STATIC

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 42, 29 April 1932, Page 6

STATIC

Bv

SPARK

¥T is to be hoped that the New Zealand pronunciation of "carillon" will be kept English, as suggested (2YA) by Mr. Clifford Ball, the Bournville carilloneur, who has been kindly loaned to us for the opening function of our memorial. Although French in origin, what sensible reason can there be for us to impose a foreign accent on an accepted old English pronunciation? Apparently Australia has inserted a surplus "i" to Frenchify the word. Why can only be explained by some affected person being allowed too much say in. the matter. I understand that the B.B.C. has adopted a mongrel pronunciation, but it must be remembered that the compilers of their pronouncing lexicon were not all English, and one is not noted for his patriotism either. * « * PoE modern spirit as exemplified bv writers-and readers-is not

an everlasting rebellion against our parents’ nineteenth century ideas aceording to Mr. von Zedlitz (2YA), This being an age when certainty has taken the place of uncertainty, repercussions were bound to follow. Old institutions have been turned inside out and upside down to see if the superficial represents the substance, and writers like Samuel Butler and George Bernard Shaw have shocked us into discarding face values. The modern writer, well informed, saturated with cosmopolitan literature, although not erudite, is able to write to a public that was not known fifty years ago, and fidelity of interpretation is the keynote of expression. The new psychology, the speaker contended, was somewhat hypocritical and ephemeral, suited to a feverish world. Mr. von. Zedlitz’s half hours are things of beauty and will not pass into nothingness. * * 1% HOR marathon singing tune in to some Japanese station. The other night I listened to a woman singing one song with a samisen accompaniment for over half an hour. Two hours later she was still at it. I] cannot vouch that she had had no interval, but I would not be surprised. I have often seen and heard in Japan, a girl in a cage at the top of five stories, with three feet of snow on the ground, singing her tainted love song from dark until dawn. It might have been a relay that I heard. = x * HE concluding talk on ‘Cosmic Radiation" by Dr. D. B. McLeod from 8YA was again illuminating and given in a manner suitable for the lay reader. A happy thought of the speaker’s was to take the vibrations

of the station aerial as a basis for comparisons, which made billions almost conceivable to our limited intellect. The illimitable figures in this branch of physical research suggests the necessity of a new method of computation, as done for stellar distances. * He OW to listen to the Carillon was timely talk given from 2YA by Miss Gladys Watkins, the official carilloneuse. It is probable that it will be better to hear the instrument by wireless than direct somewhere near the campanile, as the microphone will be placed in a position where no intervening building can create sound shadows, and where overtones will be kept in proper proportion. Miss Watkins’s explanation of the conditions which often detract

from the pleasure to be derived from this type of musical instrument was simple and would be appreciated. = * s A FEATURE of the Melbourne Radio Exhibition, just concluded, was a music lovers’ competition similar to our own, but participated in by the visitors to the show. In this case the whole record was played as people moving about did not allow of the concentration that our _ contest does.

THE late news session from K.F.I. lately has been mostly the Lindbergh baby and the Honolulu trial, but on Thursday a Russian item was interesting. A little boy in Moscow, hearing for the first time that the natives of Central Africa wore one garment only, said "They must have had Communism before us." He was right, too! Ed * * HILE listening to a vociferous singer during the week, a singing competition in a Kentish village was brought to mind. Two of the locals, both rather simple, but with beautiful natural voices, were given a leg of mutton supper at the Pig and Whistle so that their qualifications could be tested. Points were given for all kinds of things, and five were given for long distance. The judges for the DX, that is all the a, ae

supperites, retired to the bar Willis’ our songsters disturbed the sleeping crows as they wended their way, singing louder and louder, across the meadows. The one I heard during the week would have beaten either by about five paddocks. 7" = {? is not generally known that one of the earliest experimenters in wireless communication was Mr. G. W. Selby, of Melbourne. Thirty-six years ago this gentleman was making quite elaborate mechanism for transmitting signals, and although _ his work was not understood in Melbourne, Sir Oliver Lodge acknowledged his experiments and encouraged his enthusiasm. The naval authorities in Victoria, before the founding of the Commonwealth, began to support Mr. Selby, although no practical assistance could be given. * ok

[TN his talk on Argentina (1YA), Captain F, H. Billington was delightful, and his fear that it may not have been chatty, warranted no telephone calls to the studio, I am sure. The silvery implication conveyed in the names Argentina and La Plata, it was explained, was the result of an unsuccessful voyage by John Cabot and his dissembling in making a report to the Queen, that he was on the verge of discovering great silver deposits. Captain Billington dealt with the cosmopolitan make-up of the country, but through fading I was not able to hear whether he told of the many frauds by European agents who induced Swiss and German families to take out implements and cattle to occupy nonexistent farms. The individuals were certainly losers, but Argentina gained some wonderful citizens. Mention

of British occupancy woulda surprises many hearers, and I would believe that Captain Billington in his innermost heart thinks that the country that he admires so much was the loser when our forces were withdrawn for other occasions. I shall be on 1YA on Tuesday, May 3, to hear the conclusion of Argentina. ae * * DTW'S Shandygaff on Tu'&day night shows what ea be done. Oil and national favourites, with a lashing of humour, was quite palatable. * * MENTION by Dr. Guy H. Scholefield (2YA) that the Kreuger Toll Corporation had advanced twenty-seven millions sterling to France in return for the match monopoly, will convince all with memories

of the fusee, that however frauauiehy the corporation became ultimately, it had justified its existence if it introduced a decent match to France. * ca "THOSE who heard the first talk on — "What I saw in Soviet Russia," by Dr. Fisher, Director of the Otago Workers’ Educational Association (4YA), will be keen to hear the remainder .of the series. As an unknown visitor from practically unknown New Zealand, Dr. Fisher, who stated that he was in no way shepherded, will probably be able to give us a truer picture of the country and its institutions than G. B. Shaw, whose impressions were recently cabled to us. * at & THE speaker’s reference to the Trans-Siberian railway reminds me that this train was at one time the finest in the world, and at an early period of its history, the cheapesi. I know one person whose actual fare, excluding food, from the German border to Shanghai, was less than eight shillings, but the bribes were fairly numerous and heavy.,;As a railway service cannot be run by the absolute amateur, there should be no reason why this train should not still be one of the best. Refer- ence to the fact that British news is liable to be tainted at the source, is understandable, when we are told that the correspondents live in the border towns, like Riga and Helsingfors, where fear of a powerful neighbour must colour all reports. Dr. Fisher found in Moscow that politics were not the whole of social life, and remarked upon the apparent willingness of the people to sacrifice present day comfort for the promise’ of a fuller life that was offered by an ardent prosecution of the ‘‘Plan." (Continued on page 28.),

"Static"

(Continued from page. 6.) Despite a studious cultivation of the _higher arts, and a certain natural jollity, life was nevertheless drab, consequent possibly upon food not being abundant. The visitor found the Russian to be a very friendly person, which shows that a change of masters has not destroyed his innate hospitality. In my visits to Russia before the war I knew the people to be gay, boyish, even childlike, and willing to be led, which characteristic

"\ i would make the creation of new bureaucracies comparatively easy. I cannot imagine the Russian being either worse or much better off today than before the new experiment in socia? science. z * % "THE next talk by Dr. Fisher, who is Professor of Economics, Otago University, will be upon "The Five Year Plan." According to our reports, there are ominous signs that this is crumbling, despite the fact that the Bolshevik’s started operations unencumbered, having appropriated all wealth producing activities by plain theft. I trust Dr. Tisher will deal with this aspect, as

it would appear that acknowledgment of capital indebtedness might have been essential to success. Ed * * IN introducing his subject, ‘"Geographical Aspects of World Power," Mr. G. C. Billing (4YA) was necessarily required to mention the obvious, that a propitious climate, ample resources, transport facilities and an energetic people were essentials in conjunction with actual geographically favoured position, for any race to rise to world power. The speaker ascribed the domination of Egypt in the world of her. day to the fertility of the Nile Valley and the aid to transport that the river gave. The rule of Greece he traced to a rich littoral and the simple transport that inter-island trading made possible in the eventual jevelopment of a maritime nation. timilar circumstances, coupled with the construction of roads for the first time in history, were the factors governing the ascendancy of Rome. In his next talk Mr. Billing takes listeners beyond the pillars of Hercules, and they will welcome his further record of historical facts. z % > eh celebrated its birthday on .the 16th instant, and am. ong the many speakers who con: gratulated the station upon its effi ciency was the Mayor of Los Angeles He said he had often wonderec what K.F.I. meant, and had been tole that it stood for "Knowledge, Fur and Inspiration." In New Zealanc we get the tail end of their pro gramme only, so cannot say definitel;

whether the Mayor’s informant is a good judge or not. x # * THE giant masts for the new station GWF, Perth, Western Australia, will be completed some time this month. The transmitter and buildings, to cost between £9000 and £10,000, will be ready in August, when. testing will commence. The station will be a facsimile of 2C0O, Corowa, which is so well heard in New Zealand. * * = ’ O enable it to form a line on the programmes and the response within the family, the B.B.C. in

February issued a voluntary questionnaire amongst _ listeners. It sought information regarding the family and their point of view. This has aroused much interest in the British Press. * x e [TN New Zealand there are over 200,000 motor vehicles, and of these about 75,000 are privately owned motor-cars, yet the cars that are fitted with wireless receivers are extremely few. Our enterprising dealers should make a concerted drive amongst owners. Besides the general utility of radio, look at the number of picnics that might have been better enjoyed had the car been fitted with wireless. x a m HE powerful Adelaide and Corowa stations which can be listened to without excessive amplification will create a demand from listeners that our A stations be increased in power. With static ever trying these

two stations are at present the only outside ones that can be listened to comfortably in, Wellington. We should be able to hear our’own A stations quite as well as any outside of the Dominion. 2 * * N the series of talks from Dr. Marsden 2ZW has a feature of definite value. This speaker is vigorous and accomplished. To an excellent voice he adds an amazing knowledge and capacity for" arranging his matter attractively. As secretary of the Department of Scientific Research he is in touch with all that is of moment in developing both primary and secondary industries. His talk on cheese was of value, not only to farmers, but to townfolk in its revelation of the value of the. industry, its problems, and its importance to the ‘country. Whereas Britain eats 9.5 Ibs. of cheese per head of population, we in New Zealand consume only 5.8 Ibs. Switzerland gets away with 23.3 lbs. Beer and onions are a great help to the consumption of cheese, and J’m wondering if we must blame our prohibition friends for the relatively poor showing we make. in the cheese-eating championship. I think the real reason is that the market is not properly supplied with attractive _ cheese. Cheese must be mature to be tasty, and much that comes on the local market is too fresh to be , attractive. Dr. Marsden is giving . further talks on primary industries. . I shall await them with pleasure. —