STATIC by "SPARK"

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 40, 15 April 1932, Page 7

STATIC by "SPARK"

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SPARK

ADIO was mixed grill in Wellington on Thursday night. Mr. Rowland Hill made us feel cheerful by \visualising our regeneration by the rejuvenation of the languishing flax industry. The Hon. Robert yMasters firmly convinced us that we \ can be healthy, wealthy and wise by ' buying more wool. But-both stations read out the Government’s financial statement. This is like boasting of our penury. Other stations were better. Static was that fierce they could not be heard. eo * £ I LEARN from a Jewish friend that had the Yiddish songs from 2ZW recently been translated, the Gentiles would have demanded that the station be put off the air forwell, unsuitability! I don’t know Hebrew, but really some of it sounded like that to me. . ® * # I SEE that a member of Parliament has asked the Postmaster-General a question about radio programmes and other matters concerning broadcasting. If the Minister does the right thing he will advise this member to peruse the contents of the Broadeasting Act, 1931. The measure shows that a body called ‘"‘the Broadcasting Board’’ was to control broadcasting in New Zealand from January 1, 1932. It would seem that this member may not quite know where or when he is living. * ¥ Ba HE decision of the Wellington radio dealers not to hold an exhibition this year must have been arrived at without consideration of the increase in licenses. 75,351 at the end of February, an increase of 2394 for the first two months of the year, when people spend so much time out of doors. The British dealers’ slogan is "A Radio for Every Home." It is not suggested that saturation point is being approached Wellington district, but the inference is that Brutus was wrong in his declaration in connection with taking the tide at the flood. * * * LISTENERS would be well advised to overhaul their aerials before the winter is upon us. Soldered joints should be examined and new joints made if faulty, halyards should be moved so that a new part of the rope is in contact with the pulley and the mast guys should be set up in order that there will not be need to attend to the aerial some night when a howling southerly is blowing. * * * (COMMUNITY singing is more popu- lar than ever in Australia, and

there is seldom a night in the week | when one of the stations is not broadcasting a sing. Apparently the depressed Aussie will not be miserable although he has little to spend and, as this form of entertainment is cheap, full advantage is taken of it. Will Wellington have to await the return of Mr. Albert Russell-our Ambassador of Joy-to line up in the Happiness Stakes? x * * WELLINGTON listeners were unfortunate on Tuesday night when Mrs. Soljak spoke from 1YA on "The Ethics of Internationalism." Static was very bad, and marred considerably the enjoyment of the speaker’s very excellently presented ease for wider vision and tolerance. The virile Nordic of New Zealand will disagree with many of Mrs. Soljak’s premises, and reject as impossible her plea for that idealism which hold no terrors of the risks of miscegienation, with Ancient Rome and the history of the Portuguese in India and China as examples. The alleged overbearing attitude of the Whites may have been a factor responsible for the troubles in the East to-day. The contempt and intolerence of the people of civilisations older than our own also may have been a cause of dissension. The immediate and major causes, however, were a spineless British Labour Government that relinquished its duty to govern, Hollywood culture that has taught for years that Whites at home are either imbeciles or crooks, and vile anti-British propaganda. I hope conditions will be kinder next time Mrs. Soljak broadcasts, for I wish to hear everything that this very able and learned speaker has to say. * * * 'THOUSANDS throughout New Zealand would not miss Dr. Scholefield’s travel talk on Wednesday night from 2YA. The correlated facts concerning the people and countries traversed, coupled with that incisive style, always makes the subject a fascinating one. The speaker’s mention of a friend from the Otago School of Mines who was working in Burma reminds me that most dredge mining in the East is conducted by New Zealanders. A further fact about Burma is that the colour-bar is less observed there than in the rest of the British Possessions in Asia and Africa, possibly due to the care-free manner of the Burmese and their comparatively high general standard of education. Although Britain has valuable oil concessions in many countries, Burma’s production is greater than that

of any other part of the Empire, which produces about three per cent. of the world’s output. Here is a problem for Ottawa. a * 7% BROADCASTING Artists’ Society is being formed in Auckland. The object is to assist members in the art and technique of broadcasting, and to assist radio authorities in securing talent. Auckland is now one up, and other centres must follow suit. * * * "THE visit to the Gas Works per 2YA on Monday night was interesting though there was something missing in the atmosphere, notwithstanding the fact that the sulphur-

etted hydrogen is well washed out. Next time it is to be hoped that someone drops a cob of coal on someone’s foot so we can get the real thing. * * x HE most popular concert of the week is the Band Concert on Sunday night from 2YA. This is what atmosphere does, for many — performances from the studio are of equal merit and many are of a much higher standard. The applause deludes many into believing that the artists are the best they have heard during the week, although it is possible they may have heard them all during the month previously. % * * DVERSE criticism and interference with normal business has resulted in the resignation of two members from the Wireless Serviceman’s Examination Board. This is regrettable, as both are leading lights in the Wireless World. The next Wireless Serviceman’s examination is to be held on May 2. Applications for examination closed on April 11. * * * AS a result of the visit to this country of Mr. C. B. Le Maistre, a New Zealand branch of the British Institute of Standards has. been formed under the auspices of the Wiring Committee of the Public Works Department. Many difficulties will have to be overcome, but in view of the possibility of increased Empire trading following the Ottawa Conference, common standards are necessary. ™ * "THE Railways Board has again turned down the proposal to fit wireless receivers to certain sections of the railway system, although many competing service cars are already offering wireless fare as an inducement to travellers. It surely will not be said that that good sport and wireless enthusiast Mr. H. H. Sterling was a party to the policy. There is always money available for sport no matter how dreadful the financial drought, and thanks to the innate love for clean competitive games the powers that be never try to repress the urge but cater for it. This year a New Zealand Rugby team is to visit Australia, and we hope to hear the principal matches broadcast, as on the last occasion. Now would the chairman of the Railways Board go on a train journey when one of these matches was in progress-we know he wouldn’t! LJ * me FOOTBALL relays resume this week, and the majority of lis- | teners will be glad of the respite

Vincent sspey A brilliant young violinist who will give a recital from 1YA on April 21. Mr. Aspey recently returned. from Sydney after three years as soloist and leader of stations 2FC and 2BL. In 1929. he won the championship of New South Wales, and has since appeared at all the big concerts in Sydney. Mr. Aspey was leader of the orchestra that accompanied Balokovic at the Sydney Town Hall in November last-when he played the ‘‘Tschaikowsky Concerto’’-and received great praise from Balokovic for his leadership. His numbers will include "Andante and Finale’ from the "Mendelssohn Concerto’; ‘‘Rondo. Des Lutens"’ (Bazzini) and Fibich’s "Poem.’’ His brother George Aspey will be at the piano.

from music, however fond of music they may be. Entertainment, like food, needs "to be varied, and a running commentary upon the play when the players know that the game is being described, can be thrilling. The Rugby Unions are to be congratulated upon their decision to have the games broadcast, and the benefit to them, like bread upon the waters, will return even if the interest were confined to the youth as yet too young to participate in the game. What are the Boxing Associations going to do this season? Last year wrestling had it all its own way, and by using the greatest instrument for publicity, had full houses everywhere. Have the Boxing Associations slipped, or is it George Aldridge? At one time it was apparently difficult to keep him off the air, so what is the reason of his passing into oblivion? m % ms

LJSTENERS’ organisations should direct some of their activities to drawing the widest attention to the stranglehold upon broadcasting that the Copyright Act permits. In addition to large sums drawn from B stations, theatres, restaurants, dancehalls and other places of entertainment, the Performing Rights Association drew from Australian A stations, last year, over £30,000. This virtual abstraction from licensed listeners’ pockets is as heavy proportionately in New Zealand, and while none will object to a fair return to publishers the claim should be gupported by some justification. All requests for a definite statement from the Association as to what material it controls have in the past it-is understood invariably met with evasive replies. The Act was promoted in the interests of composers as well as publishers, but it is claimed that many composers have never received one half-penny from the Association. Only by free ventilation of the unfairness of the measure and continued agitation for repeal, will the Imperial Government ultimately be induced to end this worldwide exploitation. . Artists should also bear these facts in mind when they are inclined to think that their performances are not suitably rewarded. * * * CTION is to be taken against a North Island dealer by the Public Works Department for a breach of the wiring regulations, when installing a radio set. A. flexible wire was lengthened by soldering two pieces together, and taking this from one room to another by passing it through a hole drilled in the wall. Thé Department is determined that this reprehensible practice, which was at one time fairly common, shall cease, and in recalling the recent fatalities from faulty wiring, all will agree that the regulations should be strictly observed. s * a KNOW a Cockney who was so deeply affected by Lewis Berger’s talk of Old London . (2ZW) that tears welled up in his eyes. His great-grandfather was hanged at Tyburn. His New Zealand-born children were not so affected, howeverthey even looked askanee at Dad when told the occasion of his grief,

Thus New Zealand, without age-long traditions, is responsible for the undevelopment of the finer feelings! * * * A FRIEND of mine recently went back to earphones. He had a loud speaker of the horn type, but hearing a voice he did not like he cut the speaker’s throat. That’s true. aa * * ey forecasting possible changes in programme policy, the B.B.C. intimates that still greater variety will be given during this year. Music of all kinds, including opera, will take more of the time space at the expense of drama. Although drama is specially written for the B.B.C. it needs the supplementation of tele-~ vision to be thoroughly effective, and this branch of science is as yet only. in the development stage. This }. change is thought necessary for Bri-{ tain to retain its ascendancy in European programmes. * * Ey A SURPRISE item was given by the Broadcasting Board recently in announcing that an increase in license fees had not been considered. * xt bs] "THE big French station, Radio Paris, has discovered that news read from newspapers palls on ‘the ear, and therefore to have an appeal required to be reconstructed for vocal presentation. To that end they have engaged a journalist whose duty will be to rewrite the news in such a manner that the monotony of market reports, foreign affairs and the like, will be given in a more conversational style. Do you remember the way Mark Twain "brightened" the "news" in his paper? hm an _

**GPARKLET" writes concerning the "Musie Lovers’ Competition": "Two years ago, in a city not a thousand miles from Manurewa, I had a hand in a series of about thirty recitals during a given season, and the star item was a competition which was to name the component: tunes that made up a_ popular ‘musical switch.’ Out of the twenty-six tunes no one seemed to be able to get more than nineteen right and this was to some degree understandable because the tunes followed in rapid succession without any ‘breather’ such as we are accustomed to get in the present Radio test of musical memories. The best mugicians are apt, like Homer, to! caught nodding. . Sir Edward Elgar related recently to Mr. Herbert Hughes, of the ‘London Telegraph,’ that he tried out a test on a number of musicians of his acquaintance by playing on the piano a few bars of the ‘Cherubini’s Mass.’ Not one of them guessed correctly, all failing to identify the tune except George Bernard Shaw, who knows more about music than most people. Though puzzled, he immediately. said: ‘What about Cherubini?’ The present music lovers’ competition is great, and I venture to predict no one listener will guess the names of the complete hundred tunes from any one station, let alone the four hundred from all the stations,"