THE ZB RADIOGRAM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 16, 13 October 1939, Page 52

THE ZB RADIOGRAM

es NEW DIRECTOR OF HAPPINESS CLUB

Portrait of Joan Sutherland

HE first things that strike you about Joan Sutherland, new director of 1ZB’s Happiness Club, are her kindness, gentleness and sincerity; sincerity in the things she believes and works for; kindness that is evident in the easy way she makes contacts with other people, which is perhaps the reason for her well-known genius for friendship. Joan Sutherland is a New Zealander, born in Manaia, just out of Hawera in Taranaki. She possesses the true New Zealander’s knack of seeing things straight and in their correct proportion. She realises, perhaps better than anyene else, the tremendous task there is ahead of her to carry on the work started by anyone so widely loved as Dorothy. She believes, however, that the co-operation and unity of understanding among the Happiness Club members will give her her greatest encouragement and strength. "The Happiness Club and its members has proved itself time and time again in its selfless disinterestedness in helping other people. I believe they will be kind enough to help me," Joan Sutherland’s life has been a life of work-hard work-to get her the things she believed in. She has been for years one of the best known and foremost commercial artists in Auckland. Each year at Christmas, thousands of Auckland children have beén thrilled as they wandered at will through some magic Toyland of fairies, magicians, and sparkling treasure~ caves, that Miss Sutherland, with her own hands and her own unerring knowledge of what

the little folk would like best, fashioned for their delight. Apart from her extremely active social and business life in Auckland, Joan Sutherland "has been places and seen things" in England and on the Continent. She is well known as a public speaker, and for the radio talks she has given over 1YA. The Happiness Club and 1ZB are lucky in having anybody so versatile and so thoroughly sincere about her work as Joan Sutherland. One feels sure that as Miss Sutherland gains more experience as director of 1ZB’s Happiness Club, members will find that they have not only gained a new director, but a person who will also be a Nery real friend to them.

— YOUNG man of twelve, who seems destined to be a " wise-guy," sought to catch out Mr. Pronouncer, who gives the pronunciation of difficult and catchy words over the air in a session in the Children’s Magazine on Friday evenings at 1ZB. The " wise-guy" wrote in asking him to pronounce " OXYBENZYLMETHYLENGLYCOLANHYDRIDE." Mr. Pronouncer fooled him by offering to pronounce the word if the young man would tell him what it meant! Tall Stories That fish story you've been dying to tell stands a chance not only of being told, but also of being broadcast, and even of winning you a prize of twenty pounds or more, in 1ZB’s latest radio contest -- The Tall Story Competition, The entrance fee for each story sent in is sixpence, and prizes will grow taller as the session progresses. The proceeds, minus the prize money, will for the first four weeks be devoted entirely. to the Huntly Miners’ Relief Fund. 1ZB’s Story Competition is broadcast on Tuesday and Friday nights at 8,30. Other Languages "Stop-Press Johnny,’ who conducts the Esperanto Session in the Children’s Magazine on Wednesday evenings, can speak in six languages other than Eng- lish-French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Esperanto. Dudley Wrathall, the Station humorist (he’s the Fun Man in the Children’s Magazine), says he can speak in yet another-bad language. Hitting the Highspots A high spot of the Happiness Club’s farewell to Dorothy at the Auckland Town Hall was the performance of the dance " Boomps-a-Daisy," with Dorothy partnered by Dudley Wrathall, Gran with Bill Meredith, Stella Boucher with John Batten, and Pat Boyle with Lou Paul. Talented Pair It is hard to imagine a duo as capable with the piano accordion as Norman Carson and Elaine Moody. You'll find their picture on page 49 of this issue. Fm tS rn |

— Lately these two have been bracketed in pleasing broadcasts from 3ZB, Christehurch. Both are extremely capable in other directions. Miss Moody is one of the leading teachers of the Musical Army, and since the opening of Station 3ZB has been a regular performer with vocal and instrumental items. Norman Carson is pianist at the regular 3ZB Community Sing, and conducted the _ successful Musical Crossword Session with Geoff, Lloyd, Gone a Long Way The Rhythm Girls have progressed a long way since their first broadcast of "Log Cabin Lullaby," their theme number from 3ZB. It is just about two years since two 18-year-old amateurs, by name Terise ‘and Marionette Yates, were the winners of the senior section of the 3ZB Amateur Trials. They made a great hit with listeners and audience alike with a duet of "Log Cabin Lullaby." Soon afterwards, Jacko, or Jack Maybury, to give him his real name, suggested that laine Moody, a teacher herself, should take the girls in hand. Miss Moody has done so to good effect, and the result is "The Rhythm Girls," who might be

described as the Boswell Sisters of Christchurch. In three-part harmony they introduce to listeners over 3ZB the latest in song hits, Varied Career Besides being a good announcer, Maurie Power, who has a wide circle of listeners from 2ZB, was at one time in the Royal Air Force, and was also a fine all-round athlete. He was originally selected in 1935 to play for Victoria against the Maori team as half-back; and ‘he competed as a sprinter in the Austra-

lian team which raced against Leo Lerman, the American, and Dr. Otto Peltzer. The Australian team comprised Jimmy Carlton, George Golding, and Maurice Power. Maurie has also been a fine boxer, Made in England At least four of the announcing staff at 2ZB originally came from England. Jack Lambert hails from Barnett, London; Peter Whitchurch was born in Kent; Geoffrey Lloyd is a native of Everton, Liverpool; and Peter Hutt was born in Heatherset, Norfolk, England. Wide Experience Suzanne, who is heard from 2ZB from Monday to Saturday at 11.30 a.m., conducting the Shopping Reporter's session, is another of the Commercial Service's announcers who has travelled extensively. In private life she is Miss Beatrice Wroath. Before joining the Commercial Service, Suzanne was private secretary to one of Auckland's biggest businers men, and she began her activities with Commercial Broadcasting as a receptionist at 3ZB, Later she was appointed piivate secretary to the Controller, C, G. Scrimgeour, and has been on the air from 2ZB since March, 1939. In 1936 she made an extended trip to Honolulu and America, and so has first-hand know-ledge-a valuable asset for her type of work-of conditions in American broad- casting. Her pleasant voice is not the least of her assets.

2ZB | LADY OF MILLIONS _ Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 10 p.m. (Starts October 10) |