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services have, when possible, been made available to assist the societies in the presentation of performances of a higher standard than would otherwise be possible. Plays and Feature Programmes—A total of 126 major dramatic productions were broadcast, .including a large number of works by famous authors. Many special features were written and produced by the Service, such as that for the School Broadcasts Session, the dramatic historical serial,. " England Expects." During the period, under review twenty-four of the thirty-two episodes of the latter were written, recorded, and broadcast. The dramatic serials, " Susie in Storyland " and " Stories, Old and New," were completed during the year. The year has been remarkable for the increase in the number of scripts' submitted for broadcasting. In all, 651 scripts were examined, compared with 270 in 1944-45; 227 in 1943-44; 304 in 1942-43. Of these, 406 were dramatic scripts, 155 were short stories, and 90 were continuity scripts. Two hundred and seventy-four were accepted. Of the total stated, 106 scripts were submitted by New Zealand authors, but the majority were not of a. sufficiently high standard, only 7 being acceptable. With a view to encouraging local writers, a Radio Play Competition was announced towards the end of 1945. The competition was divided into twoclasses —Class 1, where a contestant might enter an original' play on any subject, and Class 2, where the entry was required to deal with an historical subject. There were 204 entries in Class 1, 85 in Class 2, and 5 miscellaneous; scripts were submitted, making a total of 294 entries. The competition is at. present being judged. Light Music, Variety, and Bands.—The best local talent and overseas recordings were used in the preparation of variety programmes. Variety concerts organized by the Service for the Forces were relayed from military camps. Special sessions of dance music by New Zealand players in studios and cabarets were arranged, in addition to recorded programmes of this type. A number of brass and pipe bands were featured, and community sings were relayed. A highlight of the variety programmes were the broadcasts on two evenings of concerts by the international variety star, Gracie Fields. Outside Broadcasts. —Among functions of national interest relayed during the year were the State luncheons to the Governor of Fiji, Sir Alexander Grantham, K.C.M.G., High Commissioner for the Western Pacific; to the delegates to the Civil Aviation Conference; to the New Zealand Victoria Cross winners; to Mr. W. J. Jordan, High Commissioner for New Zealand iii London; to Lord Alanbrook and Sir Philip Vian; the civic receptions tothe Right Hon. the Prime Minister on his return from the San Francisco Conference, and to Sir William and Lady Dobbie; and the civic farewells at Dunedin and Auckland to the retiring Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Cyril Newall, and Her Excellency Lady Newall. Other broadcasts carried out were the patriotic concert by Polish children at present resident at Pahiatua, and a description of the manoeuvres in Cook Strait by the aircraft-carrier H.M.S. " Indefatigable," and the destroyers, H.M.S. "Wizard" and "Urchin." A relay of special historic interest was the opening at Kaikoura of the South Island Main Trunk Railway. Parliamentary Broadcasts—Broadcasts were made regularly from the House of Representatives, with the necessary observance of wartime restrictions durinsr hostilities.

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