Locally Made Sets Selling Well

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 1, 12 July 1935, Page 35

Locally Made Sets Selling Well

Wellington Dealer Assembles Good Kits in New Zealand Cabinets — Denial that Broadcast Sets Are Obsolete-Popular | Wrestling Relay-Big Concert This Week.

IN an interview with a well-known . firm of radio dealers and importers, a "Radio Record" representative was told that the sale for locally-built sets was on the increase, and had attained a standard of equality with ,the best imported sets as far as quality and workmanship were concerned. It is improbable that the sales will overshadow, the sales of imported sets owing to improvements going ahead more rapidiy overseas. People nowadays seem to be going in for the larger type of set, but the sales of radio-gramophones have fallen right off, owing to the good and large selection of records played over the air. Although this firm is import: ing and selling upward of four hundred sets a month, they have all their cabinets made in New Zealand. It is the same with a lot of other firms, so it can be seen that the radio business is giving a large amount of work to New Zealanders. Tone is almost the biggest factor demanded by the buying public, so the better the tone of the set, the better the seller. Valves also arein big demand these days. owing to the increasing popularity of radio as a hobby, and the replacing of old valves by listeners who desire to get the best of winter reception. T is coming common belief that with the advent of realiy satisfactory allwave receivers, the broadcast set is fast becoming obsolete. It would appear, however, from the sales: figures of a leading Wellington radio dealer, that this view is erroneous. The ability to receive transmissions from the Homeland and foreign countries to the average listener is of special interest, and for the direct reception of sporting and historical events, It is doubtful whether such transmissions provide actual entertainment. The quality of short-wave reception in this country is generally not of the same standard as good broadcast reception, and there is stil a large body of potential radio owners who prefer to purchase a really good broadcast set. This view is backed up by the fact that many of the world’s largest radio factories are still producing a wide range of broadéast models which is even being added te

in their 19386 production. programmes. Radio receivers to-day have reached 4 very high state of perfection,.and it is difficult to foresee where any revolutionary changes can be introduced.-It is apparent that individual managers’ views of the radio market vary according to their sales figures over the last few months. I am inclined to agree

that when the novelty of short-wave fades, purchasers will revert in large numbers to the broadcast type of machine. ON July 1 Wellington listeners who are wrestling enthusiasts had the unusual opportunity of hearing two first-class bouts relayed in a single evening. The announcer who carried out the running commentaty was as good as any ever to have been heard in the Capital City. His ringside des-: eription of the bouts and their progress enabled one to gather a clear conception of the holds and their counters, and of the prowess of each wrestler. HE second charity concert of the year will be presented on Thursday of this week, at the Majestic Theatre, Wellington. It is arranged by the Broadcasting Board, and shows every promise of being even better than the previous concert which took place here on May 23 last. There is a bigger cast of artists in the concert to be broadcast on this occasion. Gladys Monerieff, the famous queen of Australia’s musical comedy, will be the star attraction of the evening. Other artisis who were not in the previous concert are Gil Dech, the celebrated pianist and conductor, and Vincent Aspey, the Dominion’s leading violin soloist.. Such attractions as these should keep listeners entertained during every moment of the concert,

PRANK PERRIN, the. English eomedian, gave the funniest fifteen minutes of‘his Wellington ‘performances last Saturday night when he was heard from 2YA It is. apparent-..that his black face sketches. are very popular, and Mr. Perrin.seems to excel in- that type of humour. Entertainment * of that kind nearly’ always receives favourable comment’ if it is -put over well, and Frank Perrin knows how to deliver the goods,

FOOTBALL RELAY FOR WELLINGTON THIS SATURDAY INCE the programmes for the eurrent week were released for publication, the Broadcasting Board announces that the following sporting broadcast has been arranged :- SATURDAY, JULY 13. 2.45 p.m.: 2¥C will broadcast a running commentary on the Rugby Football match a¢ Athletic Park, Wellington. The station will close down at approximately 4.30 p.m., when the match is expected to "finish.