THE WINNING ESSAY.

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 5, 19 August 1927, Page 6

THE WINNING ESSAY.

Wireless is the towusman’s toy; his pet scientific hobby; to the dweller in the far places it is the link which binds him to civilisation. ‘Travel through the Jonely, spatsely-setiled parts of New Zealand and see on what wind-swept ridges, and in what lonely gullies the aerial rears its head. It is the outward and visible token that, though through the day the dwellers here look out on nothing but tussocks and great hills, where but seldom the voice of even a neighbour is heard, still at night, when the eurtains are drawit, the family sits round the fire and spends an hour with the great iminds-past and present-of the world; Reethoyen makes music for them ; Shakespeare spreads his wisdon’ before them ; Diekens his drolf humour. So it is for the country’ dwelle that I chiefly make my plea. First, and all the time, we want the. jhuman "touch-a sense of companionship | ~-the talks of one woman to another. ‘Yalks after the manner of the travelling | sister writing to the stay-at-home. We want to know what is gsning on in the world of men and affairs; just a. brief tall about the men who are doing things; what thev are doing, and what it is going to mean to the world in general, and New Zealand in particular. A suminarv of important world happen ings, simpiv put. so that those who have neither time nor opportunity to follow the paners may not he hopelessly behind the times. A talk on new, worth-while hooke sich as the assault on Mount Everest; |

breezily-told travels, and perhaps occa: sionally something humorous. Yalks on the latest fancy-work-no elaborate outfit required; ~ directions easily followed. | And, most of all, hints and instructions for making dainty trifles to send as offerings to our friends next Curistmias, Talks on clothes-nothing elaborate, just hints as to materials and simple, prevailing styles for our summer outfit to be made at home. We would not be feminine did we not dread hecking upthe dust with our skirts, while they. still soar waistwards, and how humiliat-_ ing to wear one’s hat on the nape of the neck when it should rest on the tip of the nose! Talks on making over our roams at spring-cleaning time. Taking, say, an old-fashioned (yarnished wainscoting eft. high} living room with hideous painted mantelpiece, and transfarming it into, if not a thing of beauty, yet info something that does not offend the eve. Labour-saving devices and ways of cousetving time end strength in cookine and work of house. Do I want much for my money, and will you raise my wireless set tax? T hope not, sincerely, because I am looking forward to many interesting ‘‘darning’? hours-previonslv abhorred. "OUIRT HOURS." SELECTED COMMENT. From a number of other excellent essays I cannot resist making the following brief extracts. Our competition was, I think, a splendid success,

ROPUEADGDESDEVDAYEOPVUSUEAOGECSBELOVESOOOVERZUSESURESOA IC OEUSUEDSUE CE ETE SHOU HUES NEES and soon we may have another. Meantime your ideas will undonbtedly be a great help to our programme organisets. "Linda": Radio has come into my house like a good fairy. It has banished loneliness and depression; it has brightened and mysteriensly shortened the hours by giving me new tnues to sing and new thoughts to entertain while I work. | I expect much from my radio, 1 want to be amused and tanght, to be kept. in constant touch with the ont. side world. I want to hear music, classic and a little jazz, the latest song hits, the most popular musical comedies, the most famous operas, sung and played by. good artists. Records by world-famous singers and players are always welcome. I want to hear what women the whole world over are do--ing, the new successes they are finding in business, the new freedoms they are gaining, the new and original eclubs_ ‘they are forming, and-the new dresses and hats they are wearing, the latest little touches in ribbons and laces and frills. I want to hear little talks on gardening, on poultry keeping, on photography, on simple ways to keep the body and mind healthy and alert. I want the whole world | ’ brought into my little country house, strange lands and people with their quaint customs, wonderful buildings, and flaces rich in history and romance, In fact, I want the whole history of the world as it unfolds day by day. I want miy radio to be an animated newspaper. But I don’t expect to ger everything I want, every day, nor once a week, nor once a month. I know other people have other tastes. I pick out what I want quickly and eagerly, and listen politely to those things that are amusing other people, for my radio has taught me to be tolerant, and I sympathise with programme organisers who have to arrange entertainments to suit a whole country full of people all as different as chalk from cheese. "Constant’’?: hese projected afternoon broadcasting sessions are to cater especially for the home-keeping woman, and it is here that the wireless can help and stimulate, and keep alive in women's minds the sense of othe people’s lives and activities. In ous own homes day after day, we are apt to become narrow in our interests and to forget the teeming world outside. How tremendously we should enjoy a talk from any "celebrity who happened to be in New Zealand-actor, author, artist, or athlete! It would give us something fresh to talk abont at the evening meal, We are so often stale

TANEERERSRESHAASUEESTESUCH OED PAE QUGUTEA ESTEE EST SATSAIUEOH OK QUOTES when our *menfolk come home, with nothing to offer them but a wail about household difficulties or the idiosyncrasies of our neighbours, What. a pleasure it would be to be able to talk with intelligence and understanding on some subject that would appeal equally to husband and wife. Then books-to some of us beoks ate an essential part of life, atid we should intensely appreciate talks from some sympathetic literary person who could perhaps outline a course of reading that’ would be truly -helpful.- Just a word about humour. We should love a witty and amusing little chat ‘on almost any subject that would maké us | langh. } Again, although Uncle Jack talks to the children in the evening, lots of us have tinies between three and seven who are in bed and asleep by halfpast six, and the last half-hovr before bath-time is often a tax on mother’s ingenuity during these winter afterneens. Just imagine the joy of switching onto Uncle Jack or Aunt Joan or some other kind radn relative, and to know that the children are to be amused and entertained and given .a fresh line of thonght, while mother perhaps finishes that tiresome little job that simply refused to "come done" "while she was racking her. brains to find amusement for the children, | "Backblocks Grannic’?: We are keenly looking forward to the afternoon programmes from 2YA, as we live in a very isolated place, and all news from the outer world is most welcome. In dealing with cookery, may I ask for some simple and tasty ways of nsitig un | "teft-cvers’ in meat, ete., so that the dishes may be tempting and vet not indigestible nor "messy." With reference to dressmaking and all branches of sewing, may we ask to be told exactty how much material to order: for the various garments described, as patterns co ofteti mislead in their directions? A little home nursing simnlv explained by a practical person would be a heln. and a little straight talk on ordinarv gocd manners would not come amisssuch as the prompt acknowledement of receipt of a present or other kindness hestowed-or a genial return of salute in street. "wide World’: Talks on the moral welfare of children for the guidance of parents, especially mothers, are eagerlv awaited. In this connection I would like to mention books. How often are Ghristmas and ‘birthday books bought at random, with never a thought of the

Pee TOU ei eu i@niiii yk the hook: may have on the character of the child-for what a child sees in impressions play a vast part in the formter of literature. If the radio could advise good hcoks, for different ages, description-health, beauty, housekeep‘articles relating to games, pets, aufomehiles, etc., would be of interest. For women motorists a reminder of ‘rules law in connection thereto, world be of and other motorists ! "Mollie? + T want continued evidence af a snirit of helofutness and friendship, Radia chontd dewelnn Aicanadinn Clanarae nhicallv, science has annihilated distance and it is now left to radio to eliminate misunderstandines and cement friend. chins between communities and individuals. lasting effect the contents and tone. of: ing of the character; therefore, strict.- . supervision should be used in the mat-:.’-‘ing, cooking, etiquette, music, garden- — mg, authors, etc. It would serve radio" listeners collectively if these questions. and answers were: broadcast For the © woman of leisure the broadcasting of — ptint he accepts as "gospel," and early. . .with comments on the lives of the an-' " ‘thors, and anything interesting in«con-:'*' nection with the books, it would help. _in the choice of books. I would like, . -to have a cortier of ‘Radio Record’’.., set apart for queries of any and every ~ > pe af the road’? end the action of the | timelv value-esnecially to pedestrians © om ow er NA