NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 53, 28 June 1940, Page 46

NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

RECENT Friday saw, several gailydressed girls dancing and singing with professional smoothness, on a lorry in Queen Street, Auckland. There was an air of mystery about them since they were all masked.. They were members of the 1ZB staff and they showed how typists and clerks from a Government Department could entertain and canvass for their Queen! Miss Estelle Boucher, who is representing the Public Service in the Queen contest, was also on the lorry with them. A certain young technician from 1ZB was lured to the lorry by these anonymous charmers, in ‘spite of a theatre date. Was he mortified when he discovered they were only "the girls" from the office? He was late for the theatre, too. News for Sportsmen W. F. ("Wallie") Ingram, the wellknown New Zealand sports authority, has been appointed sports commentator at Station 2ZB. A former track, wrestling and boxing Editor of "New Zealand Sporting Life and Referee," he produced the " Annual Guide to Wrestling" in 1938 and 1939, and is at present engaged on the 1940 issue. He possesses an excellent athletic record. Among many sporting activities, W. F. Ingram has trained cyclists, boxers and swimmers with such effect that he had champions in each sport. A delegate to the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association, and the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association, he brings 2 wealth of experience and enthusiasm to his new work. The sessions he conducts are "The World of Sport at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays; the Week-end Sports Preview at 10 p.m. on Fridays; and the Sports Results Session on Saturdays at 6.15 p.m. Coinciding with Mr. Ingram’s appointment, the sporting activities of 2ZB have been reorganised and listeners may count on receiving the quickest and most complete and accurate results at the week-end. Musical Recruits Obviously the recruits at the camps in Burnham, Papakura, and other places must comprise a considerable portion of the best of the Dominion’s musical talent, and it is a noticeable feature of the ZB Stations that from time to time artists from adjacent camps are included in the programmes. At Christchurch every week new talent is broadcast over 3ZB from the Welcome Club, where at least 400 men are entertained at tea and dances. This programme is being looked upon by Canterbury listeners as one of the highlights of the week, and it usually provides soldiers musically inclined with the opportunity of making first broadcasts, on instruments which range .from bagpipes, upwards

or downwards according to your nationality, Many of the men in camp have their own particular effort to submit, and probably the most outstanding broadcast from 3ZB in this regard was the number, "‘ Say Good-bye to Old New Zealand." This song, which is being adopted as the theme number at the Welcome Club, was written by Driver Harry Walker, Div. Supply Column, N.Z.A.S.C., Burnham. "Sing" in Oamaru The good record of 4ZB’s series of Patriotic Community Sings has not been confined to Dunedin alone. Jimmie McFarlane, Airini, Peter, Dennis Sheard and Lionel Sceats paid a visit to Oamaru on a recent Friday evening back and a most successful

= sing was held. The Oamaru people rose magnificently to the occasion, filled the theatre to capacity, sang heartily, and bid freely for the many articles auctioned. In consequence the Oamaru branch of the Red Cross benefited to the tune of more than £200. Radio Matinee Station 2ZB’s Sunday Radio Matinee is proving highly popular. This three hour programme, from 2 to 5 p.m. every Sunday, is a specially arranged programme, which includes many attractive features which combine to make an excellent variety entertainment. Strange Invasion "Sorry, I must be getting absent minded." That remark and an apologetic withdrawal from Lionel Sceats’ spiritual and temporal

home in the 4ZB building might have been excused within the last week or so. We are not saying that people did think they had gone into the wrong office, but Lionel’s room has undergone a change which must be a relief for him, for it has taken on once more the aspect of a Production Supervisor’s office. The above does not imply that 4ZB’s methodical Production Supervisor went through a phase of untidiness, for there were circumstances beyond his control. Goods donated for auction in connection with the 4ZB patriotic sings and prizes for various patriotic raffles were stored in his sanctum for convenience and for lack of a better place. Live stock, including pigs, dogs, roosters, canaries and budgerigars in boxes, cages and crates gave the room a Barnum and Bailey look, and in addition to these could be found joints of meat, jars ef jam and others types of produce. That may seem enough to create havoc with the orderly appearance of a business office, but with flowers, shrubs, sacks of potatoes and cases of apples, and almost every conceivable type of flora and fauna, the sum total was something to wonder at. Good and bad things alike must come to an end and with the Red Cross and St. John Appeal a thing of the past there is no longer any need for Lionel to be a good natured target for sly digs from all and sundry. Novel Competition The Apple Campaign has an echo in the competition run from 2ZA in conjunction with the Bing Crosby film, "The Starmaker." Listeners were asked to make up a telegram from the initial letters of the popular song from the show, "An Apple for the Teacher," which was also the theme song in the well remembered "Telephone Quiz." Over 200 entries were received by the Meteor Theatre in two days and the winning entries were in keeping with the trend of public thought at the moment. There were 10 prize winners in all and the one voted by the judges as being the most outstanding was " Auntie arrived Frankton terribly tight." There were quite a few dealing with Adolf and one that struck the fancy was "‘ Adolf alters few temporary taxes." These short competitions are becoming increasingly popular with the theatre people. Fred and Maggie’s Popularity On Monday, June 24, the 600th episode of "Fred and Maggie Everybody " was broadcast from 2ZB. Fred and Maggie have been on the air three nights every week since 2ZB opened and a testimony to their session is the great popularity they enjoy. Fred and Maggie, with Daisy, visited New Zealand

some little time ago and received a great welcome from their "fans" who were delighted to see their favourite radio stars in the flesh. The appeal of Fred and Maggie lies perhaps partly in the fact that their adventures are those that befall many married couples, As Fred says, " There are thousands of Freds and thousands of Maggies."

"GOLD," a new and exciting radio play of interest to menfolk. Tune in to Station 2ZB at 3 o'clock next Saturday afternoon.