RADIO EXHIBITION.

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 54, 25 July 1930, Page 6

RADIO EXHIBITION.

FEARTY congratulations may be extended to the Wellington ° traders upon the successful outcome of the 1930 Wellington Radio Exhibition. The lay-out and appointments of the stalls were in excellent taste. The closed-in type of stall of the preceding year was abandoned in favour of a more open type, without partitions separating one from another. While this sacrificed a little in individuality, it saved space and permitted of the freer movement of the public to the actual stalls and their models, with a closer association with the sets themselves and their performances. This after all was the main purpose of the exhibition, so that the change was all to the good. The background comprised a series of very excellent views of New Zealand scenery. The lightness of their colour scheme added to the sense of spaciousness to the hall. This was decidedly a gain. From the trading point of view the results were not only excellent in themselves, but in their prospect. Actual sales, while being good, will naturally be added to as salesmanship imparts the finishing details to the contacts made with interested clients. THE attendance of the public demonstrates the keen interest now taken in radio. Some part of the credit for this attendance must, of, course, be given to the attractiveness of the Maori programme. Members of the Wanganui Maori Party, who gave the very excellent pageant, "Hawaiki Calling," from 2YA studio on Tuesday night, attended at the exhibition each of the four evenings on which it was opei, to give concert items. The merit of their performance and the vitality and vigour imparted to their numbers-succeeded in establishing them in popular favour, with the result that crowded houses attended each evening. Thanks may be accorded to the Radio Broadcasting Company for their part in making this co-operation on the part of the Maoris possible. A SPECIAL feature in connection with the show was the children’s session on Friday afternoon. This was attended by some 1500 youthful enthusiasts and about half that number of parents, with the

result that the scene was one of great animation. The Exhibition Committee established themselves in youthful favour by a judicious y,.. ‘distribution of balloons and biscuits. One lesson, however, arising | | from this experience was that individual items can hardly be transmitted from the stage during such a session against the inevitable noise of the crowd. In any future effort concentration should be effected on concerted or choral numbers. TF any keynote emerges from the exhibition, it is the fact that « radio is no longer a luxury, but that it has become a. universal necessity. Mr. C. W. Rickard, in speaking on the opening evening on behalf of Wellington traders, struck this note, and it was surprising _ how it was endorsed by the popular experience of visitors. He is a rare man nowadays who, being of any standing, has not a radio set. Particularly does this apply in the country. There is a definite movement throughout rural centres toward the universal equipment, . of farm homes with radio. It is at last coming into its own in tla field. Farmers are realising that, with the reliability of reception and the quality of programmes, they are not being fair to their home folk in withholding radio equipment. This impulse will certainly continue, and in all probability a larger percentage of country homes will ultimately be equipped with radio than city homes. In stimulating that development, exhibitions of the nature of the one just concluded are doing a fine work. This development would be accentuated hy the provision of relay stations at strategic provincial points. We had hoped to have heard some statement on this point from the PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. J..B. Donald, who was unfortunately unable toattend the opening of the exhibition owing to illness in his family. His place was taken by the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, who naturally made no policy pronouncement. We sincerely trust that the time will not be far distant when a progressive move can be made in this direction.