Auckland Notes

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 11, 27 September 1929, Page 5

Auckland Notes

(By

Listener

"A UCKLAND can almost claim to be a "seven. day a week" station. these times. It is hard to remember when last we had a silent night-not that we are wanting one, for the "extras" provided are always novel and interesting. Boxing and wrestling deseriptions have figured prominently among them, and now the literary side is to be catered for, opportunity being gaken of the presence in the city of the Wellington University debating team. Listeners, while enjoying these extra nights, are apt to forget what _ sacrifices they mean to the station staff, and it is only just that there should be public mention of the fact that we are grateful for both studio and transmitting officials for giving up their time in a good cause. "THE last of the season’s Rugby games will be described from Hden Park this week, and hospita! patients, invalids, and thousands of others who are unable to follow football visually will regret that for some months Mr. W. J. Meredith’s racy accounts will cease. Football is described through 1YA witb an accuracy and enthusiasm that excels anything heard from any other station in New Zealand or Australia, for "W.J.M." knows the game and the players as few do, and with this knowledge he combines splendid descriptive powers. IN the interests of licensees 1YA has at different times faced almost insuperable difficulties in supplying race descriptions and results from points outside the local courses. In connection with the Avondale meeting on Saturday and Monday the procedure that has been followed since the senseless ban was imposed will not be continued. The reason is that at Avondale it is impossible, outside the ground, to olqain a vantage point from which a suitable view can be obtained and at the same time a relay conducted. Probably, when so many hundreds of country listeners miss the news to which they so look forward they too will raise their voices in protest againg the continuation of the existing state of affairs. NE local listener has been expounding his views on the news session, yas the greatest appeal. He commends f feature of broadcasting that to him ‘the nightly budget broadcast, but urges that, before closing dewn, the New Zealand stations might supply a brief

"late news" session, summarising what has been announced earlier, and adding particulars of any important events that have happened in the city that night. He declares that often there are evening public meetings at which important decisions are made, and that officials at these meetings would be quite willing to supply particulars of resolutions of public importance, telephoning them to the stations so that they could be put on the air that night. There may be something in this suggestion. HOUGH the Auckland radio exhibition is still a good four weeks off, matters in connection with it have now taken definite shape and everything is in train for a really successful show. Twenty commodious stalls have been allotted to the radio trade, and each will contain a comprehensive display. Special space has been alloeated for amateur interests, where local transmitters intend to make a brave display. A radio club at the Leys Institute has just completed a fine ‘50-watt transmitter, and this, with other products of youthful enthusiasm, will be on exhibition. The committee in charge of the show is now arranging for a tearoom to be included, so that patrons will have refreshment other than through the eye and the ear. qt is a pity that these notes have to be written before the relay from Waitomo Caves eventuates. This "stunt" has aroused more interest than any which has previously been heralded by 1YA. Programmes on the whole, however, have remained of such a eonsistent standard that it is difficult to say anything else than ‘There are no complaints as of yore."