Auckland Notes

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 25, 30 December 1932, Page 20

Auckland Notes

By

Neutron

‘THE Ohristmas carol concert relayed '" by 1YA from the Town Hall on Saturday was a very fine performance, the more so as at the last minute Mr. George Buckley, Auckland City’s bandmaster, had, through Mr. Hudson’s indisposition, to conduct both band and choir. At 4.35 a.m. om Christmas morning, I don’t like carols a little bit, but in the evening, and capably sung by a ‘pig, well-trained choir, they were en--tirely. enjoyable. The band too was «in fine fettle, Hal McLennan’s flute ‘solos were deservedly encored, and I ‘enjoyed the organ solos by the city’s ‘three honorary organists far more than ‘usual with this type of music over the ‘air. The fly in the ointment was the announcing. There was hardly any of it, and on my little set at least, that ‘little was inaudible. However, unless I ‘meed the attention of an aurist I did ‘hear Gounod’s great "Ave Maria" called ‘ave Marie," the first word beimg proyounced as the characteristic Cockney says the verb "have," However, apart from this, the concert was thoroughly enjoyable, * * * ME. BE. W. WRIGHT, speaking from 1YA on Saturday evening in the pre-concert session, had something to says about dahlias that gardeners would flo well to take very generally this hot, ‘dry weather. "The dry spell has set in early," Mr. Wright said, "and it looks as if we were in for a long, hot ‘summér." That being so, the chief thing now is water; no half-measures, ‘but a thorough soaking that, will last @ week, If the plants miss this the ‘wood hardens and there will be a stunt‘ed plant and few flowers. To conserve the moisture in the soil and stop the ground. from baking, he added that mulching was essential, In a small ‘way, the lawn cuttings could be used; dif not straw or hay.. However, those with bigger gardens, be suggested, Should use spent hops, and later if these were dug in they would make good manure. Now, that seems sound ‘advice for almost any plants this weather. Mulch first and water after, and the plants in any garden should stand up to any amount of a typical Auckjand roaster summer, which seems 10 be well on the ecards. At any rate Tm taking Mr Wright’s tip for tomatoes and a few other things. The gerdening, and the farming talk too, certainly contain helpful ideas.

PPALKING of helpful ideas, home . geience talks prepared by Otago University have been of definite value to the womenfolk, but a recent one given to Auckland listeners by TYA only made my mouth water. It was a scorching day and the title, "Summer Beverages," was distinctly alluring. However, the opening remarks shattered all dreams of something cooling into fragments. "Most of you have raspberries in your gardens," the speaker commenced, and went on to elaborate various sorts of raspberry drinks. Auckland listeners don’t have any rasp-: ‘berries in their gardens, and very, very rarely see any of them in the shops. And those recipes that didn’t have raspberries needed ice, which is rather bothersome to get in the small home. So, after all, it will have to be home brew-and the spent hops can go on the garden, As stated, the home science talks are usually very good. This was merely one that wasi't suited to Auckland conditions. eS

HIS has been quite a band week, which should surely please listeners. The Municipal Band was heard at Saturday night’s carol. concert from 1YA, and again on Sunday in a fine eoncert also relayed by 1YA’ from Albert Park. Then in lighter but pleasing vein, the Auckland Watersiders’ Silver Band came across from the 1YA studio on Wednesday in an entertaining programme. This should quieten those who are keen to hdve ‘the programme follow the questionnaire.

HE second evening with station "O, I say! Auckland," presented. by 1YA on Monday, while lacking the noyelty of the original presentation, served its purpose as farcical entertainment that got a laugh. Mr. Len Barnes is so good as a harried announcer that one is tempted to think he must have had considerable experience in being harvied. (Not married, please, Mr. Printer.) ‘Then there was the Hang Chow Chinese Orchestra and some trial turns for which one would be tempted to hang Europeans. It was quite a cheerful evening, finished off with the Winter Garden Orchestra for those who like modern dance music,

N Monday evening coming events cast their shadows before. In the farce hour at a Radio Studio presented by 1YA, was an attempt to broadeast an overseas short-wave programme. It was all whistle and howl and surge. Later in the evening 1YA tuned in to the new Empire short-wave station at Daventry and in two separate shots it was merely like a heavy surf on an ocean beach. The imitation was much ahead of the original. For the third try 1YA went to 2YA and got some dance music, rather distorted. The second evening was only _ slightly

better. 1YA is not good at these short-wave attempts: I have often heard private sets do far better direct ‘under identical conditions, but still, it does seem as if the technicians in England have still several big problems to solve before Empire short-wave climbs out of the mere novelty class into that of real entertainment. Here’s wishing them good luck and a big improvement in their transmissions.

12 continued its sporting service on Saturday evening when it put over a bright account of the broadcasting at Western. Springs. Broadsiding has not been drawing as once it did, but this is largely on account of John Citizen’s need for economy. Undoubtedly quite a large section would, however, still enjoy these broadcasts. m at x BPVIEWING some of the ground he had already traversed, in his "Wxport Trading Problems" talk from 1YA. on Tuesday, Mr. Edward Cortis said the major and vital problem of this country was not to secure more produc-tion-at a loss-but to find new and profitable outlets for our produce. The present outlook was black. The Dominion’s one and only outlet, the great British market, was completely saturated. He suggested a Dominion-wide organisation with a capital of £500,000, interest on which in the establishment years might even be guaranteed by the Government. This organisation would seek out ang build up new markets in the Bast and in South America, launching a campaign for the supremacy of New Zealand exports there, with high-class, graded products all under one standard trade mark. Something of this sort is certainly urgently need-ed-the logic of circumstances is ali with Mr. Cortis. It is interesting to learn that dairy companies are taking a wide interest in his talks.

URING Tuesday evening the manager of the Young Australia Band now touring the Dominion spoke very briefly from 1YA. He announced that he carried greetings from the GovernorGeneral and Prime Minister of the Commonwealth to Lord Bledisloe and Mr. Forbes, and the knee-high drummajor of eight years, smallest member of the party, called: "Hello, New Zealand,’ Unfortunately they had. sported with the tail of a cyclone on the way across the Tasman, so that the full band was still too weather-bound to face the mike. However, a youthful violinist, with remarkable tone and execution, presented "On Wings of Song," and a boy soprano of the party also sang,