Messages From Mike To Mother

Radio Record, 31 July 1936, Page 19

Messages From Mike To Mother

Ignorance and Impertinence Among the Public Regarding the Legitimate Uses of Broadecasting-Beatrice Pugh Having a. Rest-Farmers Appreciate Weather Reports.

{[t is surprising-astounding might even be a more appropriate wordthat so many. members of the Dunedin public are under the impression that all they have to do to send personal Inessages is to write them on a Slip of paper and drop them in to the nearest station. It apparently never’ occurs to t. them that there are two legitimate channels for the sending of such messages, either the telephone or the telegraph. They imagine that if they have missed the last train to another town, the broadcasting people are only too pleased to transmit something on the lines of the following :-‘"Cheerio, Mrs. So-and-So, of Invercargill, Missed the train to-night, but will be home tomorrow. Jimmy." ‘Then there are also those Who attend the wrestling or boxing matches and at the end of the bout lean over the announcer’s shoulder and shout into the microphone: "Hello, mum. It was a great show. We'll be home before midnight. Harry calling." The presence of such persons who take advantage of the proximity of a microphone in a. public hall would suggest the probable reason why the microphone is often faded out almost as soon as the bout is over. OPULAR soprano _- Beatrice Pugh, who finished ‘her engagement with the National Broadcasting Services the other day, has now accepted an engagement with the Royal Wellington Choral Union. She is te appear in "Elijah" on August 15, when Dr, Maleclm . Sargent, world-famous conductor, will wield thé baton. As all stars must have a rest now and then, Miss Pugh is meantime holidaying at Napier, Rotorua and other North Island places of interest, Station 3YA, Christchurch, was flooded with congratulatory letters. and telephone calls after Miss Pugh’s. visits to the microphone, , , FARMERS, in Canterbury, at any rate, are agreed that radio news. of weather conditions in other parts of the country is of the greatest value to them, When the North, Canterbury Farmers’ Union met the other day a letter came from the Oxford: branch stating that news of Dunedin weather by radio was warmly welcomed by Canterbury farmers. A Dunedin storm, it was stated, often reached Christchurch 12 hours later. The broadcasting authorities, declared the secretary, had pointed out that by means of charts, which are easily obtained, the code reports could be followed ‘very simply. After talking things over for half an hour the meeting decided to ask 3YA to broadeast the prevailing weather conditions at Dunedin every evening at 9 o’clock

Surprise HILE on a business visit to Auckland last week, the well-known Wellington baritone, Mr. W. E. Crewes, performed at 1YA, As soon as the programme organiser knew that Myr. Crewes was in the Queen City he immediately. created space for him on Wednesday night. His offering of three ballads was a most acceptable one. Roll Up the Carpet N Saturday, August 8, station 2YA will relay old-time dance music played by Les Walker’s OldTimers’ Orchestra. This orchestra enjoys great popularity with old-time fans in Wellington, and during the evening the dancers join in singing the choruses of some of the popular numbers. No doubt many listeners will "roll up the carpet" and join in the fun. There’s nothing like a dance to forget mid-winter cold. Praise for LYA HE members of the touring party © of overseas artists (Madame FPlorence Austral, her husband, Jobn Amadio, Browning Mummery, Sydney de Vries, and Carl Bartling), during ~ their stay in Auckland, were thrilled with the studio building and the fine appointments of 1YA. All voted it the best broadcasting studio they had performed in. Almost every day they put --T TTT PTiTrerrrritrrtrtirttleélireeeeyee ECP ECE OLE ETE CTE ETE ETE UT YT YT TT .TR.U?UERELTIrLLiLtiit

in hours of practice in the studios. Mr. and: Mrs, Browning Mummery -found time to.make a flying visit to the Waitomo Caves, while in Auckland. . Sydney de Vries, the Dutch baritone, and his charming wife, spent a week-end at Rotorua and saw the weird thermal regions for the first time. Dr. Oliver From 2YA NAMB well known to New Zealand biological circles, that of Dr. W. R. B.. Oliver, is featured in the programmes. for next week, Dr, Oliver will be speaking from 2YA on Monday, August 8, and his subject: will be "Tiiological Aspects ‘of the’ Dominion Museum." This will follow the opening of the combined’ Art Gallery: and. Museum on August 1. Dr. Oliver was recently ’ presented with the 1986 Hector Medal for his researches ‘in botany; and was then referred to as the father of the Royal Society of New Zealand, of which igs he a Fellow. As Director of the Dominion Museum, the doctor’s talk next. week. should: be, particularly informative and interesting. Leaving Soon ORMERLY a. well-known performer at 1YA, Miss Rita MacCullay, after a long absence, made a. reappearance in conjunction with the. Auckland Municipal Band in the Town. Hall last week. "She sang as well as ever, In private life Mrs. Ron Stone, she leaves Auckland on August 22 on an extended

business’ tour abroad. So ‘interested in her husband’s thriving business, she has not taken part in any amateur theatricals since the stellar role she played with so much success in the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society’s production of "The Runaway Girl’ last year, Busy Evening . ALL sorts of things musical will eome from 3YA on August 6. from 8 p.m, to. 9 p.m. The station will relay from the Radiant Hall the first part of the Christchurch Harmonic Society’s concert, conducted by Mr. Victor C. Peters. The Christchurch Boys’ High School choir will sing part--

a ae songs, and other novelties will be double quartets by the Harmonic So ciety members and part-songs by the male members of the choir, The same evening, from 930. to 10.80 3YA_ will relay from. the Caledonian Hall, the Joynt Scroll debate between Auckland | University College and Otago Univer. sity. Weighty words are expected to pass through. the microphone for the subject of the debate is "That Colleetive Security Offers the Best Prospect for World Peace." Celebrity Concert [AST week’s big celebrity concert . given in the Town Hall by the National: Broadcasting Service in aid of the funds of the Mavor’s Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Fund, was a triumph for Madame Florence Austral. Browning Mummery, Sydney de Vries. John Amadio and Carl Bartling. and also the local artists who assisted to make the coneert one of the best ever given in Anekland Considering rhe high standing of the performing art ists in the world of music. and the Worthy cause for which it was given a full house might well have been expected Proahably the partially wet night areounted for the smallness o the andience If must be admitted. however fhat in the past, while simi. lar concerts have heen packed out in Wollineton. and other southern cities. they have been poorly attended in Auckland.

Varied Programme A GREAT bevy of new artists will be presented at 1YA on Saturday, August 8, and listeners are assured of a well-varied and entertaining bill of fare. The famous Russian fenor, Senia Chostiakoff, who has been performing with suecess in Australia since his tour of the national stations here two years ago, heads the list, Then there is Vincent Ryan, a droll comedian, Freddy Cholmondeley, an English humorist, David Howard, London saxophonist and comedian, Eileen Boyd, Australian contralto, coming here under engagement to _ the Broadcasting Service, and the Aucklang ’eellist, Harold Taylor. Hospital Equipment "TENDERS have now closed for the installation’ of more up-to-date radio equipment throughout’ the wards of the Auckland Hos-

pital,. Four «: receivers .. are .. to . "be installed. © The board has wisely ‘provided for‘separate receivers in each "ward, so that while: the:men-listen in ‘to wrestling’ and -other sporting ‘relays, the women can tune in: to: programmes more suitable for them. 4YA Talks IAT should prove to be very interesting and newsy items are two talks already. arranged for presentation from 4YA in the near future. Following her practice at northern stations "of giving an informative talk, Madame de Vries, wife of the famous baritone now touring the‘ national stations, is to speak from 4YA on August 7, on "Duteh Bast Indies." As madame is an‘authority on certain aspects of life in the: Dutch Bast Indies, the information ‘she will impart will be reliable. At present a list of interesting questions ‘is being prepared to put:to the two champion golfers, Mr. Gene Sarazeti-and Miss Helen Hicks,

on the night of August 15, when they will be interviewed before the microphone. It will be remembered that Mr. Sarazen was in Dunedin some _ two years ago, when he was discovered.as an interesting radio speaker, so, together with Miss Hicks, he should provide an enjoyable quarter hour for listeners on the 15th, Popular [HE popular manager of the + Regent Theatre, Auckland, Alec Regan, was missing from the front of the house for a while one night last week, for he had an engagement to fulfil at1YA. He presented a most entertaining act, too, humour being predominant, and he "sang a couple of numbers and gave a brief sketch. His version of "Silver Hair and Heart of Gold" went over well. Alec, of. course, as many New Zealanders will remenber, was for years a member of well-known vaudeville touring companies playing both Australia and this Dominion. Professionals A A. MILNE’S "Mr. Pim ‘Passes * By," by the J. C, Williamson Company, took the plum for recent play broadcasts from 8YA. Elaine Hamill, Ethe] Morrison, Harvey Adams (producer),* Connie Martyn, Arthur’ Lane, Campbell Copelin and the one and only Katie Towers, made up: the cast. Although these artists are professionals, and the production of. plays. is every-day work to them, they rehearsed in the studio on several oceasions before the presentation of the work, sometimes with and sometimes without the microphone. Every. day, for a week, they experimented with sound effects. For instance, the click of a latch and shutting of a door was represented best, ‘they found, by. operating the door ‘of a gramophone cabinet, close to the microphone. But that was only one of many-examples of conscientiousness, Job Well Done! N introducing his wife, Madame Florence Austral, before she sang the well-known "Mad Scene" from Donzetti’s opera "Lucia de Lammermoor" at the big concert presented by’ the Broadcasting Service in the Auckland Town Hall last Thursday, John Amadio, flautist, who played the obligato, said: "I’m doing my best to turn madame into a coloratura soprano," Madame .then said, "I don’t know whether he has succeeded," as she took a deep breath before attacking the difficult aria. Judging by the bushels of applause that followed, John na had done his job really well, The King UNEDIN was informed of the recent threat to the King by means of broadcasting. Word was first re eeived at 4YA shortly -before 10 o’clock in the morning, and the first announcement was made when the station came on the air at that hour. The -minister conducting the studio devotional service offered a:special prayer for the ~ safety of His.Majesty, but thereafter no further reference was made to the disturbing incident. Those’ who were listening to 4ZM’s usual:.morning ses-. .

OO rn sidn were curious as to the significance of the playing of the National Anthem prior to the commencement of the Radio Church of the Helping Hand, but they were informed of the happening in London by Uncle Leslie, who also offered a prayer before conducting the church service. Sound Effects O radio'studio is complete nowadays without liberal provision for sound -effects. 83YA has in its library a series 'of recordings given up specially to the reproduction of almost any noise required, The tuning up of an orchestra, the noise ofa theatre audience and of restaurant patrons, motor-car engine, train, traffic, animal and marine noises are’ all readily available. Artists appearing in plays merely have to place their requirements before the librarian to have at their disposal any sound from thunder and rain to the sighing of a spring zephyr. Things radio have moved in the last few years. Two Pianos NLY-a recent innovation in the 4YA * programmes, recitals on two pianos are becoming popular with a certain class of listeners. Previously recitals have’ been given by- Mr..Gil Dech and "Mrs, : Clarice Drake, but two-other ar-

tists, Mrs. B. R. Nees and Miss Winifred Gardner, who are two of the city’s most accomplished piano players, have now been featured in works written for the two instruments. Recently they were heard in masterly interpretations of Rachmaninoff’s second Suite and "Rondo" (Chopin), and, incidentally, they assisted in the further popularising of this form of entertainment, A "Find" WYNNETH HUGHES, of Orari, "found" at the Christchurch Competitions Festival by an official of 3YA, upheld all that was prophesied for her when she sang from the studio the other night. Both "Where Corals Lie"’-her competition piece, and her follow- . Ing number were very pleasingly sung and it is probable that she will be heard again ere long. Golfers’ Interview A PERSONAL interview between two world-famous golfers, Gene, Sarazen and Miss Helen Hicks, who arrive at Auckland from Australia next week, will be heard from 1YA on Tuesday, August 4. This should prove of great interest to all golfing listeners. Sarazen and Miss Hicks have a heavy itinerary in front of them while in New Zealand,

for they are playing matches in various parts of the Dominion every day from August 4 to the 17th, in the following order :-Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Christchurch. Fine Concert Heard TPHE stage is now being set for the first big 1936 charity. concert in

Dunedin. It will take place in the main Town Hall, and will, as in previous years, be entirely under the control of the local national broadcasting authorities, Glancing at the list of names of those who are to appear, one might reasonably venture the opinion that never before has the local public heen privileged to hear together on one programme such famous artists as the National Broadcasting Service has booked for this one. The four leading

performers-Madame fF lorence Austral, Mr. John Amadio, Mr. Browning Mummery, and Mr, Sydney de Vrieshave already appeared at some of the northern stations, and their successes there have been closely followed by quite a number of Dunedin listeners, who are anticipating something far beyond the ordinary on the night of August 11. Some of the best local talent available will also be featured in the concert.