an interview the manager of the company stated that a big policy for future development had been decided upon by the directors, and it was intended that in the very near future a full range of radio receiving sets and combination radiogramophones would be offered by the company at prices and terms which would definitely compete with anything at present being offered in the Dominion. The addition of these lines to the La Gloria business would mear. further employme-.nt for New Zealand craftsmen, as the company was determined to adhere to its policy of proving that New' Zealand could manufacture goods which could not be bettered in any part of the w'orld. Other projected activities of the company include a series of gramophone recitals and concerts in the company’s fine new concert hall above its new premises, 155 Road, and the institution of a comprehensive broadcasting service from a new* high-powered broadcasting station to be installed in place of the present station IZB. A new station director with a lengthy experience of broadcasting has been secured, and it is hoped that when the new service commences, the name La Gloria will be even more widely and favourably known than it is at present.