THE PHONOGRAPH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3754, 14 March 1891, Page 2

THE PHONOGRAPH.

(From our own correspondent). Wellington, Friday evening. I have just been to the Phonograph Entertainment at the Opera House, and, exceeding all previous expectations, the experience has really been so new and so wonderful that I ban hardly as yet write calmly about it. The audience was an extremely good one to start with. Then the arrangements were perfect. The stage was furnished to Borne extent as a drawing-room, the orchestra dock in front converted into a fore ground of terns, and the phonograph on a small table, was a conspicuous object in the centre of the stage. That most commendable feature, a punctual start, was a welcome characteristic as somewhat of a novelty, and Professor Douglas Archibald's entertaining and at times humorous introductory lecture was listened to with evident interest. It was not too long, and any scientific or technical matter which was introduced ,was oondensed and put into a popular form of expression. Mr Archibald is a clear and pleasing speaker, and his address in itself, as a specimen of oratory in the conversational style, is well worth listening to. The Phonographor " talking machine " is in appearance when seen fiom the 'jodv of the hall something like a large-sized telegraph inßtrume.it or like a galvanic battery, from which protrudes at a suitable angle an inverted cone or trumpet-shaped tube» through which the sound is delivered, and which by its shape is adapted to spread it through the space of a large room. The lecture and its illustration by means of admirable lime-light sketches over, Professor Archibald introduced the first "phonogram" iD' u0 the machine. Its material form. W as a wax cylinder about two long by two inches in diameter, upon which was indented Vhe wave line of sound as made H,y the needle of the glass diaphrighm when the cylinder was originally constituted the storage Qiedium of its vibrations. The phonogram in its place, a stop was touched, the cylinder propelled by an electric current, revolved, and forth came the notes of a cornet solo audible in every part of the Opera House. Previous to the re-production of the first record, it was easy to see that, the large audience was waiting for the initiatory sounds with breathless interest. Directlf the cornet solo had been heard, looks of surprise and pleasure and the hum of excitable comment were observable all over the theatre. One's feelings on the

first moment after adequately realising the marvellous nature of Edison's great discovery, ate too intensified to vent themselves in ordinary noisy demonstration. .Later on applause is frequent and vigorous. It is impossible in a limited space to in detail adequately describe the phonograph or the programme it went through last night, 80 I must generalise. In the first place it can be distinctly heard all over the largest hall. Instrumental music of an orchestral kind sounds as if the band were perhaps a distance away, as by the diffusion of sound so as to reach a large audience necessarily scattered, it somewhat loses in volume, otherwise it is perfect. A song is heard in all its modulations and change of voice and tone. The words are distinctly intelligible. The Christchurch tialvation Army band is a very funny reproduction, and very truo to the reality it sounds. First comes a solo by the Captain, next the band joins in, and then after the style of that peculiar body follows the ?ocal chorus. Last night's record indicated the tune and words to be " For you j must be a lover of the Lord," and the characteristics of expression and . voice, the interjections of stray , " Hallelujahs 1" and such like spon- ' taneous interpolations were funny in the extreme. A very interesting stace of the ( evening was when Mr H. W. Robin- , son, B.M, in response to a general invitation by the audience, went on to the stage and spoke into the machine. Professor Archibald immedintoly after wards mechanically reproduced Mr

Robinson's exact words with utmost fidelity and plainness to everyone in every part of the room. The tono and personal characteristics of his speech were plainly discernable. I found the upstairs portion of tho Opera House perhaps the most suitable to hear from ; but really one can hear anywhere. The phonograph is to visit Greytown on Friday, and Mastorton on Saturday next, as at present arranged; and e\eryone should certainly hear it. In my own opinion, and in thut of others, it is perhaps one of the few inventions and wonders that it is impossible to over rate or for the press to over praise. I think I . was more intensely interested by this evening's revelation of the extraordinary adaptation of mechanical science than ever before. There was more wonder and more pleasure depicted on every face in the Opera House, than, I venture to say, has ever visited an audience within those walls on any previous occasion. Any misgivings as to inability to hear or as to inper» fection of the phonograph may be at once disregarded. I should add that at the close of the > programroo a limited number ofjfo audience—limited by the a slight extra fee—are on the stage and hear a " repeated at close quarters. TBewhe speaker, the vocalist, or the musioßns, whichever the listener elects to hear, might with all the realism of Bound produced be aotually upon the Batne stage anjd close beside oneself.

The whole thing is a very superior form of entertainment, such as you have never had in Masterton before, aud you will find the people connected with have come into personal contact with them—full of capable management and courteous behaviour. Iu Mr Jinkins, in particular, chey -.~*C have an excellent manager.

MOCK RETRENCHMENT. Tho Apostlo of Disorder

The Wellington Evening Press of Thursday, under the above heading, says, with reference to the so-called retrenchments made by the Government :—The pretentious display of savings is quite in keeping with the, well-known charactar of the gentle- - iTisn who compose the present Ministry. In other respeots, too, the proposed movement is what we might, have expected from them, and more especially from the gentleman at the head of the departments in which these so-called economies are to be made—Mr Jiichard Seddon. Now the Hon. .Richard Seddon has been long recognised as the champion of disorder in the House and the advocate of lavish expenditure in his own district and among his own supporters. He has been a consistent champion of shams. He has never shown himself to be possessed of a eingle attribute of statesmanship*. What he has lacked in mental force; he has attempted to make up by a display of physical vigor. His weakness in argument he has cried to cover by lung power, which commanded attention on the part of those whose misfortune it was to be, compelled to endure his long, incoherent and disjointed harangues. By virtue of being ;>cw excellence the cuisanceof the House, he has managed to place? himself in a position which neither his natural nor artificial attainments have fitted him to hold. It is there fore only natural that he should, with the rashness which he mistakes for bravery, and which is begotten of ignorance, apply his sledge-hammer where only the skilfully direoted surgical-knife can do any good. It is nothing to Mr Seddon that he should crush men whose lives have been spent in the service of the country, if only he can satisfy his vulgar ambition. What is it to him if he should drive hope out of the hearts of publio Bervants—-that hope whioh is the chief, if not the only, incentive to duty-if only he can insure his own existenoe as a Minister ? We believe that the wantonness which is displayed by the' Minister will bring its own reward. We understand that this Ministry-*, this bo called champion of the rip'mts of the working publio—whi»; d they are dismissing old and Bervants have already Bhowa their adherence to Nepotism bv appointing their own friends to portions in the service. , We do not t»\ d a \ one of the shameful effrontery exhibited by them in their appointments 0 f commissions—their of the interests of persons •Liiected—their having appointed i commissions only with a view to suit i their own followers, —but we mean, also, appointments to suoh offices as may bo filled in a manner not con- ■ templated by the Civil Service Acts, Fortunately,suoh offices are not many, but it will yet be seen that full advantage has been taken of their opportunities. We shall have more to say of this again. Let us in the meantime, return to Mr Seddon, formerly the champion in the House of disorder and obstruction. True to his instincts, he has applied his rough treatment on the police of the colony. Mr Seddon—this apostle of disorder —has intimated his intention of destroying the men who have, by their industry, honesty and study, raised themselves, and by so doing elevated the service. He is about to crush hope out of the heart 1 ) of the men in the ranks. He is about to tell them that the only reward open to them for careful and honest attention to their duty is that they shall be dismissed at any time that a wrong-headed Minister, under the mistaken appro* henaion that such things are pleasing to the public, thinks that by sacrificing them he is likely to advance his political future. Wo have dwernpon the effect of these changes upd£%be men. The effect upon the publio is obvious to those who think. Unfortunately all do not think, When police work is being most efficiently oarredon is the time when the unobservant least thinks of it. To those; who know police work the difficulties are apparent, and by them efficient performance is most appreciated. We hope that there may be some way, beforo the publio service is thoroughly demoralised, of stopping the ruthless hand of such Min- ' istera as Mr Seddon. If we aro to> maintain honesty and faithfulness among our publio servants we must see that they are not left to the puppets of every Minister whose v pole-star is his own unenlightened ambition. Economy is a most important consideration, and we have been, and shall, we believe, always be supporters of it where it is not too dearly bought. We have shown to our readers that economy as understood by the Hon Riohard Seddon i 3 not a good thing, because there is left out of consideration everything but the,, eaving for the moment. Such economy the publia do m>t want, arid we shall at other times show that ib is oontrary to the; I best feelings of the day, which are. in favor of fair remuneration, not a* I blind' cheoSQ'paring parsimony. , | TimiiiiiaßiWiiiii rtiiiii ii i"