ON THE SPOT

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 292, 26 January 1945, Page 7

ON THE SPOT

Records Made Far From The Studio

"J _one, "Ts there a power point handy?" "Yes, but it doesn’t work very well." "Then we'll have to find another ? » And so about 350 feet of line were run to a point in another part of the Children’s Health Camp at Otaki, so that recordings could be made by the NBS of the formal opening ceremony performed by Their Excellencies Sir Cyril and Lady Newall. Broadcasting and making records in the field instead of the studio have been reduced to a simple process. The recording apparatus is compact and, although on occasions qa good many hundred feet of line have to be run to the nearest efficient power point, the set-up is ready in a remarkably short time. At Otaki, wide-eyed children clustered round the NBS staff while tests were being made in the buildings recently handed over by the hospital authorities to the Health Camp movement. Small boys bombarded the technicians with questions, some showing a more than casual knowledge of broadcasting. Adult visitors as well as youngsters watched producer, technicians and an-

nouncer at work. Questions ranged from queries about the life of the sapphire cutters used in cutting "discs" to what the technician was doing with his little brush on the record. The information that records were composed of aluminium and cellulose nitrate was solemnly received, but the thrill came when, after the children had sung a few songs, the recordings were played back to them, During the afternoon the recording set was taken to the boys’ dormitory where, owing to the importance of the occasion, there was a most unusual hush and air of expectancy as Their Excellencies came in and the turntable began to revolve, : Songs My Momma Taught Me Later, in the dining-room, where the air was pungent with cut oranges, the children were asked to sing. What were their favourites? Some voted for the ultra-sophisticated "Paper Doll," of which they knew every word; others for "Coming In on a Wing and a Prayer," and "Pistol-Packin’ Momma." Gently guided by the announcer, they piped up

with the more suitable "Maori Battalion" and "Coming In on a Wing and 2 Prayer." In the open-air porch attached to the main building, the recording apparatus was set up to make "cuts" on the spot of brief speeches by notable visitors and later, in the office of the matron (Miss M. Hodges) records were made by Lady Newall and the matron herself, and played back for approval. There were 108 children in camp, all looking very healthy, and obviously

thoroughly enjoying the change. Many of the smaller ones wondered what it was all about, but it was explained to them that the recordings were being ‘made for broadcasting from 2ZB, with the object of assisting the health stamp campaign, which is the financial supe port of the Health Camp organisation. Lady Newall made two records, ig which she stressed the value of the movement to young New Zealanders, and expressed the hope that it would receive the utmost support.