HERE AND THERE MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE AND PROGRAMME FEATURES

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 8, 1 September 1933, Page 44

HERE AND THERE MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE AND PROGRAMME FEATURES

THOROUGHLY finished artist new to Dominion listeners will be heard at 1YA on September 4, when Mr. Raymond Beatty appears before the microphone, Mr. Beatty has a voice of rare quality, possesses a distinct artistic temperament and a mature style not frequently. observed in a young singer. He was for some years a student of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, when he laid the permanent foundations of sound musicianship, and earned the unstinted praise of his mentors, In 1931 he proceeded to the Homeland to continue his ,studies, and here he gained further commendation from the critics. Prior to his departure from Australia he had already become a firm favourite among concert patrons, who had recognised promise of a Suc cessful career,- Several tours of his native State had established for him a wide reputation which might be envied by a much older person. Mr. Beatty is now on his way back to his native land, where it is certain he will again be in great demand.

NE of the most famous military highways of history, along which modern motor-buses hoot their noisy way, is Watling Street, which the Romans constructed from Dover to Lou don and beyond. At Rochester the River Medway was met, and here the "conquerors of the world" saw the strategical importance of erecting a great and strong citadel that could protect the road and river alike. All traces of the Roman fort have long disappeared, but numerous coins have been unearthed which testify to the size of the garrison. More than six centuries elapsed from the time of the departure of the legions to the coming of William of Normandy, and predatory Saxons and Danes. demolished all traces of the Roman castle. * * * BARBARIAN inroads into the heart of South Hngland continued along the.Medway until William the Conqueror assigned the county of Kent to his half-brother, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. In the eleventh century churchmen were warriors. and architects too, and the bishop "wrought .castles wide

amongst the people and poor folk, oppressed," and Rochester again became a mighty fort. Odo’s ambitions. were frustrated by his:. own miscalculations and the power of William and. Rufus. In the years that followed, Rochester sustained many sieges. John,: who wished to repudiate the Magna Charta, reduced it. Henry the Third gathered a force at its walls and Simon de Montfort invested it. * & J T was at Rochester that Henry the Highth first saw the ill-favoured Anne of Cleves in an interview that failed to "nourish love." Here Charles the Second made a stage in his journey on the occasion of his "happy restoration," and _ twentyeight years later James the Second left Rochester, and the country he was never to rule again, ‘To-day only the ruins of the Keep remain, from which is afforded one of the loveliest views of Bast Kent. At its foot lies stately Rochester Cathedral, with Chatham and Gillingham stretching to the horizon, Across the river lies Strood, and in the leafy distance is Gad’s Hill, the home of the inimitable, and the peaceful Hundred of Hoo. England’s castle ruins are emblems of the Quick. The Pyramids are dead and the Parthenon is a mausoleum, but Rochester is a living thing. The writer has often stood. on its walls in company -with Americans returned to England to engage in a little ancestor worship. On September 5 Mr. Geo. O’Halloran, friend of. Heath Robinson, will relate the story of Rochester Castle from pv. * . e | pNowwbep in the programme at 2YA on September 4, is a song-scena entitlea "The Floral Dance," which will be contributed by Cornish Cousins, who will relate. the circumstances of Helston’s annual festival, the "Furry "Dance." Al know the song, but it is not generally known that it is. based upon. a festival of great antiquarian interest. Helston is an Old World village ‘between Truro and the. Lizards,’ and from time immemorial every well-con-ducted Helstonian has regarded ‘it im--perative to rise early on May 8 and . "fade" into. the country for flowers and ‘greenery for the dancing, kissing; and revelry of "Furry Day." . * ee AUTHORITIES are wide’*-in' their speculations as to the origin of the custom. "Fade" is a ‘Cornish word meaning "to go," and is often corrupted into "faddy," while ‘‘furry" is derived, according: to some authorities, from "fuer," signifying a "fair" or "merry making." . Others connect the word with the L[rish national dance: which. had great popularity .at one time in England, the "rinncefada" or "long dance," and Shakespeare refers to it in "The Winter’s Tale" when mention is made of "Their dildos and fadings." Other antiquarians attribute a Roman signi-

ficance, and connect "Flora" with "Floralia," and suggest the festival is a survival of a May Day custom, While "Furry" has been suggested as a corruption of "foray," and ‘the festival as one commemorating an ancient victory of Cornishmen over the Romans or Saxons. The origin is delightfully vague, and this adds interest to what Mr. and Mrs, Jenkins will have to say on the subject. * * * LTHOUGH Grieg claimed Scottish descent, he was none the less an ardent Scandinavian, and without a rival as a representative. Norwegian composer. Almost all his themes suggest that if they are not actual folktunes, they are at least inspired by an intimate knowledge and love of the music of his race. There are few listeners to radio-that do not know some of his music, and on Monday many bfoadcasting stations will commemorate his pass ing on September 4, 1907. Possessed of a personality of great charm, he carried about with him an air of true dignity quite unlike the aggressiveness of many successful men of small stature. His harmonic schemes have aroused interminable criticism, and his constructions have been designated illogical, -but melody which beats repetition and tunefulness mattered more than logic to Grieg. Of the composers he is one of the best loved, and 4YA is to honour his memory in an hour of his better-known compositions. * aa * N September 9, 2YA is to. relay a running description of the finals of the amateur boxing championships, and it is interesting to note that this spor! ig better controlled in this country thar anywhere else in the world. The Boxing Council has dual control of both professional and amateur boxing, a position which creates the envy of governing bodies elsewhere. No boxing association may be formed without the approval of the Governor-General-in Council, and no contestant is permitted to appear without a license from the council, which license may be revoked

for any ungentlemanly or unseemly behaviour. Further, the definition of "amateur" is the strictest in the world, and boxing in New Zealand is one of the few sports where there is no reinstatement clause in the rules. ~ ror 20 years the secretary of the New Zealand Boxing Council was Mr. W. G. Atack, of Christchurch, and to him much of the credit of placing boxing on its high plane is due. During the last ten years Dr. P. F. MeHvedy has been chairman and Mr. G. P. Aldridge has undertaken the duties of secretary with immense success. There has been only one change round the council table, Mr. H. H, Stirling replacing Mr. J, W. Heenan, who resigned. This is surely an enviable record. ONSTERNATION was caused in the shop and dwelling of Mr. J. Parker; news agent, at Denman, New South Wales, recently, when a cow, bellowing furiously, rushed into the shop. Its arrival coincided with a wireless broadcast of the bellowing of a calf.. After being driven from the shop the excited animal rushed into the backyard, and, going up two steps into the kitchen, rushed madly about the room in a yain search for the calf. Crockery and kitchen utensils were knocked from a table. It was ascertained later that the animal’s calf had been sold that morning at.the local cattle sales.