NOTES and NEWS from the NORTH

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 36, 20 March 1931, Page 11

NOTES and NEWS from the NORTH

(By ‘

Call-up

, , M Ope a at R, COLIN TRIM, programme of ganiser at 1YA, will be away on annual holiday from March 16 to 30, Mr. Len Barnes taking over hig duties in his absence. * ~ s. ‘THD position of radio listeners in areas served only by direct current was discussed at the last meeting of the Auckland Dlectric Power Board. It was stated that a number of complaints had been received from setowners in the Epsom district, who stated that they were unable to operate their sets without employing a converter, which cost about thirty pounds, A member of the board asked whether it would be advisable to reduce the cost of power to such consumers or whether an extension of the alternating current area would be made in the near future. The general manager said that the cost of extending the alternating current area was too great, but "Sthat as soon as the number of consum‘ers in this district warranted the change it would be made, In the meantime listeners supplied with direct eurrent only must use converters. , 2 * * HE "BR" class station, 1ZH Hamilton, resumed regular broadcasting on March 9, after having been closed down for a few weeks, The Waikato station puts out good programmes, and is much appreciated by listeners in’ the neighbourhood. * * * i ee Salvation Army will have one of their services broadcast for the first time in Auckland on- Sunday, March 22. Hitherto the Salvationists in Auckland, unlike other religious

bodies, have held aloof from the microphone, but now that they have decided to have a service broadcast they will quite possibly make it.a fairly regular practice. ; , * * e ARRANGEMENTS have been made for the Orphans’ Club Orchesira, under Mr, Harold Baxter, to give a series of concerts from 1YA during the next few months, ‘This orchestra has about’ 45 members and has previously been heard by listeners on a number of occasions, Another series of concerts is to be given by the Savage Club Orchestra, under Mr, Archie Don, about thirty-five members taking part. = AUCKLAND listeners and musical circles will miss Mr. Karl Atkinson, who this week left for Ohristchurch to take up a position with the Radio Broadcasting Company. Mr. Atkinson has been closely associated with the Auckland station for some years, an@ since Augfist, 1928, has been giving regular gramophone lecture reeitals which have been greatly appreciated by listeners. He also represented the Auckland Piano Students’ Association on the 1YA Musical and

Dramatie Advisory Committee, At SYA Mr. Atkinson will supervise the arranging of gramophone programmes, and he should prove a decided acquisition: to the southern station. . a a * THE time for the renewal of receiving licenses is now approaching, -and it seems probable to "Call Up" that many listeners in Auckland will find it no easy task to pay the necessary thirty shillings this year. It is not that they do not want to listen, far from it, but owing to so many being unemployed or having reduced wages, spare cash is harder to find this year than it was last, There seems to be a very general wish among a large section of listeners that the license fee could be payable in instalments, , * * * THE first relay from outside Auckland for some time will be given by 1YA on March 25, when a concert to be given by the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band will be relayed from Whangarei. This band was relayed from its home town about eighteen months ago, the relay on that occasion proving most successful.

M88 PALMER, more popularly known as "Cinderella," who is the Ohildren’s Session Organiser at 1¥YA, is away-on her annual holiday at present, and in her absence Miss Dorothea Ryan is carrying on. * * _ , ON the evening of March 31 the 1YA Broadeasting Choir will be heard in what promises to be a remarkably fine programme. They will | sing choruses from "The Messiah" and will also give Gounod’s ‘Messe Solennelle." Perhaps the most interesting part of the programme will be the presentation by choir members of a special radio adaptation of Longfellow’s play "Mvangeline." o* * * ‘ "THE Civic Winter Garden Orchestra will make their first appearance from 1YA on April 6. This is a fine combination of players with a great reputation, and it is to be hoped that they become regular broadcast artists. *- * * A FORTUNATE acquisition to the yanks of local radio artists is Mr. Ralph Hskrig, who has sung several . times from 1YA lately. His songs on Tuesday last were remarkably good. * % bd FROM all accounts the radio trade in. Auckland are finding business fairly satisfactory at present. In spite of depression many new sets are still being purchased, and by people who seem to favour the good and more expensive sets. Compared with the same season in other years there seems to be little wrong with the radio trade, and dealers, locally at any rate, have Uttle to complain about.