The Hawera Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. A MARVELLOUS AGE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 September 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. A MARVELLOUS AGE.

Delivered eaery evening by B o’clock in Hawera, Manaia. Okaiawa, Eltham, Paten, Waverley, ICokoia, Wbakamata, Ouangai, Ueremero, Fraaer Bond, and Otakeuo Uanutahi, Alton, Borleyrille, Mangatoki, Kaponga, . Awatuna, Opunake,

A man watching a modern machine at work a few days ago remarked to his friend that it was wonderful human mind had achieved. His friend replied that great scientists thought that mankind was\ still only at the beginning of knowledge of the marvellous powers which are slowly being unfolded. The men parted. That evening when going home at nine o’clock one heard a sound as from a gramaphone and a man’s voice said something about Sydney. Stopping to listen one gathered that the voice was from Sydney, and the man said something about a trip by the Niagara and about Lord Howe Island. There was silence for a time and then one found that a concert was to be broadcasted. The local wireless plant was about a hundred yards distant from the man who had first heard the sound from the street, but so clearly were the sounds heard that he was able to hear practically, the whole concert from his verandah. The various items were announced, and one heard distinctly the names of the works being performed. The notes of the piano were exceptionally clear, and the singers were without the slightest difficulty, the soprano’s work being especially attractive. Occasionally statics blurred an item, but for two hours the listener was held almost spellbound by the modern marvel, and he thought of the wonderful possibilities of: science. Here in Hawera, and no doubt in many other parts of New Zealand and Australia, were people listening to a delightful concert given hundreds of miles away, and to the concluding remarks of the director of the concert —“Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you have appreciated our concert”—there must have been many people scattered over a large area of land and perhaps at sea, too, who could say without hesitation “We have and we hope to hefir the artists again.” In these days such happy experiences

are becoming more ami more frequent, and, though many of us may not perhaps realise it fully, we live in a marvellous age. Science lias accomplished wonderful -;things, and if one looks back over the short twenty-five years that have passed one cannot fail to note the remarkable progress which is to be found in almost every branch of human activity. The inventions for war purposes were wonderful though terrible, and one hopes that never again will such powers of destruction be employed. The world wants to live in peace, and great efforts are being made to ensure permanent peace. The scientists have an enormous field in which they can be fully occupied in peace time, and we have no doubt that as invention and discovery continue they will not only perfect the devices already in use, but will add to them and help to lead mankind to a higher life. One cannot but realise that there are boundless opportunities for the scientists, and wireless communication, which has progressed so rapidly in the last few years should make people realise that even the great total of human knowledge and . power is but tiny compared with what it will be some day.