Wellington Radio Exhibition Creates New Record

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 49, 19 June 1931, Page 8

Wellington Radio Exhibition Creates New Record

Maoris Prove Huge Attraction

79 (xrxctacts. Sir' Edward Elgar' s Famous Chcral Work will be presented by (lje Autedint (hot&l Sorietg Under the Conducior ship _ of

Mr.

Alfred

Walmsley

From 4YA..

June 23

NEW record was set in radio ‘exhibitions when last week the Wellington Town Hall was filled to capacity with interested visitors. Long before the opening of the evening’s concert the gallery was packed out, and people utilised even the steps for seats, others lining the walls and_ standing throughout the whole performance. A system of passes enabled visitors to inspect the exhibits downStairs then go to the gallery for the ensuing programme. The first half of each programme was broadcast by 2YA, after which the station returned to the studio for items.. The Maori performances were staged in ideal surroundings.- No pains’ had been spared oh the decoration of -the’ hall, and. the stage was particularly well. got up.. Here was a model Maori whare and on either side typical New Zealand scenery with the faniiliar flax bush and .tree fern.. Draping’ to the high roof added to the effect. . During each performance the lights in the hall weré turned out and the stage illuminated. by.a, spotlight: For one of the items a-model Maori canoe was brought on to the stage." A picture of this appears elsewhere in this issue. It must be ‘adinitted that the Maoris were a real asset‘and that much ‘of: the success of the exhibition is due to their performances, which every night reached a higher standard: They were lively . and ‘vigorously earried -out : the actions to ‘their songs. Poi and haka were performed with much enthusiasm and evoked conisderable praise and applause from ‘those. who’ were fortunate enough to witness: them. : The exhibition, although open to. the public early: Wednesday afternoon, was officially. "opened ‘by.’ the PostmasterGeneral at 7.80 Wednesday evening. Qr

Exhibition Speeches. \ EPRESENTING: the Radio Dealers" Association, .Mr.. W.; M. .Dawson welcomed the Hon..J. B. Donald, the Maori party, and. the show visitors. In the course Of ‘his: remarks‘*he stated that ‘ brondcast reception. had. ‘long passed the experimental stage and it may now be classed as a definite: and important public utility. --"I could give you many. examples, but. will content myself with: reminding .you of. the wonderful service ‘rendered to anxious relatives following the tragic’ Napier’ disaster. ‘ "The-first cost with: a niodern. mains: operated set is practically the last one, as ‘service can’ readily be’ obtained .in all reputable makes of: receivers and upkeep is surprisingly small. You will see on the. various stalls: sets ranging from a: few ‘pounds to. £100, or more, all of Which are capable of providing the user with ‘high-class. entertainment for something like ten hours a day-or,; say, 3000 hours in a-year. "The feature that is rarely fully. realised is the extraordinary low cost of broadcast entertainment. The license fee portion of the expense thus works out at about-100 hours for a shilling, or, say, 1d a day. The power consumption of, even the larger sets Is quite small for.in all cases the cost is only a -fraction of ‘a -penny ‘per hour. ’ "Service and renewals with modern sets represents Only another, minor, fraction, so that for.an overall expenditure of much less than a "penny? per hour the whole household can be regaled with varied entértainment. "No other medium of entertainmert can approach radio’ broadcasting . in this respect,"

_Mr. Dawson referred to television: remar king that he: regretted’ the ‘colourful -scene. could not ‘be reproduced: .in distant homes...’ Some,-day, however, it would, To appreciate | the ° : 4 one must be present.’ In conclusion, he thanked the, Br oadcasting" Company: fox. ‘their: co-oper ‘ation in. broadcasting the -programnies. . "to: those -who: could not. afterid the: The Postmaster-General. Speaks. B® Hon. J.,B. Donald, PostmasterGeneral, said that he’ felt highly honoured at being called upon. to open this exhibition. ‘When he entered the hall:he wondered whether. he had come into a Maori pa-or into a radio ‘exhibition,, but . he. finally observed that it was a little of both, and he wished to: compliment the. exhibition authorities upon the very fine. results ‘secured. He, hoped that the people of Wellington would make it their business. to attend and see the show for themselves. Radio had now reached a-high ‘stage of development, and anyone who had a radio set had at hand an instrument capable of giving great enjoyment. Some people professed the desire to ‘wait for further improvements in radio. Unquestionably progress would still -be made in radio,’ but the present efficiency of radio sets::was so great that: these people by ‘delay would lose an infinite amount of pleastife, His advice, therefore, .was not :to wait, but to purchase: radio now. :-The "fact that the Derby had been witnéssed by many listeners throughout Britain by means of television broadcast was illuminating, and showed that progress was still

certain., ".Neyertheless,. smeonis, "ghould not wait: longer to enrol themselves in the. radio circle. \ The Future of Broadcasting. . oy feel sure," continued the ter, "that you will expect to hear from me as to the future of broadcasting, because, ‘as you are aware,’ broadeasting comes under my’ ‘ministration, ’ and at the present time Cabinet is considering matters in that respect. I am sorry. to say that the improvements that are in view have not ‘been 'O.K’d. by Cabinet, so that it is ‘inipossible to tell the exact details, but I have pleasure in ‘telling you that’ the‘aini that we have in view ‘will; I hope, ‘give more pleasure’ to ‘the listeners of. ‘New Zealand than they’ have at’ ‘present. . "For one thing it. is hopéd':to give a say. not’ only, to listeneys--and, after aul,’ théy , "aré ‘the people who, ‘should have as. much say as anyone. else in broadeasting-but ‘also. to thé. dealers, as well,as: ‘the ‘Government; * and we hope by" some such combi jation that the ‘result will’be tWat’the listeners of New Zealand will. be more’ ‘satisfied than: they are to-day. > ""T want to emphasise again that we have no -reasom to find:fault with the present Broadeasting Company. They have done, very, well , indeed : under strained. eircumstances in ; one . way. They . started off the’ it Was. not. to: "be expected ‘they. would reach perfection, in. the. first... twelve months or so., . 1. ‘do belieye, that listeners demanding. more than they * are . getting; to-day, and seeing « that they’ have-to pay the piper, they are entitled to get it. "I am hoping that when the new regulations come into -force ‘they will. be more: ‘Satisfied than they are to-day, : ". do not; know.; whether it ‘will be possible, for the :present: conipany to help out in the:new arrargenients, bug if so, ,I. will be, pleased if it: his so. Sponsored Programmes Permitted. "There is one point that the dealers present .might: be ‘interested: in. I may say that to-day. I signed a letter to one of your members in which I ‘said that I would allow ‘them to notify the general public when they: were giving a pr ogramme from ‘a-firm, that the firm’s name. should be mentioned at the beginning of the programme ‘and at the end of the programmie. : ~ "hat will be of very. great interest to the "B" class station-owners, because it will. assist.them to defray their expenses. At the same time they must 'be-careful they do. not: over-step the bounds, because if they do. we’ ma take away from them the latitude they have been given to-day. "I do not know if there is anything else I can say ‘that you would be interested in, but I would emphasise again that, as long as we can have pleasure that is. good for: us and pleas-

. ure that is profitable for us, it is good for us to have it." The Minister concluded. by formally Sector the exhibition open. Mr, John Ball. FTOR the first: home's proadcast from the Town Hall-Radio Dxhibition, Mr. John Ball, speaking from 2YA studio, said :- The Hon. Mr. Donald, Mr. Dawson, ladies and gentlemen and. listeners over the air,-We have just concluded the broadcasting on ‘relay ‘from the Town Hall of the opening proceedings .of this year’s Wellington Radio Exhibition. Before proceeding with the presentation ‘of our studio programme, I desire on behalf of the directors and. general manager'of the Radio Broadcasting Company heartily to congratulate the responsible committee and the responsible’ radio traders of the city on the excellence and completeness of the exhibition and the outstanding success which has attended its opening. As listeners: will readily understand, this exhibition*has to do more particularly with what’ may be termed the social and domestic side of radio, and the broadcasting’ into the homes of the

people of entertainment, information, and instruction. Throughout the centuries there have been exhibitions and exhibitions, but in not one of them, I venture to. say, has the inventive genius of man displayed a greater triumph than the modern radio receiving sét.. The stalls of the Wellington Radio Exhibition present, in representative groups, what may rightly be described as the intellectual aristocracy of radio. There is not 2 unit in the unique and tastefullyarranged assembly. which cannot, at ‘one’s will, -fill one’s home with the world’s best music, played and sung by the world’s greatest artists, or bring one into close and almost living touch with the talented musicians and songsters of one’s own land. _ .Herein, to my mind, is the outstanding wonder of this modern marvel. The vasty void ’twixt earth and sky is crowded with an inaudible babel! This welter of sound transmuted into silence surges unceasingly through the invisible ether. All the music of the world, all the oratory of the world, all the ‘noise of the world is wafted about us in. this surging but inaudible babel. Yet, sitting at ease by our own firesides, we can

by the mere twisting of a little dial tune in from out this inaudible welter und transform, into living sound whatsoever we wish to hear, whether it be the music of a band that is playing in Auckland, a song sung in the capital city, a selection by a symphony orehestra in Christchurch, the skirl of the bagpipes in Dunedin, or an item broadcast from "ny one’ of the Australian cities. In this seemingly super-human power of selectivity radio surely borders on the miraculous. Finite man hus made it possible for his feliows the world over to do this marvellous thing. A listener in New Zealand has heard a nightingale singing in England. A little child in the remote backblocks of this beautiful Dominion can, througu the magic of a radio receiver, hear with clarity the greetings of a radio. "uncle" broadcast from a far-distant city. I need not dwell longer on the marvellous characteristics of radio. Let me now say a few words concerning its utility in relation to the life of the people. Radio is no longer an experimental toy of dubious reliability. With almost incredible rapidity it has becom an efficient community service of inestimable'value. And it is, if I may say so, a splendidly democratic service, a

generous service, a service whose inspiring ministrations are freely. available at small cost to the whole of our people without distinction as to class or creed. ’ Are theré among those to whom I. am now speaking.any who have yet to learn just what a rad‘o receiving set brings into a New Zealand home? If so, then I venture to think that a brief statement: of the facts will surprise them. he four big stations of the Radio Broadeasting ‘Company are in daily operation, 2YA from 10 o’clock in the morning and the other three from 3 o’clock in the afternoon until 10 and 11 o’clock at night, with a rota so arranged that there is never a day when at least three of the four stations are not on the ais. Throughout the day there is a continuous’ musical programme, with intermissions for instructive and -in formative lecturettes and the announce-: ment of. important sporting and’ other happenings. From 5 to 6 o'clock the children’s hour occupies the air .and provides delightful entertainment for many thousands of "radio cousins." From 6 to 7 o’clock dinner music is broadcast, so that the occupants of the humblest home can partake of their evening meal in an atmosphere of musical refinement such as hitherto has (Concluded on page 29.)

Wellington Radio Show

. (Continued from page 9.) peen the exclusive privilege of the wealthy. A news session, especially valuable to country listeners, fillg in from 7 to 8 o’clock, and from 8 to 10 or 11 o’clock carefully organised concerts are. broadcast from the four stations. And this is by no means all that the New Zealand listener receives over the air in return for an annual

license fee which works out at a COS of a fraction over one penny per day. In addition, there are innumerable relays and rebroadeasts of important public functions and happenings, thrilling descriptions of exciting sporting events, instructive lecturettes and talks by experts and notabilities, and, though I mention it last you may be sure that I do not regard it as the least important, regular Sunday evening services for children and adults. With these facts before you, you will agree that I have not exaggerated in describing New Zealand’s broadcasting service as being both generous ‘and democratic, I have given you these facts because I realise, as you will also, that the Wellington Radio Exhibition, which has been so successfully opened this evening, is intimately and insep_arably associated with the broadcasting service. Displayed in its stalls are the perfected instruments by means of which you can bring this great service into your homes, and let me say fn conclusion that with such a service as is now available even the most costly receiving set will prove to those who can reasonably afford it a highly profitable investment. If you can possibly do so, spend an evening at ‘the Radio Exhibition. The talented Maori entertainers will delight you, and you will find a wealth of interest In the exhibits.