WORKED FOR EDISON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1940, Page 7

WORKED FOR EDISON

RESIDENT OF MASTERTON. HAS INTERESTING STORIES TO TELL. Living in Masterton today is a man who worked for Thomas Alva Edison the inventor, in the latter's works a Membow Park. He is Mr E. G. Hunt of 33 Lincoln Road, who as a lad of 16 years was employed in the early days in connection with the recording of the wax cylinder records which marked the beginning of "sound” reproduction. Mr Hunt’s work consisted of attending to signal lights during the recordings and has many interesting stories to tell of Peter Dawson. Billy Williams. Will Oakland and the early favourites of those days. Mr Hunt waxes enthusiastic in recalling thcgenius of Edison himself, his great kindliness in spite of a certain aloofness which in reality was shyness and a dislike of the "limelight." In Ml Hunt's words: "Mr Edison was a man living only for scientific advancement, caring little for the business exploitation of the marvels he created, and nc sooner had he solved one problem was he impatient to be on with the next. His private life reflected the nature of the man himself —a life devoted to scientific achievement and the bettering of conditions for all classes.” Naturally Mr Hunt is an expert of "sound" recording and the passing years have seen him keenly' interested in all its improvements but nothing can dim his recollections of those early days and amazement of the recreation of the human voice or his affection for the great genius responsible for this scientific marvel.