OF FEMININE INTEREST

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 2, 22 July 1932, Unnumbered Page

OF FEMININE INTEREST

By |

Patricia

RS. IDA EVANS, a visitor from Sydney, broadcast for 2YA last week a most interesting story of her travels in the South Sea Islands. Some of her adventures in the interior required courage and initiative, as she had to deal with uncivilised natives. Courage, common sense, and wunderstanding is needed if one is to make any headway with natives of any tropical country. Mrs. Evans must possess these attributes in a marked degree. Her boat journeys to the different islands were full of incidents, amusing and otherwise. On the boat roamed pigs, fowls, dogs, and other animals, and at night she had to surround herself with boxes to keep off these denlWens of the farm yard. This experience of Mrs. Evans reminded me of the time f travelled from British East Africa to Bombay, when we had on board a number of wild animals, zebras, lion and leopard-eubs, pelicans, and several racing ponies, which it was my delight to help feed every morning. * % * > MBS. EVANS had rather an unique experience, for on one of the islands she met an authoress who became friendly with her, and with their haver- sacks they set off to walk across the island. On reaching the further shore, they saw a beautiful house built of cut coral. They were entertained therein by a charming couple, who, they afterwards learned, were the Earl and Countess of Hastings, who have made their home in this island paradise. * *% Be RS. EVANS’ talk aroused in me a feeling of wanderlust. Although I have travellel through many landsHast and West of Suez-I now have a great desire to explore those lovely islands so ably described by Mrs. Evans. To leave the cold and wind of Wellington for that land of warmth and sunshine would be indeed a visit. to the "Isles of the Blest." Do % * TO-DAY, women are being moved by the exploring spirit, and are venturing into regions which a few years ago would have been considered beyond them. To go from one extreme to the other, I read that a small, almost fragile and pretty woman, Mrs. Olive Murray Charlman-a water-colour artist-has been ‘exploring in many countries to find subjects for her painting. She has lately been exploring 400 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where she went alone without a _ professional guide, with only some boys recruited from the few and far between local farms to show her the way. As a result of this perilous excursion she has written a book, "Across Lapland With Sledges and Reindeer," which has just been published by the Bodley Head. During the Lapland journey Mrs. Chapman took a full-size professional cinematograph apparatus, and was thus able to get pictures which would otherwise have been impossible, as the Lapps, like the Chinese, are rather shy of the camera,

FrRomM 27W Mr. Will Appleton spoke the other evening on the success that has attended the organised camps for training boys for farm work. He stated that over 70 boys had found employment on farms, and letters had been received from many of them expressing their satisfaction in being so placed. This will encourage all those who are trying to solve the perplexing a

problems of .what to do with our boys and girls as the time approaches for them to leave school. Natural inclinations and tastes count. for much, as we realise we can always do that thing best that we like most, and many of life’s tragedies may be traced to the fatal mistake of putting a youthful square peg into a round hole. In England there is

an experiment which may solve the youth unemployment probJem. In a number of secondary schools "careers masters" and "careers mistresses" Hr being appointed to discover the occupations for which scholars are best suited, and to guide and encourage pupils who are about to go out into the world. Remarkable success has rewarded the efforts of the pioneer careers masters, and inquiries show that both parents’ and employers are taking the kenest interest in their activities. With such help as this boys and girls should make good. As Ruskin says: "It is only by labour that thought can be made healthy, and only by thought. that labour can be made happy." "® * * R. JENNER’S musie lesson at the educational session given from 2YA last week was one of great interest. The story of "Lohengrin," told in simple language, with excerpts of the musical and yocal items, must surely create in the children a strong appreciation of the best in music, In this mate ter Mr. Jenner is doing a great work. O those thinking of purchasing a dog, my advice is "don’t," says Mr. Wingrove, of the Tail-waggers’ Club, unless you are prepared to look after it and treat it intelligently. A dog responds quickly to sound and intelligent treatment, It should have its meals regularly, its kennel or box weatherproof and free from draughts, and its bed kept clean. Take your dog for a daily run, and keep its skin and hair washed and brushed. Most important, don’t neglect small ailments, internal and external. This advice was given from 2YA last week, and very good advice it is, as all dog-lovers will admit. N Wednesday Miss Flora Cormack gave her weekly talk from 2YA on "Hollywood Affairs." This talk consisted principally of the aids to beauty adopted by many of the film stars, Most of them were simple. common-sense remedies, and no doubt will be tried by some of her listeners. The cinema stars have a great attraction for our young folks, and I learn that quite a number of girls and young men go to the pictures to learn not only how to dance but how to walk. You must learn to walk before you can be a movie star, and it seems that some of our young people build their castles in that direction. People derive their enjoyment from different angles of the pictures. Nature scenes that are wild and grand, appeal to me more than the fostered beauty of grace and charm, or the . superfashionable modes worn by the stars that many Women go to see.- ILveryone’s taste is different, and like radio, the cinema provides for all. THE 2YA vocal octet, which ‘proadeast last Thursday, was a welcome innovation to our local programmes. Most of the old radio favourites were easily distinguished, even in the con: certed numbers, and it is to be hoped in some future programmes old folk songs may be indluded.