"ON THE AIR"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 40, 16 August 1937, Page 11

"ON THE AIR"

CRAVEN'S BROADCAST

TALK TO SOUTH AFRICA

Much curiosity has been aroused as to what Danie Craven, who captained South Africa on the field against New Zealand on Saturday, said when, at the conclusion of the game, he usec Afrikaans in speaking "over the air." The reason for his having adopted that one of the two official languages of South Africa was that when called to the microphone the invitation was to speak to South Africa, and quite naturally he spoke in Afrikaans, thinking that the broadcast was meant exclusively for South Africa. ■' It became known to Danie Craven afterwards that the broadcast was gen,eral, and that the people of New Zealand listening in would not understand what it was all about. He was only too ready to explain the position to a "Post" representative and to give the text of his remarks. What Craven said was: "Hello, South Africa. We are very sorry we disappointed you today, but we hope to do better next time. We are all keeping fit. The members of the team send their regards to their relatives and friends over there." A full running description of the match and the supplementary speeches were broadcast on Saturday and were listened to from end to end of New Zealand. They were also transmitted over the two short-wave channels for overseas use, and part at least was rebroadcast in Australia. Two wavelengths were used to give a better chance of reception in unfavourable localities, such as South Africa. No report of the reception conditions in South Africa has been received. , J. G. Rankin (Canterbury), who was unable to play for New Zealand in the first Test but who made the trip to Otaki and was in Wellington on Saturday, was admitted to the Lewisham Hospital during the weekend suffering from tonsillitis. , ■