Final Wellington Community Sing

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 17, 6 November 1931, Page 9

Final Wellington Community Sing

Popular Broadcasts Brought to a Conclusion

.OR the final community sing of the season a crowd of more than 8000 gathered at the Town Hall on Saturday evening. Some hundreds could not be accommodated in the hall, but were considerately provided for by loud-

speaker, which flooded Wakelleiu street with the music and fun that were making things gay within the hall, It was easily the loudest, clearest and truest loudspeaker amplification heard in Weilington, and was heard as far away as Manners and Willis Streets. Before the "sing" began the 2YA Salon Orchestra, under Mr. M. Dixon, played selections. 4 The fun of the evening commenced ‘with the grand entrance of the song leaders, who staged an amusing divorce suit between accompanist Frank Crowther and his recently-acquired bride, the fair petitioner alleging cruelty and neglect due to her husband’s flirtatious with hundreds of young girl listenersin. The petitioner was emotionally portrayed by Miss Margot Russell, who had as her counsel M- IF. W. Barker. Mr. Albert Russell was counsel for the respondent, Mr. Will Mason was on the bench, and Mr. Owen Pritchard was the clerk of the court. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute after Mr. Crowther has played for community sings for a time to be fixed by the court. The merry interlude caused shrieks of laughter. Then followed a spell of community singing. Gratifying Suceess. HE big break in the proceedings occurred when Mr. HW. Palliser, chairman of the committee, asked his Worship the Mayor, Mr. T. C. Hislop, to make a farewell pre-

sentation to Mr. Albert Russell, who is leaving for America and England on Tuesday. Mr. Hislop said it must be extremely gratifying to Mr. Russell and his helpers to realise what a complete success they had made of community singing in Wellington this year, working their audiences up from a mere 200 to such dimensions as could not be accommodated in the largest hall iu the city. It must also be gratifying to know that at the same time they were helping the poor and needy of the city by raising funds for the Mayor’s Relief Fund. Up to that evening the fund so taised was £420, and he had little doubt that before the evening was over it would be raised to £500. The "sings" had brought a good deal of happiness and good cheer to people when they most needed it, not only here but to the thousands all over New Zealand who listened-in over the air, much of which was due to the spirit and enthuslasm of Mr. Russell. Mr. Hislop then handed to Mr. Rusgell a gold tiki inscribed; "To Albert Russell, New Zealand’s Ambassador of Happiness." Mr. Russell, who said the gift came as a great surprise, regarded it as a compliment, not only to himself, but to Mrs. Russell, Messrs. #. Crowther, Mr. Owen Pritchard, Mr. W. Mason, and all who had helped to make the "sings" such a success. He had‘ heard people from various countries called

ambassadors of this and that, but he had never heard anyone given so grand a title as that of "ambassador of happiness," and he was thrilled from the top of his head te the soles of his feet. A Handsome Tribute. Me. JOHN BALL, station director of 2YA, then presented Mr. and Mrs. Russell with a handsome illuminated address, signed by the directors, as some small return for the valuable services rendered to the community generally by the leaders of the community "sings" during the past winter. The address read as follows :- "To Mr. and Mrs, Albert Russell. "All who joy would win must share it; Happiness was born a twin."’-Byron. "Many thousands of New Zealanders who throughout the winter months of 1931 have been cheered and heartened by the uplifting, mirthful melodies of Wellington’s Community Singing will agree that Byron’s beautifully-expressed truism has found living expression in the selfless, joy-scatter-ing work of Mr. and Mrs, Albert Russell. "From time immemorial men and women have found solace and inspiration in music and song, and it is fortunate indeed that in these days of trial and stress, when in common with the rest of the world our own fair Dominion is overshadowed by the dark clouds of adversity, there are not lacking able song leaders ever ready and willing to give freely of their time and talents to the end that their fellowcitizens shall be cheered and encouraged and filled with that spirit of courageous optimism which will enable them the sooner to triumph over their material troubles. "In placing on record this testimony to their appreciation of your services to the community of listeners. the directors of the

Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand feel that they are voicing a nationwide sentiment when they say that Albert and Maud Russell are at this moment two of the most popular personalities in the Dominion. With your able associates, th value of whose co-operation you will be the first to acclaim, you have in a very real sense, through the medium ‘of the microphone, seattered from the North Cape to the Bluff your Joy Germs of Happiness -the seeds of a rich harvest of ADDY hours from which you have garnered muc¢. golden grain for the mayoral coffers from whence the poor and distressed of the capital city draw help and sustenance. "We believe the experience has been as wonderful for you as it has been delightful to the unseen thousands of Hsteners. In the many hundreds of appreciative letters you have received, in the spontaneous and generous response to your appeals on behalf of the poor and needy, you have been enabled to glimpse behind the cheerful melodies you have led the splendid background of our national kinship. "On the occasion of your farewell ‘Community Sing,’ on the eve of your departure for the Mother Country, we take this opportunity, Mr. Russell, to place in your hands this expression of our appreciation and goodwill, coupled with our best wishes for a pleasant journey, a happy sojourn in the lands overseas, and a safe return." "We Want the Company." N acknowledging the gift and the sentiments with which they had been conveyed to him, Mr. Russell said both he and Mrs. Russell felt that they could not have been more highly honoured. The work had been a joy to them, the great audiences had been an inspiration, the warm appreciation manifested by the radio listeners, and their generous response to the appeals that had been made to them, had been simply wonderful, and the splendid atmosphere of that evening’s farewell "sing" had filled their cup of happiness to overflowing. It was not often that he was at 4 loss for words, but by their great kind. (Concluded on page 80.)

Community Singing

(Continued from page 9.) ness they'had caught him out this time, he continued. He-could do no more than thank them sincerely. "But, yes, there is something I can say, something I feel I ought to say. And. that is how much we, and especially. those of us who are listeners,, owe to the Radio Broadcasting Company. The wonderful suecess that has attended our efforts has been largely due to the willing and able co-operation of the Broadcasting Company The company has pioneered the broadcasting service of this Dominion. The company has successfully blazed the ‘trail, and, undaunted by difficulties, it has built up a splendid service, and to-day is scattering the joy germs of radio to many thousands of homes from the North Cape to the Bluff. "And, by George, that reminds my" he continued, "that there is an intenti#n to put the company out of action, 4nd that the Broadcasting Bill, with that end in view, is to be put through Parliament on Monday. We don’t want that: we know what the company has done for us, and we want the. company. I have an idea. Listen! . You are all entitled to have a say in this. What about sending a telegram to our friend the Prime Minister first thing on Monday morning? I'll give you the slogan, "We want the company,’ and you send the wire. First thing Monday morning: ‘Prime Minister, Wellington. We 5 want the company.’ And what do you good people here say to that? Don't you think it’s a good idea?" The response to the query was an outburst of / loud and prolonged applause. The final scene was one not easily forgotten. Coloured streamers were thrown from every part of the hall, until the whole audience were enwebbed in a mesh of fluttering colours. Finally, laughter and cheers found vocal expression in "Land of. Hope and Glory." Special mention should be made of the invaluable accompaniments of Mr. Crowther, who in addition to his usual work played the Rachmaninoff Prelue in C sharp minor most artisticall,. and, as an encore, an elaboration of "The Indian Love Call," from "Rove Marie." oo The final announcement made by Mr. Palliser respecting the amounts collected was as follows :-Previously collected, £418/18/3; from listeners-in that night, £21/16/3; boxes at the door, £49/17/3, a total of £490/4/9. A further collection was then ma"> by the Red Cross nurses present, whivh brought the grand total up to £513/9/.