MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1940, Page 2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

THE EFFECTS OF THE WAR. POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. Here is some disturbing news for Scots, states a Melbourne correspondent. Bagpipes made in India are now on sale in Melbourne. This fact came out the other day during an investigation of how war conditions have affected musical instruments and thenplayers. Melbourne instrumentalists are not in as ticklish a spot as their fellowmusicians in New Zealand, where cellists are reported to be humming thensonatas over unstrung instruments. But there have certainly been changes:— Bagpipes are coining from India; gut strings made by a tennis gut firm in Melbourne have been in use for some weeks by orchestral double bass players (these are the first instrumental strings made on a large scale in Australia); dollar exchange restrictions have wiped American gut strings imports off the future musical agenda. Ukuleles will no longer come from Hawaii (they are being made in Spencer Street); piano accordions can no longer arrive fom Italy; mouth organ imports have dried up; German instrument strings and accessories (hitherto probably the best in the world) can no longer be imported. Many dance band accessories, like side drum stands, are now being manufactured in Australia. Inquiries among music firms showed that most of them have quickly reorganised supplies on a war basis, arranging for substitutes and encouraging Australian manufacturers. Their promptly adopted new policy, coupled with the large stocks that were generally in hand, will ensure no break in essential musical and instrumental supplies.