We Want More Than Recipes Over The Air...

Radio Record, 5 June 1936, Page 5

We Want More Than Recipes

Over The Air...

Says Mrs.

Knox

Gilmer

ND what are women going to do about it? A That line should really be at the finish’ eee of my article, but its importance demands that it be written early. What are women

going to do about what, you ask? About broadcasting. Here is an essentially home service ... the greatest fireside service the world has ever known , .. and women, whose place is supposed to be in the home, are being left out in the cold, About half New Zealand’s population is women, and, byyirtue of the fact that their wohik lies principally at home, they probably listen _-_to radio fare more frequently ‘than men do. And yet the ‘ quaint notion persists that woman’s mentality doesn’t rise above recipes and how to plan a winter wardrobe. Why can’t we have something aboui national affairs over the air in the mornings-how new legislation will affect women, the work of women in other countries, women’s influence on art and politics and letters?

I'ma not suggesting that the recipes and the talks on the right way to make a tennis frock should be dropped, but ° Il am appealing for recognition of woman’s capability to

listen intelligently to the deeper and fuller things of hfe. There are, many women’s societies, in’ New Zealand that are doing a splendid work, ‘* Why can't we hear their’ representatives on the air occa- | sionally? I’m certain that the work of ,women’s committees in Wellington, outlined in a broadcast talk from © 2YA, would be of infinite interest to women listeners ‘in’ other parts of the country--and even of: practical’ value to similar committees in other centres, The powers that be in broadcasting are not really interested in women’s opinions. Look back over the New Zealand programmes for the past few weeks and see how many of the talks in the evening sessions have been given by women. Precious few, you'll find. The average woman hasn’t time to sit down and listen to the programmes‘in ‘the morning or the afternoonshe has her housework, her "

gardening, and it isn’t until the evening, when the meal is cleared away and the family settles down by the fire, that the woman of the house can really enjoy the radio. And then. her own sex is so lamentably repre-

sented on the programmesI'm talking now of the portion in which national views are aired and ideas exchangedthat she has reason to feel that she is a Mere automaton, existing for the purpose of tidying a. house, preparing meals and keeping her children clothed and in good health. There was an_ excellent series of talks some time ago on famous women, talks given by New Zealand women on some of the more famous figures in history. Perhaps this list could be extended-a dozen names spring to mind as I write. The Dominion has no lack of broadcasting talent among its women, and it’s high time that some of this talent was given an airing. And what of the announcers? I only know of one in this country-Grace Green, at Station 3ZM, Christchurch.

._. When speaking to the girls of the Wellington College just; before Christmas I mentioned broadcast announcing as a future career for women. With some training and tuition

in.. pronunciation and enunciation . our girls could becotre excellent radio . announcers -.and rather better, I. should hope, than some of the men we -hear on the. air. Take as an example Hilda Morse, the Auckland girl who announces from 2UW, ‘the, big Sydney station. Her announcing is a joy to hear -natural, spontaneous and heppy-rend her mail is measured sin thousands of letters: a week. And in Germany there is a’ woman announcer who is acknowledged throughout Europe as one of the finest in the world, Broadcasting belongs to the home-and women must play a larger part in it, Let us. get rid of some of the ludicrous formality and stiffness that surrounds a great déal’ of the service and make . broadcasting a happy’ and useful member of the family circle.

Next week’s article has been written by the Hon. Miles Phillimore, young Cambridge man who spent 18 months in New’ Zealand, devoting most .of ‘his time to _ the furthering of ‘the Oxford Group movement.

[Introducing . . . MRS. KNOX GILMER, a Wellington

citigen who is well known for her good work. in the city and for her interest in the preservation of native bush and the furthering of New Zealand horticulture. Mrs. Gilmer ‘has spoken over the air on a@ number of occasions.

and it is probable that the listening public will hear her again shortly in a talk bearing on Arbor Day. _ Mrs. Gilmer’s garden at ‘her country home in the Hutt Valley was recently awarded the Bledisloe Trophy.