News and Notes from the North

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 10, 19 September 1930, Page 28

News and Notes from the North

(By

Call Up

Ovk Auckland correspondent "Call Up" writes: The listener who rushes to the telephone to complain to the studio as soon as he hears an item which does not meet with his approval is apt to blunder well and truly. Before. to-day disgruntled listeners have rung up 1YA studio to complain of the poor singing of Clara Butt and the poor playing of Kreisler, mistakenly blaming some unfortunate local artists. The other day an irate man rang up. "I have just heard your octet and it’s awful," he said. "J think you’re mistaken, sir. It has not played yet to-night." "Don’t be a fool. It has just finished @ number." "The octet you’ve just heard is considered to be the world’s best." "The world’s ‘worst !" "That was J. H. Squire’s Celeste Octet playing on a Columbia record!" Supposed collapse of listener and source of much mirth to station staff for next few days. "TANY entries are being received for the 1YA Song Writing Competition, which closes on September 26. Three judges have been appointed, subject to their consent, and it is expected that the result will be announced shosily after the closing date. AN axtist of outstanding merit who -i8 te be heard from 1YA soon is Miss Jessica Shmith (contralto), who was formerly of station 3L0, Melbourne, and has recently been heard from 2YA. Miss Shmith is to make three appearances from 1YA next month. a Bs play, "David Garrick," which was: to have been presented from 1YA by Mr. J. F. Montague on September .26, has now been postponed tiii October 17. The Savage Club entertainment has also been postponed. HE 1YA Station Ohoir will give a programme of part-songs on September 24, followed by half an, hour of community singing from the studio. The choir will be heard again.on October 19, when it will give a Sunday evening concert. F many listeners only knew more about their sets, complaints would be fewer and general satisfaction greater, and with this idea Mr. B. §. Jones is now giving a series of talks from 1YA on "How to Get the Best Out of Your Receiving Set." Mr. Jones has had fifteen years’ experience in radio matters, and this has been gained at sea and in all quarters of the world. He considers that New Zealand is the listeners’ paradise, Owing to the clarity of the atmosphere and the comparative rarity of static, reception from a much greater distance than in most parts of the world is pos: sible. On board a ship in New Zealand waters time messages can be received at night from very great distances, even with quite small installations. The programmes here, taking everything into consideration, compare wery favourably with those of other gountries.