OF FEMININE INTEREST

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 16, 28 October 1932, Page 24

OF FEMININE INTEREST

By

Patricia

Part of the educational session of 2YA was taken by Mr. F. R. Sallaghan, M.A., who spoke on "How the Government Keeps Our ° Food Pure." There has been a vast amount of food research ‘undertaken in recent years which has given us know-~ ledge that should help to provide ourselves and children with food best calculated to give health and good resistance to infections. The campaign for pure milk has done marvels for humanity, and as this is perhaps the best food it behoves us to see .that it is clean and safe. Much is done for us in the Government laboratories, and the Health Department keeps a very waichful eye upon adulteration. Many of our comestibles may be improved in appearance by the addition of chemicals which are deleterious to bodily health, and in days of severe competition manufacturers are inclined to make the best of food appearance, which if unrestricted would have a harmful effect upon . the people. Inspectors are ever on the alert, and samples of food are frequently sent to the laboratories in the four main centres for analysis. Mr. Callaghan gave many instances -of prosecutions following exposure of illegal adulteration, and New Zealanders generally should be gratified that the Health Department is able to prevent much unnecessary debilitation through impure foods, "~

A BRIGHT and varied entertainment was given from 2YA by Mr. Frank Crowther’s Novelty Orchestra and the Waiata Ladies’ Quartet on Tuesday night, the 18th. Two items, however, detracted from this otherwise excellent programme. A xylophone solo, due to the instrument being out of tune, and a recording by Leighton and Johnson which was not musical, neither was it amusing and could well be relegated to the rubbish heap. These. two record "so-called" artists of whom Wwe get more than a sufficiency were never tuneful and it is unlikely they ever will be; they are just a bad example of American alleged" humour, and our B station is to be congratulated on having only a nodding acquaintance with them. Our local artists were in good form, and with the addition of some well selected . recordings made up a pleasant evening’s entertainment, * * & ‘THE concluding talk on "Travel" by Miss Havelaar (8YA) on Monday morning was an extremely interesting one in which she described Scoijand’s National War Memorial. Unlike the Cenotaph in Whitehall which developed from a lath and plaster monument erected for the first anniversary:. of. the.. Armistice,. . Scotia's memorial was conceived immediately after the’ ‘céssation’ of hostilities; and in order, that. the. intensely patriotic Seot resident throughout the world might be: given ‘the opportunity of: making the shrine truly national, funds were colleeted from eyery part of the world. where .Scotsinen . lived. In the stained-glass windows in the

Hall of Honour are depicted scenes that historically record all phases of the war, and work attendant upon the prosecution of hostilities, such ag antiaircraft defences, Red Cross work, mechanical transport, munition work, aircrafts and various other things. The bronze frieze showing the soldier in his working kit, the nurse in her uniform, the land-girl in her practical garb, the doctor in his gown, and the mercantile marine and auxiliary services is one of the finest historical records of the war in existence and makes the memorial unequalled in any part of the world. I thoroughly enjoyed all Miss Havelaar’s travel talks and hope she may be induced to give another series in the near future. GPHAKING on the activities of the Red Cross in connection with garden plots for the unemployed, Captain Galloway (2YA) gave a dissertation on the blessings to be derived from gardening. The first, he said: "Was that the tired body from such physical exercise, had no better restorative for exhausted nerves’; also there was the joy and exultation in creating something beautiful. Again, there was the 4

adventure of gardening. This takes one from the narrow rut, and routine of business which is soul-destroying, and finally, there is the tranquility which the gratification of the results of a labour of love gives to the mind." * = a Al listeners who enjoy the talks on "Fabrics and Fashions" (2YA), by Mrs. T. W. Lewis, would be glad to hear her on the air again after her brief spell of absence. She has a chatty manner and her advice is always so sensible, that we cannot do better than follow it when choosing our outfits. The early purchaser catches the best models, so before they are all picked over it will be just as well to get ours at once. Most of the tennis frocks worn in England this summer were white but slightly trimmed with colour, blue and red being much used. b & x Wer can acquire quite a fund of film information from Miss Flora Cormack’s weekly talks on "Hollywood Affairs" (2YA), but seldom do we hear of other ventures in this realm of entertainment. It may therefore interest my readers to know of a German

woman’s film enterprise. This is Lottie Reinengen and her silhouette films. In a world of black paper, scissors, lead foil joints, cameras and hidden white lighting, the whimsical creatures of her imagination come to light. 'These figures, about six inches in height, cut out in black paper and jointed sometimes as many as thirty times, are put on a horizontal and illuminated white glass ground, above which the camera hangs. When the characters in a burlesque or whatever they are to represent, have been placed in position a photo is taken, then the figures, or rather the limbs and bodies are moved, ever so slightly, and another photo taken, and then another, and so #n, with the result that when the film is shown perfectly harmonious movement is obtained. | 3 s & A MOST vivid picture of the gloom, uncertainty and terror that characterises existence in the United States to-day, is given by Mrs. M. A. Hamilton in her book, "In America To-day." The author admits the danger of. generalisation when dealing with a people so diverse, but for years it has been an article of faith with the normal American that America was somehow | different from the rest of the world. Hspecially has this feeling been shown by those whose ancestors left: Hurope many years ago and who have looked upon Hurope’s plight as a natural corollary to older civilisations. The present depression has rocked the foundations of the fundamental hypothesis that America was different. % ® & REPEAL the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) say some; law and order will be restored and peace and prosperity will reign cnce more. Clean out the grafters and racketeers, say others and give honest labour a chance and industry will recover. Balance the Budget, says Mr. Hoover and we will pull ourselves out of the "Slough of Despond." Rum runners, bootleggers, gangsters, kidnappers, racketeers, Tammany, grafters, corrupt police and magistrates all result from a system which asks a political candidate what his political associations are rigther than his qualifications. f ) e rs * ‘ HH American people have so long concerned themselves with ‘purely material standards that a general sense of insecurity, a general feeling of having no firm ground under their feet, -and no clear sky above their heads, explains a moral defeatism that causes many thoughtful people to look to the future with dread. . Mrs. Hamilton does not suggest a remedy, but she draws a vivid picture of the corrupt. forces which rule and depress America, to-day. ° ‘ HOSE who go to England usually pay a visit to Kew Gardens, that Paradise of trees ang flowers, Strangers to these gardens will now have the

privilege of seeing the latest additions which the director has provided for ) his visitors. These consist of some interesting plants which appeal more. to the sense of smell than the sense of sight, and whose leaves. emit a fragrance of. their own, .. There are pots in the Alpine Plant House which contain plants from all quarters of the globe which have an aroma in their leaves. Some of these are the source of our perfumes, and some are used in medicines. * * * AN oak tree at Allonville, Bellefosse, in North of France, has reached the age of 1000 years, and is so big that nine men can barely circle it with extended arms. ‘In its trunk are cut two chapels. one above the other, in which forty children can stand. A stairway leads round the tree to the_ upper room. . ; e

RECENT visitor to Moscow was very much attracted by the young girl engineer in charge of the switchboa#at the radio station in "The Paiace (oj Labour" in that city. This young girl Id complete control of operations for this particular broadcast, and the authorities stated that_she was one of the most capable technicians on the staff-never at a loss when anything went wrong, and. fully conversant with every technicality of a very important job. Such positions seem particularly suitable to the modern girl, whose scientific knowledge has taken her beyond the realm of domesticity, and: it would appear that yet another field has been opened up to the so-called Ww eaker ~\ sex. * * * N the country districts of Australia and: the United States of America many girls have qualified for admission to the select ranks of amateur transmitters, and: before many years are passed I think we may expect almost as many girl operators as there are girl guides. * Bd ® WO young women in Paris haye made it "their hobby to take down in shorthand all the talks and commentaries given from a Government Broadcasting Station in Paris. A few hours later the text, neatly typed, is sent to the respective authors. There is alsv a.boy of: fifteen years in the Landes Department who has filled 200 copybook pages with records of what he has picked up on his receiver. This reveals another revolution brought about by radio. Ten years ago the copgiag out of 100 or even 50 lines wus cont: fidered punishment. ALTHOUGH the garden benefits by the daylight one has reasaad sonable ground for complaint that our es Australian neighbours have not advanced the clock also, when they broadcast entertainment that attracts the attention of New Zealanders. Half an hour does not seem much, but listening , to radio until midnight is something to which we are not accustomed. Last Saturday night I was fortunate enough to; hear an.announcement that the Ausfialian "network programmes were to Sie cancelled in order that Dame Sybil ‘fhorndyke and her company could broadcast throughout the Commonwealth "The Merchant of Venice" on the following evening. I have not seen Sybil Thorndyke since I was in Eng-

Jand ten years ago, and the excellent thrill was one that I simply could not miss. Miss Thorndyke has been the leading Shakespearean actress since Hllen Terry and her radio delineation of Portia was one that I shall long remember. I am not aware if the company intends visiting New Zealand on this tour, but if they do it is to be hoped the Broadcasting Board will be able to make arrangements for a Sunday night presentation of some of this talented company’s repertoire.

OMB new and seasonal publications have just been received from Ward, Lock and Co. Among them are four books for children which would make ideal Christmas gifts. "The Road to Adventure," by Mary Grant Bruce, is one that will appeal to most boys and girls. The adventure in this story is a circus with which Hugh Russell, the son of a farmer, gets mixed up, The scenes are laid in Australia before motor-cars made their appearance, and when horses played a great part in the

means Of transport. Hugh gets many . thrilling experiences after joining the circus, and owr young readers will get a thrill, too. * * * "PoE Cruise of the Crazy Jane," by Isabel M. Peacocke, is a book that will delight all boys and girls who are fond of the sea and yachting. ‘The Crazy Jane" is an old motor tub which some New Zealand children used for coasting from one bay to another. While camping on the shores of one of these bays they were surprised by the sudden appearance of a boy who desired the loan of their boat to reach his home further up the coast. Being good-natured children, they agreed to take him, and in doing so became involved in some exciting adventures which keep the reader enthralled from start to finish. *® * * SOMETHING that will interest the small boy is "My Picture Book of Red Indians," by Golden Picture Books. This contains splendid descriptions of the habits and employments of these people in simple language that will be a joy to the small reader. Another book for the 'Tiinies is "My Favourite Story Book." This is one of the "Bunny Book" series, and will gladden the heart of any wee girl or boy who is lucky enough to receive this as a Christmas gift. * * * OR the adult who wishes for a book of light fiction, I can recommend "Follow the Lady," by W. H. Lane Crauford. This book is full of humour, and would be a welcome addition to one’s holiday reading matter. There are many complications which arise from two unexpected visitors, who spend the night at the home of Michael Martindale, and of a baby who is left on the doorstep of this bachelor’s residence in the early hours of the morning. The unravelling of this tangle of events makes a good story brimming with fun and humour, * "7 OTTERIES and Sweepstakes: An Historical, Legal, and Ethical Survey of their Introduction, Suppression and Re-establishment in the British Isles," by C. l’Estrange Ewen (Heath Cranton), is a book that shoula intrigue everybody who goes in for these excitements. It is interesting to examine the history of lotteries, and Mr. Ewen has done this on a big scale. There have been other attempts to deal with this subject. A history of English lotteries was written by John Ashton nearly forty years ago, but it omitted much, and these omissions have been filled up by Mr. Ewen in a comprehensive manner not likely to be superseded. Having touched briefly on very ancient lotteries, he deals in turn with English lotteries from 1567, and devotes much space to State lotteries, which were stopped by Act of Parliament in 1823. Legislation, however, was circumyented by art union draws, prize draws, bazaar raffles, newspaper guessing competitions, ete. Mr. Ewen decides that unchecked lotteries may be as, harmful as betting, but that little harm ean be traced to any lottery or sweepstake organised under sound auspices, and that any eyil has been completely outweighed by the benefits derived therefrom. It is as a book of reference and not of ethical deduction, however, that will give this work a place in every library,