Delightful Surprise for Auckland

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 20, 30 November 1934, Page 20

Delightful Surprise for Auckland

Farewell Broadcast By Senia Chostiakoff From 1YA-Quick Work By Broadcasting Board When Announcing Arrival of Trans-Tasman Flyers-German Propaganda Broadeast Heard in Auckland.

A. SURPRISE was sprung on listeners on Friday night last, when they were delighted to hear the announcement that Senia Chostiakoff, the Russian tenor, whe recently concluded a most successful tour of the New Zealand national stations, would give a farewell recital from 1YA. At the time the programme was printed it was not known that the famous singer would be in Auckland, He arrived here on Friday morning qnrite unexpectedly to connect with the Aorangi, which took him back to Sydney on Monday. Chostiakoff was never in better forin than on Keiday night, and his numbers, which included "I Hear You Calling Me," "A Dream." "Macushla," and "Hvening Bells," were enthusiastically received. judging by the numerous .-telephone messages to the station immediately after hisitems. One listener telephoned, from Hamilton to express her delight. N ANY Auckland listeners received a distinct shock at 7.45 on Friday morning last when they heard the announcer from 1YA briefly announce that the two airmen, Whitehead and Nicholl, had reached North Auckland safely the previous night, and had just flown on and arrived at the Auckland Aero Club’s aerodrome at Mangere. Aceording to the morning paper, the two daring flyers were missing, At the 7 and 7.30 a.m. announcements no news of the flyers was available, everybody believing that they were lost somewhere in the Tasman, Some little delay was occasioned in 1YA announcing their arrival, as the station director, who received the first advice by phone. had to check up on the message in case au hoax was beitig perpetrated. But fortunately the welcome news was correct. Wellington was quickly notified by phone, and the southern stations were advised in quick time, enabling the whole of the Dominion to have the news shortly after 8 a.m.

N Auckland listener reports having heard at good strength on recent Sundays the broadeasts from the Ber- ‘ lin short-wave station DJB.° He states that stations DJB and DJN will begin a special daily programme in Bngiish. for the benefit of Australian and New Zealand listeners. commericing at 9 p.m. (New Zeainnd summer time), on December 1. ‘fhe Minister for Propaganda, Dr, Goebbels, who is supervis« ing the broadeasts, is to deliver an ad+ dress on Herr Hitler on the opening night, asserting that Germany wishes only to promote the welfare of world culture, (CAPTAIN GEORGE DIBBERN, master of the German yacht Te Rapunga, which has been on a visit to Napier, where he stayed with some friends, was unable to’ fulfil his engagement and speak from 1YA last Friday night. This was due to the fact that his vessel met nnfavourable

weather ou the trip up the East Coast to Auckland, and he was weatherbound for some days. However, he will give the first of a series of talks on Friday, November 380, I ESS than hpalf-an-hour after the luxury liner Strathaird had berthed at Auckland last Friday afternoon, one of the passengers making the cruise to New Zealand had presented his card to the station director at‘1YA, with the request that he be allowed to inspect the new 1YA studio building in Shortland Street and the transmitting plant at Henderson. He was Mi. G. R. Sonnenberg, a member of the technical staff of the Australian Broadcasting Cominission in Melbourne. Mr. Sonnenberg spent some time in the big studio building, which is almost completed, and found time to thoroughly inspect the plant at Heiderson. ‘he visitor was pleased at what he saw, and considered that. Auckland is indeed fortunate in possessing such modern broadcasting equipment and buildings. URING last week-end, hundreds of motorists went out to Henderson to inspect the new mast erected alongside the transmitting station for 1YA. The 508ft. structure just finished by Dor--inan, Long and Company, Ltd., of Australia, is dlready a spectacular landmark that can be seen from most parts of Auckland. Some idea of the great height of the steel structure can be gained from the fact that a heavy wrench two feet in length, which was dropped from the top by a workman,

has not yet been recovered, tvhile a hammer which was thrown down was buried over six inches in the hard soil. So far no decision hus been arrived at regarding lighting the must, so that it may be plainly seen by airmen at night time or in foggy weather. The mist is quite near the Hobsonville air base, where much flying is carried ont, No objection was taken by Squadron Leader L. M. Isitt to the erection of the mast; Who considers that it will not be a menacé to aircraft. However, some airmen consider that it should be painted black and white, the same fs the aerial masts at the Hobsonville air base. O flight across the Tasman has stirred public imagination and caused so much excitement as that of Whitehead and Nicholl in their Puss Moth. 1YA showed real enterprise in engaging the two adventurous airmen to speak from the station on the night of their arrival. The broadcast talks were relayed to ZYA and 3YA and to 1ZH, Hamilton, 4X¥A being unable to break into their programme, Both meu eave a perfectly natutal and breezy account of theit trip across ffm Australia and stated that théy failed to realise why so much fuss had been made about it as they had every confidence in their plane and engine, and knew they would make New Zealand, MR. JOHN A, LDH, the Auckland Labour M.P., who gave a series of three talks entitled "The War Poet as Historian," from 2YA a few months ago, is to tepeat the same interesting series from 1YA, ‘The first in which he is to explain some really beautiful poetry of the early war period, particularly that of Rupert Brooke, is to be given from 1YA on Monday next at 9.2 pm. . Mr. Lee is a polished speaker, and has made a study of war poetry. Such an eloquent man as Mr. Lee is bound to command a big audience of listeners. We lost an arm in France, where he won the D.C.M. for gallantry.