OF FEMININE INTEREST

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 7, 26 August 1932, Unnumbered Page

OF FEMININE INTEREST

By

Patricia

HE series of talks, "Music and Beauty in Many Lands," by Mrs. Gordon Robertson, 1YA, are, I know, listened to by many with interest and appreciation.. Her previous lecturettes have embraced England, France, the East, Russia, and Finland, and the work of these countries, principally in respect of music. Mrs. Robertson has surely a strong poetical streak in her make-up, for she has a charming way of expressing her thoughts. In comparing the ‘northern nations with those of the south, like Germany and Italy, for instance, she pointed out the effect of climatie conditions on the different peoples. "The further north one goes from thé equator, the sterner and, hardier 2. e the virtues displayed by peoples ;* Zhe fierce battle with the elements and with the rigours of the counttyside developing these qualities, but the further south, the gayer. and more charming qualities develo6p-love of beauty and of grace, courtesy, and charm." Mrs. Robertson spoke chiefly of Germany, whose political crisis is at the moment occupying the minds of most of the peoples of the world. Hven the art of the theatres is pervaded by polito an extent unknown to us. A spirit of politics has also crept into the youth movement, which is so great a feature of modern German life. This is a cult of development of the young, chiefly as regards physical training. Boys and girls are making a great cult of the body, and a mighty nation is being reared physically as well as mentally.

It is interesting to notice that one of the leading composers, Paul Hindemith, has been identifying himself with this movement in music. His compositions, although modern, are likeable, because he teaches us new harmonic experiences, new problems of hearing and of execution, tiding us over into more unaccustomed things and showing us that they may be quite agree. able and easy to grasp. This he does for the youth of Germany and for the world. * . * * N addition to the, beauty of the country itself, and its renaissance in building 4which has resulted in the developmer of «a complete new style of architecture, Mrs. Robertson spoke of the old days of courts and castles and great dukes and princes who were patrons of the musicians. whose names ring down the halls of time. Those were the days of the thrice glorious Bach, of Mozart, and Beethoven, Schumann and Schubert, and Brahms, fame ous names that will never be forgotten. Then comes Richard Wagner, whose m¢edium was opera alone, and in his ork are all the forces of human nature and of the supernatural also. It is interesting to note that Wagner was for a long time the friend and idol of Nietsche, that vigorous optimist and battler, who acted on Germany like a tonic. "Be the master of life and not its slave," and in Wagner’s music that vigorous supernormal strength " rang. and echoed.

In this talk Mrs. Robertson has tried to show us a little of what lies behind German music, the soul of a people Philosophical and vigorous, thorough and full of force, and ends with the words of Nietsche, "Be master of life and not its slave." ok a * "THE children’s educational session (2YA) this week had quite a number of interesting features. First there was an address by the Rev. R. 8. Watson on "The League of Nations," one of the most interesting on this subject that I have heard, as it was given by one who had experienced the full measure of the horrors of modern warfare. Mr. Watson spoke of early endeavours to abolish war, dating back to 546 B.C., when several . independent Chinese States held a conference to discuss the possibility of achieving this object. During the Christian era many conferences have been held under the auspices of European rulers. Latterly all great wars have seen the establishment of anti-war. organisations, -eulminating in the "Holy Alliance," which was formed after the Napoleonie wars. All the foregoing, however, were attempts by princelings to abolish international strife, but the League of Nations with its headquarters at Geneva is the first occasion in which the people of the world have demanded that international disputes shall be settled by discussion.

From the beginning to the end of the last Great War recruits and the public generally of every nation were told that the war was one to abolish war, and many a brave soldier went to his grave confident that the ultimate end of the conflict would be universal peace for evermore. Two principal countries who are not represented at Geneva, and who made immense sacrifices in blood and money, are Russia and America, and it is amazing that selfish sectional interests have so far prevented. these countries from assisting in the preservation of civilisation. Mr. Watson spoke feelingly and with regard to the individual human, and his talk to the scholars should incite an enthusiasm -for tolerance and respect for other nationals, which the present very erratic world urgently needs. . % & ANOTHER very interesting talk during the 2YA session was that by Mr. Wilson. This was about the koala, or Australian bear. On the Pennant Hills, some miles out of Sydney, is a park in which these delightful animals may live unmolested. Thousands of eucalyptus trees have been grown, and it is hoped that many thousands more will be planted shortly, as the leaves of this tree provide the only food on which the bears live. Vast numbers of these harmless creatures have been the sport of man

until only a comparatively few re. main. They have frequently been known as the "Teddy bear" of Australia, a name which is regrettable, as a Teddy bear commemorates America’s illustrious President Theodore Roosevelt, and therefore has no connection whatever with Australia. A more appropriate name given them is "gum babies." These lovely little animals, who nurse their young like humans and cry like humans in sorrow, tears running from their eyes, are the most fascinating species of Australia’s fauna, and it is nothing short of scandalous that they have not had man’s protection in the past. Their friendly nature makes them absolutely fearless of man, and I have often played with some that had probably never seen a human being be fore. * . . ey connection with my paragraph anent the Press recently deploting the neglected ‘state of the Wakefield graves, J-C.M. writes that these have lately been attended to, and that it has been suggested that an eminent gentleman who has interested himself in the matter, together with the zeal of the Early Settlers’ Association, have been responsible for the rectification of what was at one time a most deplorable state of affairs. Everyone will trust thet the grave of the great "maker of New Zealand" will in future be in keeping with the grateful remembrance thet the Dominion should hold for its founder.. I remember that newspaper &t‘tention was needed to draw notice to the neglected state of Governor Hobson’s grave in Auckland, a condition which was very soon altered once the public became aware of the fact. xt * = MLLE. SUZANNE LENGLEN, who is considered to be the most perfect woman tennis player in the world of all time, may become an amateur player again, and so upset the career of supremacy that has been entered on by Mrs. Helen Wills-Moody, the Americar. Yor the first time since she was "Queen of Wimbledon" Mule. Lenglen visited Wimbledon this year, and saw Mys. Moody, her successor to the tennis throne, win the women’s singles championship for the fifth time. And now it is stated that Mlle. Lenglen, who is now 33, is contemplating applying for reiastatement as an amateur. It was four years ago that she decided to retire from the game and become an ardent collector of postage stamps. Later she accepted a post as saleswoman with a Paris dressmaking house. At that time she observed: "It was the English girls at Wimbledon who gave me the idea of going into sports fashions. When I played there for the first time they came on the courts with long sleeves, flared skirts and any number of petticoats." It was Mlle. Lenglen, I think, who introduced the head-band or baadeau. ae