STATIC

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 33, 24 February 1933, Page 8

STATIC

by

Spark

4 Welcome feature of the Dame Sybil Thorndike Company’s broadeast of an abridged version of "The Merchant of Venice’ was the absence of declamation. Thespians, famed or insignificant, too often employ stump-oratory methods when interpreting Shakespeare. Will himself did not do so, I’m certain-he knew men, and particularly audiences, too well. I don’t know how long it is since players made "The Merchant of Venice" 2 comedy, but the moderns do not succeed very well. It may be necessary to. wait until one of the repertory societies interprets the play as Shakespeare intended, and although I was glad to hear so renowned 2 company broadcast, I became terribly tired of the women’s voices, which seldom broadcast well. % * z ‘HE talk on the Dutch Hast Indies, prompted by the mutiny of portion of the crew of the "Seven Provinces," given by Dr. Guy H. Scholefield in his weekly analysis of current world affairs, was an illuminating one that would #e appreciated by all listeners to 2YA. It was mentioned that the mutiny was not unique in recent history, for Portugal and Russia had experienced naval insubordinations lately. If my memory serves,I seem to recollect that Britain had incipient trouble with naval ratings recently over furlough and manoeuvres, and explanations that everything was in order in the emaciated Australian navy, a week or two back, had a spurious ring about them. Naval undiscipline is becoming a habit, caused very often by superior officers of the navies, who like Gilbert’s admiralnever went to sea. It was pointed out by Dr. Scholefield that the "Seven Provinces" mutiny was due to racial diserimination in economy measures, and that sounds like the work of a clerkly official, with very little understanding of the hands that feed him. * * ¥* R.. SCHOLEFIELD recalled the fact that Holland had never made any pretence about her colonising being for her own pecuniary benefit, and the reason for Tasman’s voyage when New Zealand was discovered was to find more land that could further envich her. When William the Silent commenced his century and a half war to throw off the Spanish yoke, seven provinces combined, and as the speaker mentioned, New Zealand was named after one of them. In the re-shuffie after the Napoleonic wars, Holland regained Java, and Sumatra became Dutch-(some of the Sumatra natives have not forgiven us for that, and the Dutch have remained at armed peace with. them ever since.) Holland’s collonies are worth fifty millions a year to her, and in addition, a large nwnber of pensioners have found profitable employment and comfortable retirement in serving the colonies. In The Hague alone, there were over 65,000 pensioners. Tt was natural that Holland should take a serious view of the mutiny, for her very existence is denendent upon income from her colonies. s a "THE Dutch in ruling Eastern peoples have tried many sociological experiments, and their colonial navy’s personnel is three-fifths Javanese. The British have been generous with uative peoples, but the Dntch have exceeded our limits of toleration. They have never interfered with country customs,

and have sought through co-operation with local sultans to control the Indies’ sixty millions and more of population. Popular education in Java is liberal and intermarriage carries no stigma. The growth of nationalism in Java has ‘been slow, but to-day the country enjoys practical independence. There hardly exists any anti-Dutch feeling. and disturbances usually take the form of protest against Capitalism. The natives are anxious to demonstrate that they are capable of governing them-

selves, and Holland, solicitous of retaining power that provides her existence, has not been slow in instituting machinery to consolidate her control The Chair of Indology at Leiden University is one example of Dutch sagacity, and Java being prolific and the Netherlanders’ organising methods being efficient, the Javanese haye experienced a prosperity, individually and corporately, that has been conducive to human happiness. s * ay HAVE always had an expanding admiration for Dutch rule, as I have for the emaciated vrau, who in twelve months’ residence in the Indies becomes « mountain of flesh. The Dutch are not over pedagogic, whipping posts are still to be seen in public places, and although the Government official, especially in Batavia, is the most unapproachable person on earth, the methods seem to have succeeded. That he will be any more tolerant or human when armed with a diploma of Indology is doubtful... The Dutch are practical I remember several years ago a few returned pilgrims from Mecea disturbed the customary calm of the stay-dt-home

Javanese. The Government settled. that in a month or two. Every steamer they could charte? took pilgrims to Arabia-fare five guilders-and hajis and the green fez were as cémmon as cocoanuts. Believing that a half-caste population would cement the bonds of friendship, some years ago the Dutch employed measures which would make the Britisher stand aghast, but which didn’t last long. Too many halfs took positions that were previously open to the full blonde only, but for all that Miriam may still become vrau without a blush under her tan, and Abdullah may yet become a Hollander by: discarding his petticoat and donning trou-sers-if he only pays the white man’s taxes. . co % * HE talk by Dr. Carberry (2YA), on "Art in Modern Life,’ had nothing academic in it, and was for the broadcast listener. The speaker did not decry mechanisation but expressed the opinion that science had done much to popularise art appreciation. It was said that many erroneously thought that art was a luxury. but every phase of human activity shows that it is necessary and useful. The lithograph machine, which reproduces with great fidelity, the gramophone, which gives a semblance of wonderful combinations, and the uncanny moving-picture that loses little by translation into mechanised form, point to the machine holding out great hope for the future. Snobbery in art circles still prevails, and the reason of a fashionable portrait-painter’s large income, compared to that of his confrere who specialised in landscapes. may be ascribed to the very human failing. Dr. Carberry .was of the opinion that the recent international exhibitions held in London, when other countries sent their most priceless ‘treasures to be placed on view, had-stimulated racial amity in showing that the cherished of one nation was not dissimilar to that of all. A plea was made for the hang: ing of the Empire Marketing Board’s posters in every school. ‘Superior persons sniffed at these. but they were originated by artists of renown, and were a relinble step toward the appreciation of better works. IME has proven that our co-part-ners, the Maoris, were uot the ferocious sayages that early history made them out to be, and the researches of Mr. Johannes Andersen have done au great deal to make widely known that the European ruffinns they came in cohtact with in early days were often a brutish lot’ who merited the slaughter they sought. Excuses that differences of mental viewpoints were responsible for some of the tragedies are feeble, and the incident of the massacre of the crew of the Jenn Bart at the Chatham Islands, was a rightedus one that called upon high heaven for vengeance. Misunderstandings can arise among people whose outlooks have a commonalty, but the European savages who endeavoured to establish amicable relations with the Maori, were more than bereft of human meekness. The greatest figures in our history

found no difficulty in discovering that the Maori was of a noble race-was Nature’s own gentleman. Every listener with the faintest spark of justice in his being will trust that Mr. Andersen will continue to deride the fiends of whom we are ashamed. & * R By the very interesting talk on Samoa from 2ZW, Mr. Byron Brown omitted to mention a factor which made possible the fine seamanship that took the H.M.S. Calliope from harbour during the hurricane that wrecked the warships of other nations. Had it not been for Westport coal-so easily ignited and with such wonderful sterming qualities-the Calliope may have left her bones in Samoa harbour, too. Mr. Brown reminded us that we hold the mandated territory in trust, and org day it may be handed back to The poor Samoans-first one master and then another, and prospects of a further change! The balance of power in the Pacific makes German representation a necessity; and self-determina-tion will take no account of the Samoans or the Mau. * % & HAT deafness has its compensations was very humorously attested by Mr. E. W. Ackland in his talk from 2YA on "The Philosophy of Deafness." One half the world does not know how the other half lives, and the speaker is eonvinced that nine-tenths of the people do not realise how much suffering there is. The deaf commiserate the blind and the blind feel sorrow for the deaf, but Mr. Ackland ‘is perfectly satisfied with his disability. Although a person with all physical senses extant for develpoment, is twenty-five per cent. better equipped than one bereft of one sense, concentration upon the remaining senses ustally adjusts the balance, and when the deficiency is from birth, it is no more missed than the omission of eyes at the back of the head. Mr. Ackland asserted that after training the deaf are not lonely-they have their day dreams and revel in thought, can sleep in chureh undisturbed, and are not. bothered with eats on the roof at night. They are immune from bores, do not suffer from the barber's apoplexy. get no jury service, and as witnesses in court can eget the most astute cross: questioning counsel thoroughly rattled. As a matter of fact, the normal individual does not listen to half the noises of which he is conscious. Mr. Acklangl admits he is a great reader of the news papers-reads regularly all the deaths} accidents, marriages, and other tragedies, and then reposes peacefully in thought. The regulation prohibiting the deaf to drive a motor is, he thinks. ridiculous, for he has yet to learn that the eyes are not better than the ears. and has never heard of a car accident that could be attributed to deafness. Mr. Ackland’s cheery content and voice is assured of many interested listeners. Bd a x HE tribute paid by Mr, W. B&B. Leicester (2YA) to the owner of the Mary Celeste, who seemed irordinately anxious to meet the claims of salvage made by the Dei Gratia, is pleasing to record. Such action by a shipowner whose vessel and cargo were uninsured was bound. to arouse graye suspicion in the Vice-Admiralty

Court that investigated the circumstances surrounding the abandonment of the Celeste. The callousness of the eaptain of the salvaging vessel, together with his abusive attitude, the discoveries of independent surveyors, and the suddenly awakened interest of the American Consul, who, Mr. Leicester avowed, could not resist the opportunity of waving the star-spangled banner, did little to elucidate the mystery. The finding of the court and the adjustment of the claims, after s0' much conficting evidence, was bound

to leave some interests dissatisfied, and if America retained any belief that a properly constituted British Admiralty Court had failed to weigh justice with an even hand, she may surely regard the loss of the Titanic as the opportunity for reprisal. The evidence at the inquiry and the attitude of some of the witnesses did nothing but increase the mystery, and we are all eagerly awaiting Mr. Leicester’s recounting of some of the theories advanced as possible explanations of reason of the Celeste’s abandonment,