A LISTENER’S PLAINT.

Southland Times, Issue 21835, 12 October 1932, Page 4

A LISTENER’S PLAINT.

To the Editor. Sir,—l feel it is high time that a protest was registered against a very undesirable practice that has been introduced by our local broadcasting station. I refer to the way the birthday greetings are being employed by apparently incompetent parents for the purpose of admonishing their erring offspring. No one objects to hearing a greeting to little John—or Mary—but surely no one wishes to know that John won’t eat his porridge and Mary teases her young sister. The' whole principle of the thing is wrong and seems to the writer very unsportsmanlike. It is also open to gross abuse especially as there is never any chance of answering a reproof delivered in this fashion. This session is also held rather late and must keep young children up far too late. A birthday should be a day of happiness and it seems entirely wrong to spoil everything by administering a dose of acid just before a child’s bedtime. The proper place for correction is the home and if parents aren’t competent to maintain obedience one would have imagined that their last thought would be to broadcast their shortcomings. It is to be hoped that Station 4ZP will fall into line with other stations and deliver their greetings in, a proper birthday spirit.—l am, etc “PSEUDONYMIUM.”