Empire Greetings.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 955, 27 December 1933, Page 6

Empire Greetings.

Novel Broadcast

The King Strikes an Optimistic Note . MESSAGES FROM ALL PARTS of the British Empire girdled the earth last evening, when Christmas greetings were broadcast prior to an address being delivered to the British Commonwealth of people by the King. The programme possessed many novel features and conveyed to citizens in the far-flung Dominions some idea of the significance of Christmas in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. At one moment, listeners heard the bustle in the great city of London, and were joining in happy re-unions in homes and in hospitals, and at the next were communing w’ith a lonely lighthouse-keeper or a miner half a mile under the surface of the earth. The reception was remarkably clear, and there was singularly little interference. The programme had been splendidly arranged and greetings travelled from London to Ireland, Bermuda, Canada, New Zealand, Sydney, India, Cape Town and back to London. The actual broadcast was carried out about 2 a.m. yesterday, but a special recording was made to send out from London last evening when conditions in New Zealand and other parts of the Empire were more suitable for reception. The transmission of this recording, which was re-broad-cast by the Dominion’s YA stations, began at 5.15 p.m. and continued until 9.20. Proceedings opened with a description by the London announcer in Broadcasting House of Christmas scenes in London, when listeners were taken to the East End, the docks and Smithfield and heard the chiming of bells all over the city. By land line listeners were taken further afield to children’s parties in Gloucester and Birmingham and then to York Minster, where hundreds were attending service. A short stay was made at a West Country cider party, followed by a trip to a South Wales mining village, to Lancashire, to Belfast, where greetings were sent to New Zealand, and to a party in Scotland. The atmosphere of typical scenes was vividly conveyed by the various dialects. Down the Mine. Even greater variety was lent to the broadcast by a descent in the Welsh mine where the description was supplied by a miner on duty watching the pit. A stop was made at a Welsh church service and the next destination was the top of the great Rugby wireless masts where work was going on at full strength sending greetings to the world. This part of the tour ended with a call at a lighthouse 300 yards off the Northumberland coast, where one of the two keepers greeted the world. From London the toast of “ Absent Friends" was then sent to the people of the Empire and thus began the chain of greetings and expressions of loyalty from Empire wireless stations. In the space of fifteen minutes greetings had travelled round the Empire. “It is one minute past three on Christmas afternoon and the chain is complete,” said the London voice. “We are linked in common allegiance and interest awaiting in a vast audience to hear the voice of his Majesty the King. To him in the name of the peoples of the Empire we present greetings and the loyal messages that have passed between us on this day.” The King’s Message. His Majesty’s message, delivered from Sandringham, struck an optimistic note. The King expressed his great hope for the future at the close of a year which had seen great progress in many respects, particularly in relation to the increased good will among all portions of the Empire. His Majesty’s voice is well suited for broadcasting and his deliberate manner minimised the difficulties of broadcasting over 25,000 miles. Apart from a slight surging at times the only break in his address was that when he paused to cough slightly. Chain of Greetings. The King's message was as follows: Once again at this season it is my pleasure and privilege to speak directly to all the members of our world-wide family. I do so with profotmd emotion as well as with gratitude for the unbroken chain of your loyal greetings, this moment delivered to me. In spite of many upheavals and uncertainties the past vear has shown great progress towards the recovery and setting in order of our community, although it is not only what has already been accomplished that gives us hope in the present and confidence in our future. Wireless has practically abolished time and space in dealing with each other across the width of the world, and with this discovery has arisen an intimate and closer understanding of our problems as between -ourselves, and of the wisest method of meeting them. So it has come about that questions that in the past might have raised long and delaying discussions are more and more matters of mere adjustment. As I see it the most significant development of the past year has been the every day increase of this good will in our outlook. We owe something of the change to modern science, but this would remain useless without the patience of all my people. My people have shown unshakable belief and invincible patience and these in the long run overcome most things that may be brought against us. In this belief and hope I wish you all who hear, especially to the children, -whose great day it is, a happy Christmas with peace on earth and good will to all men. God bless you.