Meet the LADIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 23, 1 December 1939, Page 49

Meet the LADIES

ISS N. McKENNA — " Tony™ M of 2ZB — is one of the most attractive girls in radio. She stands about 5ft. 2ins., her eyes are liquid, dark-lashed brown, and her hair black. "Tony" was born in Blenheim, but did not live there long. She was educated at the Otaki Convent and later the Hastings Convent, and when she left school she went to Wellington with her family. In 1937 "Tony" joined 2ZB as receptionist, and incidentally she was the very first girl to join the Station, It wasn’t until 1939 that she got her chance before the " mike," and to-day her Home Service Session from 2.30 p.m, to 3 o’clock every day from Monday to Frie day is becoming very popular with houses wives and women listeners generally, At the beginning of this year she went to Australia, She was away about seven weeks, and during that time managed to see a great deal of Sydney and its environs, and also was interviewed over Station 2UE when she discussed radio in New Zealand as compared with radio in Australia. Although she looks every inch a chic town girl, "Tony" confesses that she much prefers the country really, and was literally bewildered with the heat and the noise in Sydney combined with her poor bump of locality, which led her into walking many unnecessary miles. Of course she loved every minute of her time in Sydney — but none of it was very conducive to peace and quiet. She returned to Auckland with Cushla de Lange (now studying singing in Australia), and then went back to her work in Wellington. She is planning great things for her session. Just recently she. has begun a series of interviews by representatives of all the various women’s organisations throughout New Zealand. Each one talks about her particular work for her particular organisation — it may be Women’s Institutes, Guilds, the Y.W.C.A., the Plunket Society, or any others. Already listeners are showing their appreciation of this innovation, and mail is pouring in,