EDITORIAL NOTES.

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 33, 28 February 1930, Page 6

EDITORIAL NOTES.

RRADIO listeners will be particularly interested in the news that a special committee, under the auspices of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, intends prosecuting inquiry into the question of static, with special reference as to its association with cyclonic disturbances in the Tasman Sea. The whole scope of static will be investigated as far as possible, and as the committee consists. of the expert talent represented by Messrs. A. Gibb (chief engineer, Post and Telegraph Department), Professor Jack (Dunedin), Professor Burbridge (Auckland), Mr. Bingham (chief engineer, New Zealand Radio Broadcasting Company), and Dr. Barnett (physicist, Department of Scientific Research), listeners are entitled to expect that at least some interesting data will be secured, and possibly valuable conclusions arrived at. The committee met in Wellington recently, and investigated the lines of research to be undertaken. Special measurements of the strength of transmissions from Australia are to be conducted, in order to ascertain the conditions causing absorption of the strength of the waves, and whether meteorological factors enter into the matter. It is also intended that the New Zealand committee will co-operate in world-wide research into the properties of short-wave transmission from important overseus stations. This departure has merit, and will be appreciated by all interested in radio. THE special value of radio in: the alleviation of the monotony of life suffered in hospital by patients has commanded attention in Wellington recently. A special garden party fete was held on Saturday last, under the auspices of the Red Cross Society, with the object of raising a fund of £200 to equip with wireless the Ewart Hospital, whose inmates so far have not had the privilege of participating in wireless enjoyed by those in the other sections of the Wellington Hospital. The occasion was interesting because of the preliminary publicity voluntarily given to the cause of radio by

eas — patients in Wellington Hos ital who have enjoyed its charm. Several patients spontaneously wrote to the daily Press expressing , thé incalculable benefit derived by them from radio, and appealing ¢ ‘ithe public to support in worthy fashion the cause for which the appeal was made, The satisfactory outcome of that effort is gratifying.