The Chit-Chat Club

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 19, 25 November 1927, Page 3

The Chit-Chat Club—

Points from’ Papers Put "Over the Air."

Set Down

by

Telanother

"Cheerio," said Blinks loudly, giving -the oldest member a hearty slep on the back, as he entered the X club after a particularly successful day. "Cheerio yourself and be damned to you,’* said the oldest member irritably. "Do you think I’m made of iron to come digging me about like that? There’s' nothing to be cheerio-ing about, anyway. What with Coates. giving in-to the wowsers, we won’t be able to get a drink here soon. A pretty pass things are coming to, anyway. Wher I was young, sir .. ." "Fet’s have a drink now,"’ interposed Blinks hurriedly, fearing a lengthy story of those "early days’" about which the oldest member loved to dilate. ©¥on’re not the only one with worries. Here’s me, gone to a new place ont at the Hutt, and what do I find? Before I cau erect my wireless aerial I have to submit drawings to the borough en-gineer-and then pay five bob for a permit," . ‘Pd make you wireless bugs pay: five ounds a permit,’’ said the oldest memer. "Tt isn’t the five bob so much," said Blinks, "for I don’t intend to let them bluff me into parting up with that. I used to get a hearty ‘six’ from our drawing teacler about three times a week, because I couldn’t draw two straight lines. What a glorious moral she could find in this. I guess when the engineer gets my plan, he won’t know which is the aerial and which is the house. *"¥Ps a most ridiculous thing, anyway," said Larton, who had> just drifted in, ‘ard they can’t enforce the payment of the five shillings, because the license you get gives you permission to erect an aerial. ‘Iliese local bodies round Wellingtom1 seem to have gore mad with their little taxes-and now they’re trying to get another ten bob a year out of us for using the Hutt Road. It isn’t cricket.’’

"Yalking of cricket,’ said Blinks, "it seems that Mr. Lowry, captain of the New Zcaland team, is a better cricketer than speaker." ‘How’s that?’’ queried Larton. "They wanted him to give an address on their experiences from YYA, but instead he wrote one, and got them to give it from the station." "Was it a good review?" said the oldest member, taking am interest in the wireless conversation for the first time. "Yes, very fair,’ said Blinks. "They seemed to have been dogged by the weather right from the time they left until they got back. Itven in Sydney, and in Wellington on their return, the weather interfercd with the games. ¥rom early June until the middle of August most of their time was spent sitting im pavilions gazing at flooded and semi-floodei playing fields. They played at Birmingham ten days after a tremendous cloudhurst, during which an iron fence on the ground was torn up for 100 yards in two places, and marks on tle pavilion showed that there had been threc feet of water on the wicket. At Bradford and Manchicster the samte conditions held good, and in Scotland things, if anythine, were worse.’’ "No wonder the tour wasn’t a financial success then,’’? said Darton. "Te wasnt bad all the time, — of conrse," said Blinks. ‘They had three good days against Surrey, where Hobbs delighted then: with a typical Hobbs’ centurv. At Canterbury rank Woollev delighted them with two splendid knocks, 60 in the first inmings and a century in the second. Mr. Lowry said that these two innines were perfect for soundness and brilliance, and: were excetlent examples of how a left-hander should plav the game."? "Which did he reckon the best team they met during the tour?’ queried Harrison, who had just entered the little circle. Went. They made their runs more freely than other sides in England. They were also very interested in their games against the ’Varsities, for the plavers there were all amateurs-youttg wnen with little more experience than the members of the New Zealand team. Oxford was slieltly hetter flan tlem, mainly hecause of the fieldine, which was superior to that of the New Zealand team. Mr. Lowry said it was obvious that New Zealand could tiever hope to heat interttational teams until their fielding had improved." "Thev had some pretty brifliant batsmen, thoueh,"’ said Harrison. "Yes, and he gave some instances of good batting feats. Dacre and Dempster made 84 in 28 minutes: against Gloucester in opening our innings, and in the same matel: Mitts was able to keep his wicket intact against Parker, the famons left-hand bowler, for four hors. Parker would probably have howled out the richtndets almost as quickly as they could take the wicket, but a left-hand-er baffled him,

"Against Derbyshire, Dacre, in a brilliant innings, made 176 in two hours, hitting eight 6’s and twentyfour 4’s. Dempster and Allcott put on 300 runs for the second wicket ‘against Warwickshire, and Mills and Blunt 200 for the second wicket at Scarborough without being separated." Fnglish teams beat as all along the line when it cate to tactics,’ said Thribs. "Yes, that’s true,’ said Blinks, "but from what Mr. Lowry said, I take it that our fielding was our real weakness. He attributed that to neglect to specialise in fielding in our schools and crick~ ec fniurseries. Because of that weakness we allowed opposing sides to make 160 or more ruts more than an Australian cleven would have allowed, It was @ great disappointment that the fielding did not improve during the tour, despite the fine sides they were up .against.’"

Tt certainly can’t be regarded as a successful tour," said Larton. . "T think it can,’ said Blinks. ‘No one thought our men, with little experience, were going Home to clean up the English teants with centuries of cricketing experience behind them. It’s beett a great experience, atid we will profit by some of the lessons they learnt on the playing fields there." ‘Have you ever read that hook, ‘Lawrence in Arabia,’ " queried Drexter, who, because of the few contributions he .made to the conversation, was commonly known as "Silent George." "Yon bet," said Blinks and Winton Thribs in the same breath. "Why?" "Because it rentinded me of Iraq, about which the Imperial Affairs lecture was given recently." | "He was killed in the war, wasn’t he?" said the oldest member. , "a ha," yelled Blinks. ‘Not bad, old *’un. No, he wasn’t killed in the war. He’s still very much alive, being -a Kingdom in the Hast." | "¥ou may think you’re funny," said

the eidest member, with as much dig- f nifty as he could muster amidst the laughter, "but if Iraq is a kingdom, there was someone with a name like thet in the war."? "Ever since I read the book, I’ve been fascinated with the place," said Drexter, "and I’ve often wondered how the Arabs got on after the war ended the oceupation at which they were so much at home. IT rom the book they were a pretty fierce lot, and wouldin’t take the quiet life too kindly. As it turns ont, they haven’t had as good a deal as they reckoned on, but through no fault of Great Lritain.’’ ‘"Phey’ve heen ntade a separate kin‘dom, haven’t they??? queried ‘Thribs, whose long suit was certainly not geography. "Yes, but only after the di-:kens of a lot of trouble with the Turks, who wanted them under their domain. That was what tle row with ‘Turkey was about a few years ego, when it looked as if we were being drawn into trouble. The Turks, who had successfully cleaned up the Greeks, were looking for more trouble, and demanded a review of the treaty of Sevres. It was largely through the strenuous efforts of Mr. Tl. C. Amery, who will soon be among us, that the Arabs weren’t left out in the cold." "Wasn't that why Lawrence wouldn't accept any decorations??? said Wisliart. "Partly. He was disappointed with the way the matter was handled and fhought England moved too slowty. The most wonderful thing that Lawrete was able to do with the Arabs was to get them to bury their blood feuds and unite against the Turks, thus making them a very effective unit. The Arabs wanted an independent State which would include alf the Arab peoples, but their desires got a severe blow at the Peace Cotference, where portion of Arabia was sciven to France vider mandate and portion to Britam. Our mandate in connection with Trac is not the same as that under whiclr we rule Western Samoa. It was recognised that the Arabs had reached a state close to the time when they could he regarded as an independent nation, and we were really in the positien merely of givirg admitristrative advice -and assistance. When it is felt that Traq can stand alone Britain will withdraw. "Trag tas been a lieavv burden en British finances, and the difficntties have been accentuated by the ‘Turks through their hostility to us. Though thorouchly beaten and forced to accept. the severe terms of the Treaty of Sevres, Turkey experienced a rematkable reerndescence of strength, and after Mustapha Kemal Pasha had defeated the Greeks he demanded a reconsideration of the whole matter. After several abortive conferences, further nerotiations ensued hetween ‘Turkey and Great Britain, and eventually the matter was referred to the League of Nations, "When negotiations were under way the allegotion was made that Britain was interested in the question merely in order to serve her own ettds and

PERTINENT POINTS ON: "The New Zealand Cricketers," Iraq-A Kingdom of the East." "Peace Through Preparedness,’’

A pupil of Mr. Roland Boot, Mr. Penfold flashed into the musical life of Christchurch in 1917, when, with eight first prizes, he won the Chiristchurch Competitions Society’s vocal championship. Sinee then he has been very prominent as a_ soloist. When the Male Yoice Choir was formed in 1917 under Dr. Bradshaw, he became a member and, with the exception of the Iast two years, during which time he has been absent owing to pressure of business (he ix a member of the well-known brass founding firm), he has been one of the choir’s soloists. Mr. Penfold has tong been associated with church choirs. He was a for a number of years choirmaster at Linwood Congregational Church, and at present occupies a similar position at Trinity Congregational Chureh, Christehurch. He is a frequent and yery popular singer from 3YA. He will be heard avain on Friday crenine.

Steffano

Webb

pheto.

make sure of getting the oil which was believed to exist in Arabia. Concessions regarding this oil were granted, ‘Iurkey, however, disproving this suggestion, and moreover, it is stated that so far no oil has actually been secured there. Britain has to continue her mandate for 25 years, unless it is proved, before the end of that time, that Iraq is able to take lier place as an independent nation, "The task of hattdling Irag is not an easy one. It comprises 150,000 square niles of country, peopled by 3,000,000 Arabs, whose warlike natures make the policing of the country a difficult matter. It is a matter for congratufation that during the last year there has been no military cperation of a serious kind in any part of the country-a peaceful state that has not been known for centuries." "J don’t see why we should have to spend money policiug other people’s countries,’ said ‘Thribs. "What thanks do we get for-it?" ‘None at all,’ said Harrison, "but I suppose we have the satisfaction that we are protecting a small people against aggression, anj to some ex: tent helping ourselves indirectly." "Ym in favour of complete disarma- ment," said Thribs. ‘Let all the nations disarm and then there couldn’t be atty more war." "T think you’re sounder when you stick to the ‘ten per cent lines.’ " said Blinks. ‘Diplomacy’s not your trump ecard, Winton, my boy. Don’t you realise that through being prepared we often can prevent war?’ "Pshaw," said the oldest member, "some of you fellows can’t look beyond your own selfish interests. Give me the days when men were men." "And drank their six bottles until they fell under the table," said Thribs sarcastically. ‘A pretty lot." "Better than you infernal moneygruhbers, anyway. You don’t seem to realise that you have a duty to your country and your Empire." "Bravo," said Blinks. ‘"That’s the stuff. The old ’u» and T are agreed for once. Winton, you and your Dloated profiteering sentiments are counted our?" "But can’t we end war?" said Drexter. ‘We don’t want to have to go through the horrors of another war like the fast one." "T heard a tather good address on that point," said Wishart. ‘On Armistice Dav Lieutenaat-Colonel FI. FL. Northcroft, D.S.0.. of the New Zealand Artillery was ‘on the air’ and touched. --

fom the preparedness question. I was rather impressed with what he said." "A soldier naturally wants to have } more war," said Thribs. . "No, he doesn’t," said Wishart. "He [has a proper appreciation of the hor- } ror of it. Take what Sir William Robertson said only the other day. Lieutenant-Colonel Northeroft took the same view, but preached the advis- | ability of being prepared. Lord Roberts, most beloved general of modern times, was an ardent advocate of peace, but he spent all his time urging his countrymen to prepare for war im order that they might avert it. In potidering over our glorious dead it would be well to take steps to see that those who are left behind should not have to undergo the horrors of atiother war. The only way to prevent it is to be prepared.

| rr ire "Preparedness for war did not mean provocation for war, and it had to be temembered that in the last war the money fired off in ammunition in a single day would have paid the annual sum required for preparedness. The fact that we had not been prepared cost us thousands of lives and millions of pounds, The mation had been brought to the verge of bankruptcy, and yet with the fearful lessons of the last war fresh in our minds we found many averse to ferritorial training. fle urged that steps be taken to arm and equip in order that another such calamity could be averted." "There’s a lot in that viewpoint," said Blinks. "Tt would be all very well to completely disarm *f we kitew that every other nation were doing the same, but we know perfectly well they wouldn’t do so, and it would merely leave us open to attack Of course, | once we are prepared we would fave to watch and see that blundering polificians didn’t lead us into war." -- =

N.Z. BATTING STANDARD. "My impression of the New Zealand team’s play is that our batting is quite up fo the class of the best county sides. The bowling, though lacking any great star, was almost as good as an aniaicur side could be expected to have, but our fielding showed lack of experience." MR. LOWRY, Captain N.Z. Cricketers.

. ARMISTICE DAY. "Tf this solemn day means anything to us, if we are truly concerned to pay the debt we owe our comrades who died for us, let us take such measures now that their brothers and sons-aye, and their grandsons, too-may not be called upon to make the glorious sacrifice we mourn this Armistice Day." LIEUT.-COL. E. H. NORTHCROFT, From 2YA. aw wa aaa

= ti tii ath IRAQ-AN ARABIAN KINGDOM. "There car be no question’ that the experiment of setting up an Arab Slate it’ Iraq, already largely self-governing, has been an undoubted success. Ultimately the admission of Iraq fo the League will bring into being a free and enlightened nation, which will owe its birth to the League ‘of Nations and the disinterested assistance of the British Empire." {IMPERIAL AFFAIRS ADDRESS. From 2YA.