THINGS TO COME A Run Through The Programmes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 14, 29 September 1939, Page 4

THINGS TO COME

A Run

Through The Programmes

HE Department of Internal Affairs and its Physical Welfare Branch are fighting the peace as usual. The early morning broadcasts of physical jerks may be heard daily from the main stations at 7 a.m., as before. They are now in the seventh series and building a better and brighter nation every week. Brown Against White Dr. Elizabeth Bryson has something to say on the brown bread versus white controversy in her next talk about "What Shall We Eat?" She takes a strictly non-partisan view of the problem and has some facts which listeners may not have heard from more jealously enthusiastic dietitians. Wholemeal seems to win by a short kernel, but judge for yourselves. "Our Daily Bread" will be broadcast by 2YC at 8.42 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. Our Phlegm It’s a question which came first, the British phlegmatic tradition, or the phlegm itself. At all events, our artist insists that the tradition is there and, apropos of a talk to be given from 2YA on Friday, October 6, at 8.40 p.m., reminds us that Drake fiddled with

his bowls while the Armada burned. At least, that’s what Bill (the office boy) calls it. For Bill, history is at present limited to the arrival of "Boomps-a-Daisy!" in New Zealand. But our more serious minded adherents might tune in to W. Feilding’s talk about "The Game of Bowls," and profit thereby. Eggs and Cheese Spring is evidently coming even to Dunedin, for the A.C.E. schedule a talk for 4YA at 3.15 p.m. on Wednesday, October 4, on "Spring Dishes Using Eggs and Cheese."

Cows will now be contemplating the first green shoots of Taieri grass, with Taieri cheesemakers contemplating the cows, and the A.C.E. contemplating both. And hens will be laying for dear life to get the prices down, with October so joyfully close. Remember your protein, listeners, and listen to this one. Riding Round London While John Watt bowls along the busy modern streets in ancient hansom cab, other BBC commentators follow the story of tandems, growlers, cabs, horse buses, hansoms, taxis, and omnibuses in the development of "London’s Traffic." That is the title of a BBC recording to be played from 3YA on Tuesday, October 3, at 8 p.m. It’s an amusing story. The first horse buses, for instance, were a French idea and supposed therefore to have an added appeal for persons of the "utmost refinement of taste." Magazines and periodicals were provided for the delectation of passengers, and a gentleman of "irrefutable propriety" was appointed to attend them as conductor. The BBC people are especially good at this sort of thing. For Animals To St. Francis of Assisi everything living was something to be loved. He preached to the birds, and he addressed the sun and moon as brother and sister. When in his last ill-ness-they cauterised him, he spoke to the burning iron as "Brother Fire," and reminded him that he had always loved him. The Annual Animal Week is to be celebrated shortly, and there is to be a talk at 2YA on Friday evening, October 6, at 7.40 p.m. by Mrs. A. D. Houston, who entitles her subject: "The Story of St. Francis of Assisi in connection with the World Day for Animals." Hercules Up-to-date Station 3YA is to begin a new serial at 8.31 p.m. on Thursday, October 5. "The Twelve Labours of Hercules" is a modern version of the Greek myth. Miss Eleanor Holmes refuses to marry Hector Cousins, nicknamed "Hercules," until he has performed 12 tasks she has set him. A lucky chance adds finance and Bartholomew, the butler, to Hercules’ physical assets, and he wins through in 12 episodes. The prologue will be broadcast next week. On Kissing "English ladies are divinely pretty and too good-natured. They have an excellent custom among them, and wherever you go the

girls kiss you. They kiss you when you come, "they kiss you when you go, they kiss you at intervening opportunities and their lips are soft, warm, and delicious." That was written by Erasmus, when he visited England in the reign of Henry VII. In Tudor England, kissing was regarded as a very agreeable pastime, and apparently played a large part in keeping people amused when there was nothing else to do. In the dances of the period the ceremony of kissing is always found-after all, England has not been called Merrie England for nothing. "The Dance in Merrie England," one of the series on dancing through history, will be presented from 2YC, Wellington, at 9.5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. Sarah the Sad When you know that Mrs. Sarah Siddons and Fanny Burney did not get on very well in small talk, you will have a fair estimation of Sad Sarah’s character. Small talk was definitely not in her line. She was the tragic muse. As if this pre-occupation were not enough, she was also a faithful wife and the mother of seven children. The Space-Time Reporter was rather nonplussed by her manner when he called on her in 1812; but he gathered enough material for his interview and will present it frem 3YA on Friday, October 6, at 9.5 p.m., in the "Great Women Treated Lightly" series. New Words for Old We notice the changes in our language no more than we notice changes in our near relatives. They are with us all the time. The effect of time seems gradual. But a man of 1890 might "go nuts" listening to conversation to-day. "Camouflage," "radio," "she’s a nice little bus," "forced landing," "X-ray," "cobber," "stream-lined," "lounge lizard," "gate-crasher," and so on, would "stump him." Hundreds of new words and expressions have come in. But this is a process that has been going on all through English history. The Norman brought over many words. Some were introduced by the Crusaders. French refugees introduced others. In fact, English has drawn from every language. In his "Life and Language" series of talks Professor Arnold Wall deals with this continual development. The series starts on ‘Tuesday, October 3, from 1YA. A Socialising Capitalist Much of the reforming work of the nineteenth century in England was done by men

well blessed with goods and social position. Of Anthony Ashley Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury, who was born in 1801 and died in 1885, it has been written that one principle governed his whole life. "His love of God constrained him to the service of man, and no earthly object or consideration-how-ever natural, innocent, or even laudablewas allowed for a moment to interpose itself between him and the supreme purpose for which he lived." It sounds a little sanctimonious, but you will not feel that when you listen to the 1YA series, "Some Leaders of Reform in the Nineteenth Century" on Thursday evening, October 5, at 7.30 p.m. Father Forlorn According to an item to be broadcast by 2YC on Saturday, October 7 at 8.20 p.m. Father’s Day has become a Roman Holiday, with Father as the sacrifice. He is only an

excuse for a celebration, and the inconsiderate family leaves him quite in the cold. See how forlorn he looks in our drawing. This is an NBS play. Poland’s Story This is not by any means the first time Poland has been over-run. The Poles have a tragic history of conquest, and "Freedom shrieked as Kosiusko fell" is one of the best known lines about their country. Two series of talks have been arranged so that listeners may hear something of the history of Poland. Professor F. L. W. Wood, Professor of History at Victoria University College, who spoke at 2YA on Monday evening of this week, is to speak again next Monday, October 2, and Leicester Webb is to speak at 3YA on Saturday, September 30, and on the following Saturday, October 7.