THINGS TO COME A Run Through The Programmes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 22, 24 November 1939, Page 6

THINGS TO COME

A Run

Through The Programmes

HETHER it is true or not that the Scots migrated to the colder climates when they came to New Zealand, it is true that next week the three southern city stations are concentrating more than North Island stations on the celebration of St. Andrew’s Day. In Christchurch, on Thursday, November 30, at 9.25 p.m., 3YA will broadcast the Rev. A. C. Watson’s reflections on The Day. At 9.30 p.m. 4YZ will celebrate for Invercargill; and 4YA will devote an hour between 8 p.m. and 9 pm. to a Scottish concert by the Lyric Choir, with instrumental interludes to give Dunedin everything from an "Eriskay Love Lilt" to "Tail Toddle.": In Wellington, 2YC will relay a concert. by the St. Andrew’s Musical Society from 8 to 9 p.m. Well, What? Listeners are given no clues to the material in the item "What Do You Think?" to be broadcast from 2YA’s Exhibition Studio at 8.32 p.m. on Friday, December 1, and we don’t propose to enlighten them. Radio items are much more interesting when you don’t know what they’re about. Or is that not quite the right thing to say? But this particular item is not all mystery. If you don’t know the answer it will be given to you at 8.45 p.m. Eastern Mystery "Out East" anything can happen. In the lands of long gin slings, coolies, rubber plantations, and remittance men, mystery is "in the air." Listeners should find the play "Magic Hours" more than a little spine-chilling. This play by Howard Peacey, to be presented at

9.25 p.m. on Sunday, November 26, from 2YA, Wellington, is the story of an ex-service man, who, after the war, finds himself out of work and unwanted. In Singapore he is given an introduction to the manager of a rubber

estate. But having gone out to the plantation he discovers among other things that there is a ghost and that the manager is a brute; various misfortunes befall him, and he uses" a kind of Yogoism to rescue himself from a * charge of murder. More we cannot tell you, ’ but if you listen in you should find plenty of excitement. Doubts and Difficulties Among the little doubts connected with our garden there is the one big doubt about whether anything will ever grow in it; but other people seem to have some success and, like the 23 handicap golfer, must be forever plaguing themselves to improve on already good results. We are inclined to follow the lead of 1YA’s garden expert, who has lately been concentrating on vegetables, for they have a reassuring way of growing when they’re least expected to succeed, but there are no doubt many among the listening public who desire to know more and more about their multiplying doubts and difficulties. The answer is not just "super," or lime, or even a lemon, as gardeners will hear if they tune to 3YA at 7.35 p.m. on Monday, November 27, Bringing Up Although 3YA’s educational sessions ended well before the others, Christchurch is still busily concentrating on bringing things up. From " Bringing up the Small Child," by Mrs. Beeby, they have transferred to "Children We Know," by Miss Dolton, and still have Mrs. A. M. Spence-Clarke, who is to talk about "Bringing up a Puppy," at 7.40 p.m. on Friday, December 1. We have to point out that Mrs. Spence-Clarke has not given subtitles for a series about "The Aggressive Puppy" or "The Clinging Puppy," although no doubt she could, for she likes dogs and knows that first impressions are as important for puppies as for children. Hot and Cold : With dietitians everywhere raising difficulties, it is refreshing to find the A.C.E. resolving them. Listeners who have lately been convinced by the radio that their vegetables must be fresh and plentiful, and by their experience in shopping that they’re more often stale and expensively scarce, will be glad to hear of a talk on "How to Save Money and be

Better Nourished" from 2YA on Friday, December 1, at 3 p.m.; and those who had heard that freezing spoils good food whether it’s fresh and cheap or stale and dear, will look forward to learning "How to Get 100 per cent. Value out of Your Refrigerator," from 4YA, on Wednesday, November 29, at 3.15 p.m. If any confusion remains after these talks, listeners can still try 4YA at 3.15 p.m. on December 1, and learn of simpler things, such as "How to Sun Tan, and What to Wear when Sun Tanned." Laurian Club It was stated in our issue of November 10 that the Wellington Symphony Orchestra would present for the first time in this country, at the concert on Tuesday night, November 14, Sir Edward Elgar’s " Introduction and Allegro for Strings." We humbly apologise. We have been informed that this work was presented by the Christchurch musical society, the Laurian Club, in 1935. From 3YA, Christchurch, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, the Laurian Club will present a concert featuring works by Bach and Mozart and Warlock-Vaughan Williams arrangements of old English folk songs. Family Technique One of the new mothers tells us how she goes about breaking her infant daughter of the habit of climbing into the maternal bed in the early hours of every morning. Wordless, and expressionless, she rises, takes the child by the hand, and gently returns her to her rightful couch, She has done this six or twelve times every morning early for about six months and it’s beginning to work. Her idea comes from one of radio’s well-known child psychologists. Another, Miss D. E. Dolton, will be talking from 3YA at 7.35 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, on a related subject, "The Clinging Child" in her "Children We Know" series. A hasty impression of this sort of talk might suggest that aggressive children must be sweetened and sweet children repulsed, simply out of parental contrariness, but the speakers know much more of their subject than that. This is Miss Dolton’s second talk. Laughter in Court Jokes in Court may be divided into four Classes: those at the expense of the counsel; those at the expense of the Bench; those at the expense of the prisoner; and. miscellane-

ous. A nervous young counsel once began: "My unfortunate client, M’Lord... ." Again: "My unfortunate client, M’Lord... ." Yet again, "M’Lord, my unfortunate client... ."

"Pray proceed, Mr. Blank," put in the judge, "so far the Court is with you." Henry Hawkins was once appearing before a very rude judge. "There’s no use you telling me that Mr. Hawkins. It just goes in at one ear, and comes out at the other." "Quite so, M’Lord," replied Hawkins, "What is there to stop it?" Poor Prisoner Going on with the subject we should say, however, that the laughter in Court depicted by our artist arose out of a joke at the prisoner’s expense. You must have noticed that often a little thing, which wouldn’t raise a smile elsewhere, sounds funny in a court of law. It is the reaction from the solemnity and dignity of the proceedings. We shall see whether this point is dealt with by two speakers who are to handle this subject shortly-J. S. Barton at 2YA on Wednesday, November 29, and J. C. Mowat at 4YA on Tuesday, November 28. Mr. Barton is to draw on his long experience as a lawyer and magistrate. Mr. Mowat’s talk is one of a series on aacient and modern humour, Tudor Singers Do you like choirs and choir-singing? If you do, this is to inform you that the Tudor Singers, conducted by H. Temple White, will be heard from the Exhibition studio at 8.10 p.m. and 8.38 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28, and that their programme of "Love Song Waltzes for Pianoforte Duet and Voices," by Brahms, and Arthur Somevell’s song cycle, "Wind Flowers," should find favour with all to whom singing is pleasing.