IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEK'S BROADCASTS

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 15, 18 October 1935, Page 14

IN THE WAKE OF THE

WEEK'S BROADCASTS

: : 9 "Yes, QNE of the.bright selections in the nine-to-eleven session from 2YA on Sunday~morning ‘was the music from "Yes, Madam," a new musical comedy which: is to be the Christmas attraction in Melbourne this year. The original production was put on at the London Hippodrome last year, with Binnie Hale and Bobbie Howes in the leading roles. So successful was it that J. C. Williamsons decided to buy it for Australia and New Zealand, and- they also’ imported: Diana du Cane. to play Binnie: Hale’s part in the colonies. Miss du Cane is at present in New Zealand with the "Roberta" company, but she will return to Melbourne in sufficient time for the big opening. She «will be supported by Freddie Foss, an English comedian, who recently stepped: into Stanley Lupino’s role in. "Sporting Love" in London. The Farflung Net H OW’ far flung is the net of broad- ' casting js exemplified in this letter received by Victor §. Lloyd, ~wellknown Wellington radio producer, after the performance of his play, "Trent’s Last Case," from 2YA _ recently: "Isolated by floods, with the wind and rain beating against the windows, the lamp turned low, the family and friends gathered around the: log fire, your excellent production acted as a welcome panacea. It was superb! Let us congratulate you, and especially Martin, Mr. Trent, and the wife. The speech, the acting, and the. plot, . together;with the sound effects, made the tay as good as any B.B.C. production. We want more, and still more." Touring Trio~:~. AFTER ‘the ‘charity -concert at the St, James Theatre, Wellington, this week, John Robertson will have completed his tour under engagement to the Broadcasting Board. Two others who are being featured in the same concert, Gladys Moncrieff, popular soprano, and Gil Dech, the versatile nianist, are then to join forces with Robertson, and the three will start on ai. six months’ tour of..New- Zealand towns in'stage turns. For some weeks they will-be "on their own," and after that they expect to roam New Zealand under» engagement to. Amalgamated Theatres Limited. After all that. Itebertson has: intentions of leaving for Australia to continue in broadcast and stage work on the cornet and trumpet, He had just received a new trumpet which had cost nearly £40 vhen a "Radio Record" representative found him practising in the 2YA studios last week, and he was like the proverbial "child with a new toy." Not without ‘veason, for it is a beautiful instrument, and Robertson was "breaking it in" ali morning, He slid slowly up to top A, just to show how well the tone could be sustained above the maker’s intended top-about three or four notes lower. The ease with which this young man can achieve almost incredible ef-

tects on the trumpet or cornet may be called a gift by some-people. But it isn’t-it is the result of: hard. work, frequently eight and nine. hours a day. He has certainly laboured for his success in England, Canada‘and his native country. For all his brilliance in this. work, he can still wear the same size hat as before he left here. From Hong Kong BW ZEALAND listeners who have. picked ‘up ZBW, the big HongKong station. lately will have’ recognised a familiar voice-that of Mrs. _. T, W. Lewis, formerly lady -editor of. "The Dominion," , Wellington. Mrs. Lewis is now living in China and she was engaged by the broadcasting authorities there to give a series of talks. on Maori legends and folk lore, That these talks are creating a great deal of in-

. terest has been evidenced by the number of letters received by Mrs. Lewis, not only from China, but from Australia and New Zealand. This exjournalist may’ be remembered as theraconteur from 2YA on the evening of the bal] in the Wellington Town Hall for the Duke of Gloucester last December. -Wellingtonian Abroad WELLINGTON girl who is making a name for herself in ‘the broad-. casting world.of the Hast is Prue Lewis, whose mother is referred to in.

the previous paragraph. Miss Lewis, who is a violinist of some note and 2 pupil of M. Leon de Mauny, is giving . regular broadcasts from Station ZBW, Hong-Kong. Last month a particularly interesting programme was given by Miss Lewis and Mr. Li Chor-chi, an Australian Chinese with a well-trained tenor voice of fine quality, the accompanist being the organist of St. John’s Cathedral, Mr. Lindsay Lafford,. Mr. . Li Chor-echi sings with equal facility in English, French and German, and Mr. Lafford, though still very young, is already: known for his work as an organist in England. He has only been in the colony for a few months, . London’s .Leno N excellent B.B.C. recorded programme, "Following in Father’s Footsteps," was given its first. Wellington airing from 2YA on Saturday evening. Among the artists featured was Dan Leno, who spoke briefly of his famous father’s carecr on the Wnglish stage. The original Van Leno was the first music-hatl artist to appear before Royalty, being commanded by the late King Edward ‘to appear before him. in November, 1901. Leno was the most talked-of music-hall artist in London 35 years ago, and his "lecture" at the London jin 1900, "The Eccentricities of the Human Frame: Why shouldn't the Calf of the Leg be Worn in Front?" convulsed theatre-goers of the metropolis for many moons. Sunbathing JEW ZEALAND is blessed beyoud most countries with its spiendid natural conditions. With ali our beneficial factors a very strong, healthy race is to be @xpected; but are we? Our hospitals and asylums are filled to overflowing; and ratepayers grumble. In this small country we spend considerably more than £8,000,000 a-year on the cure and attempted cure of disease. Lord Biedisioe, the recent patron of the Sunlight League, has remarked-as well as othér visitors-upon the surprising amount of ill-health, considering our many advantages, in this comyounity. Undoubtedly if modern knowledge were utilised the vast proportion of this ill-health and disease would de prevented. Some authorities state that at least 75 per cent. is preventable, and others put the percentage as high as $0. Sunbathing is badly neglected by New Zealanders throughout eleven months of the year, and then in Jannary greatly overdone. Common sense is thrown to the winds, and’ instead of gradually beginning the sunbath with a few minutes and making it a little

f -* 4 ee longer each day, the first sunbath may last an hour or so, with subsequent bad blistering. The individual then blames sunbathing for his painful con-dition-not, of course, his own lack of ‘common sense. New Zealand schools are backward in not giving children the immense, benefit when the weather permits of regular sunbaths. Sunlight, which Dr. Saleeby has called Nature’s celestial antiseptic, must be allowed greater admittance to rooms and to the bodies-especially those of growing children--if our standard of natural health is to be raised.-Cora Wilding, Hon, Secretary of the Sunlight Leagne, from 3YA. For the Animals OT only the lower animals, but also the plants form with man one great Family of Life. This idea necessitates a new form of the Golden Rule, a form which recognises the unity of all forms of life on earth. This Golden Rule should read as follows: "Act toward those whom you consider less developed than yourself as you would like those whom you consider more developed to act toward you." Suppose, for example, there came down from the planet Mars beings as much more powerful than man as man is more powerful than the other animals of the earth, Suppose that these visitors. then proceeded to treat man as man treated his weaker brethren, Would man be satisfied with this treatment? Surely he would prefer more kindness, But could he expect that more kindly treatment when he did not show it himself in dealing with those weaker than himself? It would surely be unreasonable to think so. There are four principal ways in which man exploits the lower animals for his own particular advantage; through sport, Ornament and dress, food and science. The American biologist Howard Moore has written: "Look upon and treat others as you do youy own hands, your own eyes, your very heart and sonl-with infinite care and compassion, as suffering and enjoying members of the same great being as yourself. This is the spirit of the ideal universe-the spirit of your own being. It is this alone which can redeem the world and give it the peace

and harmony for which it longs."’=

-Mr;

N. M.

Bell

from 8YA.

Trumpet and Organ Is order to achieve the best effect, John Robertson, New Zealand’s brilliant cornetist, was relayed with organ accompaniment from a well-known Wellington church for his broadcast on Wednesday night last week. It was a decided improvement to use organ accompaniment for "Una Voce Poco Fa" instead of piano; it is the sort of thing that may easily be overlooked by programme organisers. The extra trouble entailed in yelaying from 4 church was worth while, for both this operatic number and the more modern "Trees" came over beautifully, with a blend of tone which could not be attained in an ordinary studio presentation. John Robertson had confided to a "Radio Reeord" representative on Wednesday morning that he was not too happy about the probable echo in the empty building, But what echo ’ there was rather enhanced the richness and depth of the trumpet’s notes. Charles Kerry was the organist, and he was also heard in two solo numbers pleasingly played, "Cradle Song" and "Triumphal March."