NOTES and NEWS from the NORTH

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 11, 26 September 1930, Page 7

NOTES and NEWS from the NORTH

THE programme from 1YA on the evening of October 14 will feature excerpts from the musical comedy and drama given by members of the "Little Play Club" under the direction of Mrs. Zoe Bartley-Baxter, Scenes from popular musical comedies will be given and also a scene from Shakespeare. ; s + s R. J. F. MONTAGUE concluded a very popular series of talks on "Maori Pronunciation and Place Names" last Thursday, and a great many listeners will be asking when he is to give us further talks on the Same subject. Mr. Montague has a thorough knowledge of things appertaining to the Maori race, for he lived ‘mong them for many years in his outh, The popularity of the talks can be gauged from the regularity with which they were interrupted while the speaker answered questions as to the meaning and pronunciation of Maori place-names received by telephone from listeners. Incidentally, one of Mr. Montague’s interesting points is that the popular fallacy that in Maori every Syllable has an even accent is quite wrong. ’ x s s [HH recently formed Hx-Servicemen’s Wrestling Association, like the Northern Wrestling Association, are allowing their bouts to be broadcast by 1YA, and the fight on Monday night was described for listeners by Gordon Hutter in his usual bright style. It is amazing the amount of excitement to be derived from hearing one of ~ these relays of a fight, and when a number of people are around the same set fights are apt to begin among the listeners! L * # s UCKLAND listeners, like those in other parts of the Dominion, were sadly disappointed over the rebroadeast of the first America Cup race. As everyone now knows, reception conditions were poor, and when the American stations were heard they made no mention of the race. However, the

gramophone music sent out from 1YA during the early hours of the morning was excellent, and "Call Up" for one thoroughly enjoyed it from the warmth of his bed. No doubt the feelings of the station staff on that cold morning were somewhat different, especially as their long vigil had been unrewarded. They deserve the thanks of all listeners for their efforts.

HE two songs sung by Mr. Rex Harrison from IYA on Tuesday were most enjoyable, and listeners will be looking forward to the other dates on which he is to sing. The short relay from the Scots’ Hall of the Orphans’ Club Orchestra on the same evening was also good. J * * A GOOD story is going the rounds of Auckland radio dealers which serves to show just how ignorant some people still are on radio matters, An elderly lady entered a local dealer's shop, and, handing him some headphones, complained that they would not work. "That’s curious," he said. "for they’re one of the best makes. What type of set are you using?" "I have tried them several times," replied the lady, "and have sat with them on both downstairs and up, but they’re no good." "Yes, but what kind of set are you using?" "Set? Do you mean you have to have something else besides these headphones?" When the dealer had sufficiently re-

— cov: ed to explain things to her, she said that she had bought the phones because of an advertisement for radio bargains she had seen in the paper. It certainly sounds a little "stretched," but it is a fact. NE of the most versatile artists who has ever appeared at 1YA and a former member of the Minus Fives has made a welcome reappearance from the station this month, This is Miss Edna Langmuir, who has been away in Australia for some time, where she has been appearing on the professional stage. Another welcome reappearance this month is that of Maisie Carte-Lloyd, late of the J. ©: Williamson company, who will be heard in elocutionary items on September 26. we bs mM ‘THE final community sing of the season will be held in the Auckland Town Hall on October 1. Unlike other sing-songs this one will take place in the evening and the first fialf of the two hours’ programme will be relayed from 1YA, . & Bd me . WHILE discussing with a dealer the prospects of another Radio Bxhibition in Auckland this _ spring, "Call Up" asked him if he thought the trade derived much benefit from such

exhibitions. He replied that the bene--fit was difficult to estimate as there was no way of checking the number of new listeners. However, he was sure good resulted; and -said that, even if only a few new radio converts were won, other listeners had an opportunity of seeing all the latest develop‘ments in sets, and every dealer had a chance of demonstrating to a large number of people he might not otherwise reach, The same dealer said that competition among dealers is now so keen in Auckland that some of them are canvassing from house to ‘house for prospective clients. His opinion was that any prospects these men discov- : ered were brought into the trade as a whole, for practically everyone who buys a set hears a number of different types before making his final choice. One result of this keen competition will be that only the best sets and those which live up to the claims made on their behalf will survive. Listeners now demand the best sets, but they also want them cheap.