RADIO.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 20

RADIO.

BIG EXHIBITION OPENS.

AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS.

POSTMASTER-GENERAL'S

SPEECH.

A COMPREHENSIVE DISPLAY,

The first really big radio exhibition to be held in Auckland was officiallyopened at the Town Hall last night. This big display of the latest in broad-, cast apparatus, organised by the Auckland radio trade, was an outstanding success and attracted large crowds. The exhibition is most intriguing and fascinating and gives the visitors an opportunity of seeing and studying radio broadcasting from A to Z. Numerous stalls stocking almost every kind of radio set manufactured are there, and on the stage is a miniature studio from which IYA's programmes will be broadcasted nightly ' until the exhibition closes on Saturday. Opened by Minister. "Although I am not able'to be present it gives me the greatest pleasure to be able to participate in the opening of the exhibition," said the Hon. J. B. Donald, Postmaster-General, who officially opened the exhibition as he sat in hie office in Parliament Buildings, Wellington. The Minister's speech was relayed by land line and could not only be heard by those in the Town Hall, but by listeners in the Dominion aiid overseas. , . "Those of us who have possessed receiving sets for any length of time have now come to regard wireless as a matter of course and a part of our every day lives," he said. "Those who are listening to me are, of course, already interested in the subject and do not need v to be converted, but I hope that every on.? of you will try to secure fresh converts, because the more listeners there are the better the programmes that we can expect. Better programmes bring still more listeners, and I am looking forward to the effective nation-wide extension of the eervice. In the meantime, we can with confidence expect a higher and' higher standard of entertainment, information and education." Already the total number of licenses for the" Dominion was very close to fifty thousand. Wellington, district headed the list with 19,480, and Auckland stood at 1n,519 at present. If the Auckland exhibition was as successful as those held in Wellington and Dunedin, the number of Auckland licenses should show a big increase in the next few weeks. Mr. Donald said the Post and Telegraph Department was out to do all that it possibly could to assist in the development of radio in the Dominion. Departmental telephone lines were used a great deal for the relaying of concerts between different centres, and three long distance toll lines were now so very efficient that the most excellent results were being obtained. The Department was at present considering means for further extending this service. "I should like to express now my appreciation of the way the radio dealers" have always met the Department in its desire to ensure that the sets sold would not produce interference with neighbouring listeners. All receivers, before being offered for sale, are submitted for examination, and the Department has tested well over two hundred different types. With anything like reasonable care none of these now on the market should ever cause any trouble." Praise for Amateurs. "Now I should like to say a word to the amateur transmitters. Some little time ago, when they met me in Auckland, they told me that they would appreciate a reduction in the fee charged them, and I now have pleasure in stating that I have authorised a reduction from 2 guineas to 30/, which is the same as that charged for any other receiving set. I hope this will be an encouragement to them, because I realise that, from their experiments there is always the chance of important discoveries being made. . To those who were interested but had not yet purchased a machine, he would say Have a good look at all the different models and he would be extremely surprised if they could not find something suited to their taete and their pocket. All the best makes were now so good that there was no reason to put oil buying on the score that something better might be coming out soon. Mr. Donald congratulated the radio dealers on their enterprise in holding the exhibition. He trusted that it would do a ereat deal to popularise the use of wireless in the homes of New Zealand. He then declared the exhibition open. The' chairman of the Radio Dealers Association, Mr. Warwick J. Smeeton, said the minds of many went back to an evening in 1924, when in the science room of the Auckland University the first radio exhibition was opened. When the apparatus shown there was remembered he could not help being impressed by the enormous forward march of radio entertainment since those early days. The exhibition was supported by the Auckland Radio Society, the Listeners' League and by the Society of Amateur Radio Transmitters. The Mayor, Mr. George Baildon, then spoke. In referring to the remarkable growth and the improvements in radio apparatus, he said that only a few years if he had prophesied that he would one , day address thousands of persons by speaking into a metal box he- would have been accused of seeing visions. It was only a matter of a short time when people would be able to see the person who speaks through the microphone. Mr. Baildon congratulated the dealers and ' especially the amateurs for the splendid exhibition. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of the Auckland Electric Power Board, said he was closely associated with broadcasting because it was allied with the activities of the body he presided over. "Already Japanese ladies are using radio to proclaim their charms to the world," he said. "Perhaps such a system may eventually come into vogue in New Zealand. If it did so occur, I consider all married men should be debarred from listening-in. (Applause.) There is also the old story often told by a man who says he is only going somewhere to see a 'man about a dog.' That's impossible now," said Mr. Holdsworth, "because he can just as well sit at home and get the said animal's particulars over the radio." (Laughter.) Those who carried the principal burden of the show upon their shoulders were: Mr. Warwick J. Smeeton, chairman of the Auckland Dealers' Association Executive; the vice-chairman, Mr. J. L. Davies; and Messrs. T. T. Garland (programme), H. S. Hartle (lighting

and power), A. C. Tucker (decoration) and G. M. Bowles (general). Mr. Charles Gamp was an efficient organiser and secretary. The exhibition will ■be open every afternoon and evening until Saturday. The Inquisitive "Fan." After the dispatching of the official speeches on the air, the attention of the largo assembly turned to the various stalls, where broadcast reception apparatus of all types and prices was displayed by both local and southern firms. The enthusiast was soon'distinguishable from the merely casual observer. The. former wanted to see and to inquire about everything new, and pursued an inquisitive pilgrimage through the full range of the exhibits, querying, criticising or appraising ae he progressed. And there wae ample to delight the taste of the growing army that procures ite regular entertainment over the air. To the novice one impression came immediately to the fore. A radio set to-day must bo an ornament —an artistic piece of furniture in harmony with a tastefully arranged room. Manufacturers halve responded well to this demand, easily traceable to feminine influence, and the receiving sets on display were such as would', grace, any home. Broadcasting Commences. The crowd soon found attractions other than the actual displays. The "temporary IYA," a tastefully furnished stage, was occupied by the Auckland Artillery Band, by the broadcasting choir under the baton of Mr. Len Barnes, and by individual artists who took their turns before the magic microphone. Mr. Culford Bell quietly announced each item, and those who hear his voice ringing clearly each night had a real demonstration of the efficiency of the "mike," for those gently spoken words carried over the Dominion, to Australia, and afar into the Pacific. An interested crowd in the galleries followed keenly each item, and thoroughly enjoyed an excellent concert which, in itself should prove a big nightly draw. At.intervale the broadcasting was undertaken direct from IYA, and then the sets on various stalls were tuned in, so chat visitors might walk round and compare respective .qualities of reproduction. It was quite an interesting trip to pass from one stall to another, noting the distinctive attributes of each receiver, and marking the uniform good quality of tone that is> now an essential in the wireless set of the times. Most of the receivers ehown were operated by the usual domestk alternating current J supply, but, as " the area round Queen Street works on direct current, it was necessary to instal a special converter to provide the required A.C. juice. This converter was brought well into action as soon as the concert programme got under way,' and from it a wiring syetein was run to all stalls. Amateurs Earn Commendation. As was to be expected, there was a* continuous press of spectators round the excellent display of the Auckland amateur transmitters. Hero were set out quite a big bank of transmitting sets, evidences of the patient handiwork of an ever growing band of enthusiasts. These lads take a keen delight in assembling their own short-wave. Morse sets, and they have every reason to be proud of their craftsmanship. Neatness, compactness and efficiency are evident on the whole etaH. This efficiency wae demonstrated by the capable gratuitous service provided by amateurs for patrons of the exhibition. There was an early rush by hundreds to send radio greetings to their friends throughout the Dominion, and the little transmitter Avas tapping out these messages continuously throughout the evening. Some ehortwave sets were working well into the night ere the big task of covering'the traffic was overtaken. To-day postmen throughout the Dominion will be busy delivering sheaves of greeting cards in the districts where the receiving amateurs had picked up last night's messages, and had committed them to the care of the post office for delivery. The innovation is fated to continued heavy patronage during the currency of the show, for there is an invariable appeal about a novelty, and a still greater appeal when such novelty costs nothing. It was well after 10 p.m. ere the interested crowd of visitors drifted homewards, still discussing broadcasting in all its aspects, and satisfied that the Auckland Radio Exhibition was in every respect a credit to its organisers.