Two Disappointing Audiences

Radio Record, 21 August 1936, Page 19

Two Disappointing Audiences

Dunedin and Christchurch Did Not Turn Up in Great Strength to. Hear : Touring Celebrities in Concerts-College Boys Show Their Own > Moving Pictures-John Amadio and Rugby.

FAILURE to maintain its reputation sas a. musical city of New Zeajand.must be causing the National Broadcasting ‘Service to lose a good impression of Dunedin as the cultural centre.. Last week’s celebrity concert staged. by the service at low prices in the Town Hall. did not meet with anything like the public support it -deserved. Admittedly, the hall is a large one, but the odd 1500 people present barely half-filled it, with the result that the artists had to contribute to an allround magnificent entertainment while confronted by hundreds of empty and unresponsive seats. There could have been only one consolation to them--the wonderfully appreciative manner in which the small audience received every offering. Of course, the concert was broadcast by 4YA, but even then the townspeople would have shown a more sympathetic spirit if they had attended in person instead of listening in. S Christchurch really musical? It prides itself on being extremely highbrow, but its true appreciation of great overseas artists is demonstrated only spasmodically. For instance, when the last big charity concert was given at the Civic Theatre, the audience in the theatre was disappointing. Probably this was the result of success by the fireside and the loudspeaker in its tug-of-war against the weather. However, through the courtesy of the National Broadcasting Service, another charity

concert, will be staged in the same theatre on August 26, This time it will be largely a prcogramme of comedy, but Senia Chostiakoff, Thea Phillips and Hiieen Boyd will also be heard. One can’t help thinking how queer it is that Christchurch has to empty one of its picture theatres to do duty for a town hall when great artists in the flesh give of their best! NE of the most popular stalls at the Christchurch Winter Show is a ‘stand taken up by Christ’s College boys who are operating @ movie plant showing pictures taken by them at city factories and business houses. They know the gune, these lads, for they judiciously snap in with a comedy or two at suitable intervals. The photography is excellent and is a joyous departure from the crudities which pass for movies in many private hones. RueBy football is a sport that has a very keen follower in the person of the famous flautist, Mr. John Amadio, who never misses an opportun-: ity of attending a game, especi-

ally if it is one of more than average importance. On the day after his arrival in Dunedin last week he expressed regret that his radio engagements had prevented him from coming to the city.a couple of weeks earlier, so that he could have been among the 26,000 spectators who watched the clash between Otago and Southland for the coveted Ranfurly Shield. However, another shield game ‘was played last Wednesday afternoon, and Mr. Amadio, accompanied by Mr. Browning Munmery, was recognised in the crowd that filed into the Carisbrook ground to see how Otago would fare against Manawatu. Leavening 'THERE’S nothing like a little leavenin the broadcast loaf, therefore a new series of talks will begin from 8YA on August 24 when Professor James Shelley will have something to say about the British Commonwealth. His chat will link up with racial elements in the British Isles, and, later, Dr. James Hight, also of Canterbury University College, will tell listeners about Britain’s contribution. Touring Me. AND MRS. BROWNING MUMMBRY have been doing as much motoring as possible in the South Island. They travelled by car from

Christchurch to Dunedin ‘to fulfil cr gagements- at 4YA, and during their stay in the latter town: motored ‘to .as: many of the city’s beauty spots as time would permit, and were very loud in their praise of the scenery that greeted them wherever they went. When they left Dunedin last week it was with the intention of making for the West Coast and visiting Westport, Nelson, Blenheim and then on to Picton to catch the ‘boat for the return to Wellington, Number, Please! VARIETY is the thing to-day! Those in charge of 3YA, Christchurch, certainly believe in a change now and then for, on August 27, it-will be a -case of "Hello !"-if not "Number, please?" This station will broadeast from 9.20 p.m. to 11 p.m., the doings at the Chrisichurch telephone folks’ jubilee dance. Music, on the dance floor itself, will come from the ceiebrated Bailey-Mars-ton Dance Orchestra-probably. the best of its kind in New Zealand. Languages YHEN he was chatting with an interviewer in the 4YAstudio one morning recently Mr. Sydney de Vries mentioned that he had. had to sing operatic arias in seven different languages. "You see, we have to sing the operas ‘in the languages in which they were writ-

ten," he explained, "i speak seven languages, but my wife can beat me, she speaks eight." He added with a smile that he was going to sing some Scottish songs . from the station, but he would not try to be ‘as ° broad as a real Seot, "Have you tried Maori yet?" was a question put to him, to whieh he replied in the simplest of all ways: "No." However, he was obviously proud of the fact that while in Wellington he took part in the presentation of the Maori opera, "Hinemoa," Boys’ Choir FTER a feast of overseas musical talent Christchurch returned to its "ain folk" the other night when the Male Voice Choir, assisted by the Cathedral Choristers, Miss Vera Martin (contralto) and Mr. Noel Newson, clever young: pianist, were heard from 3YA, This combination, which’ for years. used the Choral He* for its performances, is one of the finest exponents of pirt-singing in the (Continued next page.)

Dominion. The choir boys are "top-lin-ers" in the organisation and Christchurch was shocked the other day to hear of thé financial straits in which the Christchurch Cathedral Chapter finds itself, théreby endangering the Cathedral choir’s very existence. Chureh-goers and concert-goers will andoubtedly be willing to keep. the doys’ choir financially on its feet. Warning. HH Radio Inspector in Dunedin és on the warpath again rounding up those listeners whose licenses © have expired, It is nat the most pleasant task fe: could find to do, but, having allowed a reasonable time to pass since the licenses were due for renewal, and finding that they were not being presented at the telegraph counter, the position had reached the stage where it was necessary to uct. Certainly a warn ing notice was communicated to those im default, and although it caused a good many to hurry in obtaining their renewals, there were hundreds of others who ignored it altogether. These are the ones the inspector is after, and so one muy eapect faim-sized batches of neglectful listeners to appear before the magistrate before long. If they do, they have only thenrselves to blame. New Ship ‘ IRECT wireless-telephony connections between Sydney and the Union Co.’s new trans-Tasman liner Awatea, off the coast of Scotland, were made recently, and Captain V. G. Webb, marine superintendent of the company. who was on the Awatea, held 4 conversation with Mr. N, S. Palla, managing direc: tor, in Wellington. The cotiversation was carried throtigh the usual commercial radio ¢hannel of Amalgamated Wireless connecting London and Syd: ney. The public radio-telephone on the liner-the first on any ship registered in Australian and New Zealand waters -is intended for use to either country while the ship is crossing the Tasman.. but the equipment gave excellent results over 10,000 miles. The five wireless stations aboard the new ship are the main wireless telegraph, shortwave, emergeucy transmitter, public wirelesstelephone stations and lifeboat transmitter, and. all were designed and manufactured in Australia by Amalgamated Wireless, . Students’ Work VISITING the radio engineering ‘ workshop at the Auckland Seddon Memorial Technical College last week, the writer Was amazed to find the variety of work being undertaken there for instructional purposes, Groups of

lads were seen at work building allwave receivers, Signal generators, valve testers, a public address system, set analysers, ete. This instructional work: is in charge. of Mr, G. ©. .Hart, A.M.LR.E,, late of the Post and Telegraph Department, and now technicul manager of Johns, Ltd. He has built up the classes from a dozen or 6o until now there are 90 students learning the intricacies of radio engineering, The

students have just completed the building of the transmitter for which the of Broadcasting recently gave a permit to go on the air. Its power ig 100 watts. Ha’pence HEN, after an excellent running ' eommentiry, the announcer from SYA. told the world that the score in the Canterbury vy. Auckland Rugby match at Lancaster Park was 24-15. Canterburyites naturally whooped with

joy. But it must be mentioned that the announcer put over one of the finest football broadcasts heard for a long time. Many favourable comments have been received at 3XYA during the last few days) so it seems that radio annotincers are at last receiving just as many ha’pence as kicks. Those Cheap Sets danger. of using cheap sets is indicated. by the experience of the technical manager of a well-known Auckland firm last week. Before going to bed last Wednesday night he left the set under test running all night on a wooden bench in order to bring to light an intermittent fault. At an early hour on the Thursday morning he awoke to find something burning in the hotse, and, on investigating, found that the power transformer had caught, fire and set alight to the bench, which was blazing merrily. There was much inflammable material in his den, and had he not discovered the fire so quick-~ ly he would probably have been burnt out. He attributed the trouble to tHe fact that insufficient iron Was used in the cone of the transformer. The cousequent heating set fire to the many wires covered with paraffin wax. There are quite a number of the same model sets On the market. Violin and Piano | ON Monday, August 31. listeners will be afforded an opportunity of hears ing an interesting chamber musi¢ combination in Zillah Castle, A.R.C.M. (violin) and Ernest Jenner, A.R.A.M. (piano), who will perform a beautiful Sonata by Dohnanyi, rarely heard in these parts. Mr. Jenner, who is at present musical director of the Christchurch Training College, will be in Wellington during the term holidays, adjudicating in the instrumental section of the Wellington Competitions. Miss Castle, who has since her arrival

from London, introduced some inter: esting contemporary compositions tv» New Zealand audiences, will collaborate with Mr, Jenner in a recital on September 4in Nimmo’s Hall, The programme comprises the three violin and piano sonatas of Delius. Early Labour AST week Christchurch wireless fans had the opportunity of listening to a Budget speech by Mr. Jimmy Thorn, M.P. for Thames. The wellknown "Jimmy" is a native of Christ-

ehurch and; was born on Moorhouse Avenue. Away back in 1905 he cortested the Christchurch South seat, being the first: Labour candidate to stand in the city. Ue has always been of the studious type, and in 1912 he worked his passage to the Homeland and immediately connected. up with Robert Blatchford’s Clarion Van. organisation, He toured England expound-

ing Socialism. For. years Mr. Thorn was editor of the Labour Party's. paper, "The New Zealand Worker," and he also held the position of national secretary of the party. He is an excellént speaker and has a striking personality. | Ent ae reece an ati

Trade Supplements ET another proof of the tremendous growth of radio in New Zealand is the fact that several journals are now running gq special trade supple-

"ment. The "Traders’ Digest" in the "N.Z, Radio Times" is fulfilling a much-needed want so fur as the trade js concerned, . The latest to follow suit is the "New. Zxuand Electrical Journal,’ which uow publishes information of value to the radio dealerg and servicemen. . Minister’s Job CCORDING to information received in Auckland last week, the whole ‘of the New Zealand broadcasting service js to be rearranged bv the Minister of Broadcasting, the Rt. Hon. M. J, Savage, when time permits, Until this eventuates, applications by B stations or new stations for increased hours and power cannot be considered. The indications are that it will be some time before these matters are finalised. Sets from £6 OME Auckland radio dealers are now offering for sale a radio set designed to bring in the main New Zealand stations, at prices ranging from £6 to £9/10/-. ‘These are being marketed apparently as a result of the Prime Minister's published remarks concerning cheap receivers for every home, large number of dealers have not folowed suit, as-they consider that a satisfactory set cannot-be built at ~ such a low. price, and thev have indicated that they do not intend to handle such low-priced sets. The cheap sets concerned range from four’ to six valves, Used Stamps , AN appeal for used postage stamps has been issued by a young Amer: can girl, who hopes that New Zealand children who are interested in stamps will help her. She has written as fol lows: "Please don’t throw away an} kind of used postage stamps from your letters, but send them at least once t a poor girl, if you would like to help me in my education. I am a poor girl 16 years of age, and have been without ‘a mother ‘for more than 15 years, It exchange, I give newsapers, maga zines, books, postcard views, ete, for lots of worthwhile used stamps. Thank you in adyance,. Peona Dziadowiez, 25% W. Broadway: (Gen. Del.), South Bos‘ton, Mass,, U:S8.A," Hospital Radio K\VIDENTLY the Aucklang Hospits: "> Board has experienced a _ Tittle trouble with its proposed instaHation of up-to-date radio in the big buildings, for the second quotations are being called from radio dealers. Such. an, installation is a big, job-in fact, it

Will be the biggest of its kind in’ the southern hemisphere, Tour Postponed HH news received late last weck that Hileen Joyce, the world-famous pianist, was delaying the start of her tour of the New Zealand stations, must

have given programmé organisers a severe headache for an hour or so, Several of her programmes had been arranged and advertised. After arriying in Wellington on August 18, she was to have gone immediately to Auckland to open her New Zealand tour at 1YA with a recital on August 21, Radio Meeting FHW years ago the New Zenland Institute of Secretaries was formed and chapters were established in the main centres of the Dominion. The membership now totals 700, drawn from every branch of the secretarial profession in New Zealand. Regular meetings of the several chapters are held in the cities, and an annual meeting is held in one of the centres at which delegates representing all the shapters attend, but it has been impossible to arrange any meéting at which all members can be present, Radio can succeed where other means fail, for with its full aid a "full meeting" of members is to take place on Sunday, August 28, from 8YA, when the Rey. Alan C. Watson,.M.A., will conduct thespecial service for .Secretaries from St. Paul’s -Presbyterian.. Church in

Christchurch, and he _ will take "Through Livelihood to Life’ as the subject of his address. Not only will this subject appeal to all members of the Institute, but the fact that at the same time they are listening to the special message being broadcast for them, will make them realise the power of the radio,

Not a Pie-cart NOING at the published programmes of 4Z0 in the "Radio Record," some listeners have been puzzled as to the significance of the "Hot Pie" session. No, this ig not a relay from one of the well-known pie-carts, but is a selected rhythm programme which lasts for a quarter of an hour

every Hriday night. It is followed for the remainder of the hour by varied music played by a famous dance band, a different band being featured each week. 4Z0 is able to feature 2 complete session by a different band every Friday because of the generosity of one of its friends, who imports hundreds of records that are not generally on sale in New Zealand.