A £50 Rural Competition

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 46, 31 May 1929, Page 9

A £50 Rural Competition

List of Prize Winners

"AN amusing and interesting ecompetition, having for its object the ereating of interest in radio on the part of its rural readers, was recently promoted by the "New Zealand Dairy Produce Exporter,’ a monthly . paperPrizes totalling £50 in value were offered, the first award being an order. for £25 for the purchase of radio apparatus, The competition involvéd the. writing of. the longest sentence, or series of sentences, having some general . reference to radio and rural interests, using only ‘words .beginning with. the letter -"r,?’ and using ' four supplementary words viz., "a," "and," "the," and "but." Tt was required that the words used should be good dictionary words, and the sentences must make sense from the :point of. view of being readable as English, even though the situation conveyed might be non- ; Sensical as an actual happening. ~ eat interest was taken in-the competMion, the entries received being very heavy. ©The winning award has been made to an entry which reached the astounding total of 4212 legitimate words, used in:a story complying with the conditions and dealing with radio and rural interests. The winner was Mrs. N. B. Potts, c/o Mrs. J. McDonald, Pencarrow Farm, Featherston. It was by casting

her entry in the form of a very ingenious story that Mrs. Potts attained the extraordinary total of 4212 words. As the story deals with radio, a brief summary will be of interest to readers, together with some extracts illustrating the ingenuity with which she built up sentences consisting of words beginning with ‘>? A summary of her story states: The Winning Story. FTER a general introduction concerning radio, the announcer tells a story, and then gives way to a Robot, a mechanical man, who is brought forward by the radio authorities as a novelty. The Robot makes a lengthy speech, gets wearisome, and is put out, but "repelling repression" he re-enters and continues. At last he is summarily ejected and a lecturer talks on gardening affairs. However, the Robot butts in, but unfortunately his works get out of order; in other words, the "ratchet and ratch rammed and the raseal’s remarks resembled rejumbled rot." Instead of presenting a coherent narrative, the Robot transposes his words, so that his adjectives keep appearing too far ahead of the nouns, to the consternation of the studio people. Upon routine the Robot, a ruralist discourses on rural topics, and is immediately followed by the Robot with his amusing invertions. Fortunately he is soon’ removed from the microphone, and a clerical gentleman broadeasts a_ talk on religious questions. The Robot gets in again, just ahead of the "Radiolans," who purpose giving a_ recital. Once order is restored, a medica) man gives a talk on health topics, when the Robot has another chip in. However, he doesn’t get far, because a restaurauteur discourses on "Diet." The radio authorities decide to smash the Robot and do so, but to their consternation "the rattling remains reassembled and_ the Robot racily repeated" another of his quaint speeches. He is removed very soon, and is followed at the "mike" by a lecturer who speaks on "Rambles" and country outings. When he finishes the Robot breaks in, but is ousted by a Russian refugee, who lauds the Revolution, and puts over a Jot of subtle propaganda among his narrative. Again the Robot interrupts, but a "respectable and = reputable radiologist" appears and ponderously dilates on radiotelegraphy and kindred subjects. At the conclusion, the ever-ready Robot springs into the breach,, but is summarily dealt with by the "redactor" of the "Radio Record." A patriotic rifleman broadeasts a speech counteracting ‘the revolutionary tendencies of the Russian refugee, and is immediately followed by the Robot. who has an amusing final talk before he is taken. away "repentant and redisciplined." The announcer discourses on "Belles-lettres" before he gives place to

a traveller who reports scenes round ‘‘the roaring Rakaia River." At this stage the rouseabout of the broadcasting station, who has imbibed rather freely, thinks he will make a speech-and does so! Next a young lady from Raetihi has a general talk on "Domestic Matters" for the edification of the ladies. The conclusion is a reference to the children’s hour, when the radio "relative" gives his birthday greetings, or, more correctly speaking, the "recurring returns!" A few words of advice on radio apparatus are followed by the exceedingly gratifying statement: "Radio reception reimproved and registration and renewals reassure and re-encourage the rejoicing radio rulers." Some Extracts. A FEW extracts from details of the + story will be interesting as showing the winner’s attainments, °©A_ typical passage runs :- "Rigral residents," reported the raconteur, "require radio. Rapid reading and retailing rumours regarding revyolutionary risings, regicides, rulers’ restrictions, religious revivals, rustlers, and Reichstag and Reichrath resolutions, render regrettably retarded results. Remarkable recreation rewards rustie reception. Repeated requests reveal real relish, Remote ranchers, rangers, rabbiters, revel respecting relayed racing, vodeo, rugby and regatta reports." And again the "radio reviewer ridiculously remarks" "Rachmaninoff replayed rallentando, Rubinstein ritardando, and Rimsky rinforzando! The rotund Rajahs and the reproachful Rajput respectively remurmured the rackety ragtime refrain. Resummoning the Rhaetian, the regretted relier rendered a rapt and reliable roundlet re reactance and reaction. Reappearing romantieally Roméo resubmitted the roundel. Resolvedly re-examining the repertoire, rewriting the reverie. revoicing the rhythm and rhetoricalness, and reveloping the repertory, radiate the regulations.

While "Rosy Richardson, a Raetihi rodomontader, revisited the radio room and re-advised regarding re-springclean-ing the rooms and related. reminiscences: ‘"Regild the re-engraved rec ~ and regrate the rubble! Re-order the rebozo! Rework the redder rug, and rub the rebuilt runabout! Reseat the rougher rocking-chair and rocker, and reset the raphe!’ Rebuild the rasped rockinghorse, raddle the rear, and run the risk." Prize Winners. (1) Order for £25 for radio equipmentMRS. M. E. POTTS, o Mrs. J. MeDonald, Pencarrow Featherston. (2) Order for £10 for radio equipmentMRS. R. C. PALMER, Spring Grove, Nelson. (3) 10 Prizes (increased to 12 Prizes) of £1 each-10s, in cash and 10s, subscription (one year prepaid) to "Radio Record"’-Mrs. M. M. Inkster, 202 Worcester Street, Christchureh; Mrs. H. S. Cottrell, 24 Hastings Street, Napier; Mrs. R. G. Eden, Wakefield, Nelson; Mrs. HK. 8S. Smith, Waiwetu Road, Lower Hutt: A. Russell, 104 Duke Street, Invercargill; M. Donny. Rural Delivery, Morrinsville; J. P. Black, 56 Hector Sireet, Seatoun, Wellington; H. B. Vine, 27 South Road, Masterton; Miss Mictorine Ruscoe, Marybank, No. 1 Line, Wanganui: Miss .M. Lovel, Rototuna R.D., Hamilton, Waikato: H. F. Harvey, "Daisy Bank," Martinborough; Mrs. R. P. Skinner, jun., Tuapeka Mouth, Otago. (4) 10 Prizes (increased to 11 Prizes) of 10s. each, subscription (one year prepaid) to "Radio Record’-Mrs. T. W. Barwell, Spring Farm, North Loburn, via Rangiora; Vincent Climo, Alfriston, Manurewa, Auckland; Mrs. Gordon Hodge, R.D., Waihou; Mrs. BE. G. Knight, Tua Marina, Marlborough: Mrs. Thee, Waitomo Saves, King Country: Miss Doris Semadine, Harbour View Road, Te Atatu; E, A. Robertson, Paparimu, Auckland; Miss A. Hammond, Omaka Rural Delivery, Blenheim; Mr. Hamish Rutherford, P.O. Box 10, Springburn, Canterbury; M. P. Spillane, Pukeatua, via Te Awamutu; Mrs. J. Blair, Silverdale, Auckland.