Radio Station Unique In Empire

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 8 March 1935, Page 20

Radio Station Unique In Empire

Christchurch Scout Troop First in-Empire to Operate Own Shortwave Receiving and Transmitting Apparatus — Crowd Farewells Lord and Lady Bledisloe With Time-honoured Song.

HE North Beach (Christchurch) tover Scout Troop is the first troop in the British Wmpire, and possibly in the world, to own its own short-wave receiving and transmitting apparatus. The official opening of Station ZL3H2 was held last week, after months of patient work on the part of enthusiastic scouts. Present at the opening were Colonel Granville Walton, Imperial Headquarters Commissioner for Rover Scouts, who is Staff officer to Lord Baden-Powell, and Mrs. Watton, Dr. P. C. Fenwick, honorary Dominion Seout Commissioner, and Mrs. Fenwick; Major J. W. Crampton, actinginetropolitan commissioner for the district of Christchurch, and Mrs. Crampton; Commissioner J. Downs (Nea 1 Metropolitan District) and Mis. Downs; Colonel F. B. Cresswell (deputy-Do-minion Chief Commissioner) and Mrs. Cresswell; the Rey. W. H. Orbell, Dominion Executive Committee, and Miss Orbéll; Captain A. P. Hopkins, group scoutmaster; Major Vy. EB. 8. Furby and Mrs. Furby; Mr. IE. A. M. Leaver, Mayor of New Brighton, and rovers representing Ashburton, Linwood and Richmond crews. HE wireless station is a three-roomed building with a large balcony. The rooms consist of large meeting-room, club-room and operating-room, and is situated in Berry Street, near the North | Beach Park. The aerial is of the triangular lattice type, 70 feet high and ‘100 feet. above road level. The operat-ing-room contains a Hartley 50-watt set input, which on 80 metres gives medium power. The plant, which cost £60, Las ‘been subscribed for by the rover crew and installed by them. There are four qualified operators, Royer Scout Leader K. Taylor (ZL8DI) and Scouts G. FE. Holmes (ZL3DK), R. Kirk (ZL3AM) and Trevor Lowry (ZL8JJ). A CHRISTCHURCH girl, Miss Annas Gale, who has just returned to New Zealand after a six monthg’ visit to Australia, speaks in optimistic tones of the revival of music in Sydney, and the broadcasting enterprise of the various stations. Miss Gale gave a broadcast from the Sydney Town Hall for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and she commented on the good work that commission is doing in providing good music for its listeners. Sir Hamilton Harty and Miss Stella Power have been recently engaged by the commission, and the private stations are spending money freely in arranging programmes and engaging the best artists. The station which was an-

nounced in a cable message a few days ago ag having introduced an "All round the clock service’ wags 2UW, and in future this station would be on. the air day and night. ISS GALE said music clubs wer numerous and successful in Sydney. Music enthusiasts clubbed together and engaged good artists for afternoon re-, citals. Many Sydney stores were help-

ing this movement, arranging music hours and lecture recitals, which were proving very popular. The reyival of orchestras in theatres was an interesting development. In the Prince Hdward and State Theatres the orchestras played right through the programme, nnd at others there were orchestras which played at the beginning, end and interval of the programme. TO give listeners the full opportunity of hearing the civic farewell to Lord and Lady Bledisloe in Christchurch, 83YA had three microphones in stalled in a semi-circle at the front of | the Civic Theatre’s stage. Listeners certainly heard more of the proceed: ings than many of those present, for Professor Alexander's voice did not carry beyond the first few rows of seats. .The theatre was crowded---many had to stand-and the seatin: for the farewell was particularly effective, Against a brown background ._ the Union Jack was prominent, an4 masses of greenery and bowls of pink gladioli prevailed. Lady Bledisloewho always favours pastel blues or greens- was in a marina blue frock and small hat of the same colour, and -a beautiful white fox fur. The bouquet of crimson flowers which was presented to her Excellency by the Mayoress from the women of the city, made a contrasting touch of colour, and she was an outstanding figure on the stage. -After the address by the president of the Cambrian Society (Mr. © Wf Jones), Mrs. R. Wynn-Owen presente’ her Excellency with a. bouquet of pale yellow flowers from the Welsh Club

On the stage were the -Mayor and Mayoress, Bishop Lrodie, Nurse Maude, O.B.. (who received a great reception from the crowd), Professor and Mrs. R. BE. Alexander (the former representing the A, and P. Association), Mr. and Mrs. C. E Jones (Cambrian Society), Mrs. R. Wynn-Oweu, and Mrs, H. Williams (Welsh Club), Mr. E. J. Howard, M.P., and counci! lors and their wives. The Mayor presented the adilress of farewell, which was in book form, bound in suede and containing pictorial views of the city, the Welsh Club also presenting an address :n Welsh to her Excellency. When Lord Bledisloe rose to speak, the spontaneous singing of "For They are Jolly Good Fellows" eulminated the preceding remarks by the three speakers of expressive tributes and estimable personal qualities of the guests. His Excellency spoke on many matters connected with the welfare of New Zealand, and when it came to bidding farewell, he expressed the wish that his ‘domestic partner" could have done it for him. [_ISTENERS were given a great thrill one evening last week from 3YA during the reserved session on hearing a Russian girl talk on "Glimpses at other Countries." Listeners’ pleasure was no greater than the thrill the Phillipstown Schoo] children got from being taught by Miss Valentine Diakoff, who was born in Harbin, a strange Russian town in Manchuria, which she left at the age of 16 with her parents. Miss Diakoff now claims Australia as her home, which was reached after travelling through Korea, Japan, then across to Vancouver. Before she had completed her term: at Berkley University there, her people left for Mexico, six weeks later journeying on _ to France via Cuba. Six months was spent in Paris, which Miss Diakoff describes as a wonderful city, and then on to Australia. MISS DIAKOFF has spent nine years on this side of the world, and is now in Christchurch under the educational transfer system, Miss Diakoff is a brunette, a clever linguist, and speaks English fluently. She is a con- . tributor to the "Press Junior" and has classes for the teaching of the Russian language, while in between times she is seeing as much of the South Island as possible. Listeners will shortly hear this clever Russian girl again from 8YA, when she will be the narrator of a Russian theme programme. JMISS ALICH CHAPMAN, the well- known Christchurch soprano who has delighted 8YA listeners with her singing, is at present on holiday in Australia. Miss Chapman recently entered for the Melba Scholarship in Melbourne, and was one of the 12 finalists out of 57 entrants,