THINGS TO COME A Run Through The Programmes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 6, 4 August 1939, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run

Through The Programmes

OST people have heard of the saying Mi that the greatest happiness of the greatest number is the measure of right and wrong. Its author, the founder of the Utilitarian school of philosophy, was Jeremy Bentham, one of the intellectual lights of an age that included Byron, Scott, and Shelley. Jeremy Bentham was the type of philosopher whom you might expect to find in a novel. He went to Oxford when he was only twelve and took his degree at fifteen. His father, after the manner of many fond parents, expected him to become Lord Chancellor, but he did not like the law, and settled down to a very long life of enormous industry in political, legal, and economic writing. He was the philosophic pioneer of liberalism and radicalism, and Mills said of him that he found the philosophy of law a chaos and left it a science. Among the changes he advocated were universal suffrage, annual Parliaments, vote by ballot, and payment of members. Jeremy Bentham directed that his body should be dissected and his skeleton kept at University College, London. It may be seen there today, dressed in Jeremy’s clothes. This philosopher is to be the subject of a talk at 1YA in the Winter Course series on Thursday evening, August 10, at 7.30 p.m. by H. R. Rodwell, of Auckland University College. This is to be the first of a series called "Some Leaders of Reform in the Nineteenth Century." Legal Advice Mr. Bumble said the law was "a hass." The Lord Chancellor in "Iolanthe," said that the law was the embodiment of everything that was excellent. Which view do you take? You will be guided by a discussion in the Winter Course session at 4YA on August 8, by two lawyers, who will consider the virtues and the shortcomings of the ten that they adorn. Tricking An Old Bachelor If there is any moral in Donizetti’s "Don Pasquale" it is this: "If you don’t get married young, don’t get married at all." This Don Pasquale, a choleric elderly gentleman, "disinherited his nephew, and in consequence

was played a pretty trick by the young man’s friends. He has been the butt of countless jokes, the scapegoat of many escapades; and to the piping of Donizetti’s gay music the poor old gentleman is led a merry dance when he goes a-mating. Listen in to 3YA, Christchurch, on Sunday, August 6, when this delightful comic opera of a marital mix-up will be presented. The Land We Live In What book or author would you choose to take to a desert island? Everybody knows that question. A lover of maps has said he would choose an atlas. The imagination can people a map with everything. On its contours

may be read the history of the people. For instance, why did the capital of England grow up at the mouth of the Thames, and Damascus, which some people say is the oldest city in the world, spring up in the midst of a desert? Why is Ashburton in the middle of Canterbury Plains, and why did Wellington grow up round its harbour when Christchurch moved over the hill? Geography can be an infinitely more interesting thing than mere lists of rivers, mountain peaks, and capes. 2YA is going to have a shot at making it interesting in a series of talks in the Winter Course period on Monday evenings at 7.30 p.m., beginning on August 14, when Everyman will question two teachers, L. R. Palmer and T. G. Hislop, who have made a study of geography and economics. Their triangular discussion, which in itself is something novel, will cover "The Land We Live In" in four broadcasts.

Tastes Change In the early days of radio a serial drama had to have corpses under the sofa in every chapter. A historical wave followed; then some bright mind remembered that, after all, love makes the world go round, and a romantic period followed. It seems to be agreed that listeners now prefer "human interest" dramas telling the stories of ordinary folk in situations common to most of us. Such a story is that of "Betty and Bob," the newest feature on the ZB Stations. Evidence -of its appeal is given by the fact that this serial has been broadcast continuously for more than seven years in America. It will start at 1ZB on August 14, at 2ZB on August 21, at 3ZB on August 28, and at 4ZB on September 4, being presented at 2 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays inclusive. Tongue- Twisters Have you ever been in the awkward situation of having to answer correctly and swiftly the following phrase, "The Leith police dismisseth us". There is many a rueful driver whose unsuccessful tongue has given him away to some alert sergeant of police when asked to pronounce that sentence. But it might be a more difficult task for a sergeant to test the sobriety of an offender, if he were to strike one of the winners of the Tongue-Twister Jackpot Competition which is being conducted at 8.45 p.m. on Tuesdays from 2ZB. Such a phrase as "The quick-witted cricket critic" is an almost certain trap for anybody who is asked to say it three times quickly. Another sentence which, rather surprisingly, seems to trip competitors is the fairly simple "Let us eat a leaf of lettuce: a leaf of lettuce let us eat." Napier to New York L. D. Bestall, of Napier, is testimony at once to the value of a hobby followed with intelligence and lively interest and to the splendidly impartial generosity of the Carnegie Corporation. Mr. Bestall is a draper who had not allowed business to absorb all his energy. He was active in campaigning for the present Napier Art Gallery and Museum after the earthquake, was appointed a director, and in that position, after the Corporation had subscribed funds for a second wing, was given a travelling grant which

te this year took him to the United States. Station 2YH will broadcast his impressions of the tour at 8.10 pm. on Wednesday, August 9, Keeping Faith At the end of "Loyalties," one of the characters says, " Keep faith! We’ve all done that. It’s not enough." That remark, which recalls Edith Cavell’s famous condemnation of blind patriotism, is the essence of this celebrated play by John Galsworthy; and so, although the play was written some years ago, it is particularly apt in to-day’s troubled world, more especially as the leading figure in it is a Jew. When a robbery is committed by one of the characters, the question becomes "a class struggle, in which sympathies and prejudices take the place of reason, and the interests of institutions stand higher than the interests of justice or humanity." As Galsworthy himself said about one of his earlier pieces: "The play is a picture of the human herd’s attitude toward an offending member-heads down, horns pointed." Yet, although Galsworthy was always concerned with social problems, "Loyalties" is full of living truth and real characters. It has been specially produced by the NBS for radio and will be heard from 1YA, Auckland, on Sunday, August 6. To Far Countries Travelogues on the screen enjoy a wellmerited popularity, but it is probable that the radio travelogue is now not far behind. "Melody Tour," a new feature now being broadcast by the ZB Stations at 6.45 p.m. on Saturdays is in the nature of a musical travelogue, in that it takes the listener on wings of song to countries of romance. That it is a local production adds to its interest. You Need A Mirror If you do not possess a long mirror get one immediately. Without one, your early morning exercises will be incomplete. Are your feet in line, about three inches apart? Your head erect, eyes looking at their own height in front, chin in? Your arms hanging relaxed at the sides, not in front, your knees braced, even pressure at toes and heels? How can you manage all this without a long mirror? Unless you achieve the correct posture you might start flat and end sharp, like the village choir when the piano fell off the dray on the way to practice. Keep to the right key, even

if looking at the mirror during the third series of 7 a.m. broadcasts (August 6-19) is temporarily disconcerting. Who Said Alfred? It is distressing to think of the number of scones and cakes that must be burnt in New Zealand when women are listening to talks. Alfred the Great isn’t in it. A new version of the old story came to us the other day. A member of the National Broadcasting Service staff was knitting by the fire one evening recently, and you may imagine that in the weather we have been having she was sitting pretty close. Well, she thought she would like to hear what H. G. Miller had to

say about Edward Gibbon Wakefield in the "History for Everyman" series. Mr. Miller proved absorbing. She went on knitting and Mr. Miller went on being absorbing. By the end of the talk the listener knew a lot more about Wakefield but alas, without her noticing it, half the knitted jumper had slipped into the fire. Another member of the staff became so absorbed in a talk on current events that she let a pair of silk stockings catch fire-not, it may be added, the ones she was wearing. If this kind of thing continues, the insurance companies will be getting interested.

What Is A Treble Recorder? Don’t jump to conclusions-a treble recorder isn’t a boy soprano in the census department, or Deanna Durbin keeping the score at a cricket match. A treble recorder belongs to the ancient family of musical instruments known as Recorders, the most widely-known example of which is the tin whistle. On Thursday, August 10, at 9.29 p.m., Zillah and Ronald Castle will present from 2YC a recital of early dances played on several ancient instruments. If you have been satiated by the full harmonies of modern music, or the plaintive pleas of crooners, tune in-you will find this programme of seventeenth century music distinctly soothing. Plague Comes to Eyam In 1665 London’s population was being _ decimated by the Great Plague. In the autumn of the year a box of clothes, which legend says contained a wedding dress, was sent to the Derbyshire village of Eyam. In a matter of hours the disease was rooted among the clean, windy moors. The people of Eyam determined to isolate themselves. Less than 100 of the population of 350 were left alive after thirteen months, but no cases occurred in neighbouring villages and Eyam’s sacrifice was justified. William Mompesson, born 1639, Vicar of Eyam, was the man who inspired the villagers. You will hear about him in an item called "Five Pioneers and a Hero," to be broadcast from 2YA on Sunday, August 6, as one of a series of 1939 centenaries. "Leaves From Life" In addition to conducting 1ZB’s Happiness Club Session, Dorothy is on the air every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon with "Leaves from Life"-a novel competition for women only. This session consists of true stories and incidents of actual happenings, written by women listeners, and read by Dorothy. At each broadcast a prize is offered for the best story, which need not necessarily be a personal experience of the competitor.