STATION 1YA ACTIVITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20618, 17 July 1930, Page 17

STATION IYA ACTIVITIES.

MUSIC WEEK FESTIVAL.

SONG-WRITING COMPETITION. The monthly meeting of the IYA Musical and Dramatic Advisory Committee was presided over by Mr. F. McCallum.

The matter oi Iho subsidy offered by the Radio Broadcasting Company to local musical societies was fully discussed and a sub-committee was set up, consisting of Mr. C. B. Plummer, representing the Auckland Choral Society; Mr. L. E. Lambert, Bohemian Orchestra; and Mr. F. M. Price, Aeolian Orchestra, and instructed to bring down a report before the next meeting of the committeo. General satisfaction of the company's attitude was expressed, and it was decided that the matter bo taken up as early as possible.

Special consideration was given to the music week programmes to be presented at the station in conjunction with the special Music Week Festival to be hold in Auckland. It was reported that various prominent musicians in tho city would be speaking from tho station during that week, and that performances would be given by tho Municipal Choir, Municipal Band, Orphans' Club Orchestra, and the IYA Broadcasting Choir.

It was also pointed out that at IYA station tho classification of nights was as follows: —Tuesday, operatic; Wednesday, band; Thursday, popular; Friday, classical; Saturday, vaudeville. When the Municipal Band porformed on the Saturday night the previous Wednesday was devoted to a miscellaneous concert.

Many valuable suggestions were brought forward in connection with informative lecturettes from tho station and with reference also to the general programmes. Tho report from the sub-committee set up with regard«to the "song-writing" competition will be brought down at the next committee meeting.

RADIO AND WEATHER.

EFFECT OF BROADCASTING.

SPECIAL REPORT PREPARED.

[from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, July 8.

From Victoria has come the cry that radio broadcasting has upset the sensons; that it is responsible for serious droughts in several localities, to the prosperity of which regular downfalls are vital. Sydney people are unable to see any point in this argument, for there is more broadcasting in this city than in any other place in the Commonwealth, yet it has rained here every day for nearly three weeks. This seems to explode the idea that broadcasting causes droughts. Still, the Victorian claim was regarded as of sufficient importance to attract the attention of tho Commonwealth meteorologist, Mr, Hunt. Mr. Hunt promptly dismissed tho charge that wireless broadcasting had caused abnormal fluctuations in Australian rainfall. Ho therefore declined to fall in with tho suggestion that the wireless stations should bo closed down for a month, so that a test could be carried out. It was claimed, for instance, that the adverse effect of broadcasting had been manifest in some districts since 1924, when the largo stations in Victoria began to transmit continuous daily programmes. Mr. Hunt points out that in April, 1923, it was practically rainless in Northern Victoria, and was tho only entirely rainless month recorded in Melbourne. The rain which fell in May, 1923, was hailed with delight as tho salvation of tho wheat crops. Similarly, in May of this year, the rain broke a long, dry spell. Although the rain in May last coincided with great broadcasting activity, it was, on tho average, aboyt three times as good as the rainfall in May, 1923. In May, 1923, tho rain in the Malee district ranged from 42 to 43 points, but last May it ranged from 109 to 310 points. Mr. Hunt's finding has been embodied in a special report to the Prime Minister, and, in view of its nature, it is certain that no action will be taken to stop broadcasting on the ground that it is causing the seasons to be topsy-turvy. So broadcasting and rain and droughts seem likely to continue as far as Australia is concerned.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. An old-time programme of vocal and instrumental numbers will be presented from IYA on August 14.

New artiste appearing at IYA short! are Miss E. Kitchen, soprano, Mis Thelma Duffen, mezzo-soprano; and Mr. Black, baritone.

The broadcasting station WGY, Schenectady, appears to be like Jack's beanstalk, always growing. Four years ago its power was 50 kw.; in two years the power has become 100 kw.; in January last it was 150 kw.; and it now boasts 200 kw., with which it transmits on a wave-length of 380 metres. It has six 100-kw. power valves, each five feet long, and is crystal-controlled, to keep the wavelength from wobbling.

Reception m Auckland of the messages broadcast last Sunday evening by the party of Now Zealand farmers from the observation car on the Reso train touring Victoria. Australia, was very poor. The messages were relayed from station 3LO, Melbourne. Although 3LO's Australian neighbours on the broadcast band, 2BL, Sydney and 4QG, Brisbane, were received with good volume, Melbourne was very indistinct and only incoherent remarks could be heard The occasion was stated to be the first instance of wireless broadcasting from a railway train being available foi New ZeaJjnd listeners.

In a new building in New York a theatre has been oponed on the scene of the former frolics of the Ziegfeld Follies. The actors are roally broacasting artists at work before (ho microphone and the public watch them through a huge sheet of glass which replaces the usual stage curtain and which is necessary in order to keep the murmurs of the audience off Iho ether. The spectators hear the proceedings through loud speakers, and the connection with the radio system outside is made through twenty-two microphone outfits.

The recent epic flight of Wing-Corn-mander Kingsford Smith across the Atlantic is yet another instance in which radio has played n 'urge part. Tho entire journey from Dublin to Harbour Grace enabled the whole world to follow "Smith's" journey step by step. All the thrills which he experienced wcro in turn experienced by listeners Then again a tribute was paid to radio by tho great Australian airman, who declared that only foi tho "wonderful radio," to use his own words "wo would never have been able to land at Ilarbour Grace." Whon tho Southern Cross landed at Harbour Grace, the news was "radioed" around the world, and listeners to the Australian Broadcasting Company's stations heard tho glad tidingß of the Southern Oross landing, five minutes after the machine came down at Harbour Grace.