NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 57, 26 July 1940, Page 46

NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

2ZB HAPPINESS CLUB

HE 2ZB Happiness Club is steadily and surely making its way into the community, and is taking a very valuable part in helping to brighten the long hours of serious war work which is being undertaken so successfully by women in all walks of life. The members of the various branches work not only as Happiness Club units, but also continue their regular help in the many " circles" which meet regularly in’ connection with the Red Cross, the Lady Galway Guild, and other organisations. Their motto, " Others First," is a real part of their lives, and they now form a kind of "Sixth Column," spreading the Golden Rule wherever they go. The Monday session has proved all too short, and a further session on Wednesday, at the same time (1.30 p.m.) has been arranged, much to the delight of members who look forward to their own special session. A recent session was made specially attractive by the singing of "Christina," whose beautiful and sympathetic soprano voice has charmed audiences in Australia as well as New Zealand. The Kelburn, Karori, Northland, and Island Bay Clubs have had their first meetings, and Petone, Lower Hutt, Packakariki, and Point Howard are among the hard working branches. All the branches are arranging Social Evenings, for "all work and no play" is no part of their plan. The rapid growth of 2ZB’s Happiness Club owes much to Aunt Daisy, who is its energetic and popular Director. 1ZB Happiness Club HE recording studio of the NCBS was very busy the other morning on a special recording for the Auckland Happiness Club. Inquiries proved that a member of the 1ZB Happiness Club, Mrs. O'Reilly, had written

and composed a song entitled " Happiness To You." This is the slogan of the club. In the very near future this recording will be played from Station 1ZB. SURPRISE BROADCAST NE of the most informal broadcasts in many moons occurred the other afternoon at 4ZB, In the main studio the announcers were busy rehearsing their songs and sketches for the forthcoming "School Days" Patriotic Sing. Under the care of Jimmie McFarlane, the song leader, an endeavour was being made to achieve slickness. Jimmie was not particularly pleased with their progress and at this juncture somebody had the idea of putting the proceedings on the air. This

served as 2 good boost for the Sing and as an excellent example of an informal gettogether among the announcers. Incidentally, the finished product met with hearty appreciation from a packed house at the St. James. With Jimmie as Mr. Whangbottom, the Schoolmaster; Peter, a first-rate Inspector, and a class comprising Michael Hutt, Bernie McConnell, Jack Bremner, Spud Murphy, George Thorne, and Ted Heaney, the fun was fast and furious. Spud was " Lizzie," and a fine buxom lass he made with flaxen plaits and a voluminous gym. frock. The entire script, embracing a number of clever song parodies, was the work of Leo Fowler, whose muse, as ever, rose nobly to the occasion, 1ZB’s Supper Club At 10.30 on Saturday evenings, 1ZB invites listeners to the "Supper Club of the

Air." This entirely imaginary "Supper Club " has a variety of locations-sometimes in the fastness of the Waitakere Ranges or overlooking the harbour from Auckland's waterfront. When the session first started there were many rings from listeners who wanted to go right out there! This session is usually compéred by Des. Lock, who, with the aid of the Control Engineer, "effect" recordings, and a specially selected programme by a band, gives a startlingly accurate representation of a cabaret. Sunday Request Session Station 2ZB’s Sunday Request Session for the Forces is proving highly popular with the men in uniform. Certainly, some of the requests are for humorous numbers, such as ** Kiss Me Good-night, Sergeant-Major," but the majority of the requests are for the better type of music, as is instanced by one received from Trentham Military Camp. This request included such favourite arias as "‘ O, Paradiso," "I Still Seem to Hear," and "Che Gelida Manina" from "La Bohéme." Spelling Jackpots "Spelling Jackpots" at 4ZB have always been well received by listeners, and exciting incidents frequently occur. Recently, with a prize of £4 at stake, the atmosphere of tension became marked. The word was "Ylang Ylang" (a type of tree), and Don went round the class several times, giving each one turn about at reaching the correct solution to this tricky problem. Don must have something of a sardonic sense of humour or a complete contempt for superstition, for it is noticeable that word No. 13 always carries the biggest prize. " Famous Singers " Session During 1ZB’s "Famous Singers" Session on Thursdays at 6 p.m. the world’s best singers can be heard singing well-known songs. There are usually two singers in each session, a masculine voice and a feminine. On Thursday, July 18, Richard Tauber, now a naturalised Englishman, sang two. songs (Tauber is now singing regularly from the BBC.) On the same programme was heard Grace Moore, America’s foremost soprano. Starting her career in musical comedy, Miss Moore graduated to grand opera in spite ‘of many warnings and predictions of failure. Her first film was with Lawrence Tibbert, "The New Moon," an entirely different film version to the familiar stage-show. This was not a success, and she left films in disgust. Persuaded to try again, she started in "One Night of Love," which was a huge success, running to capacity houses for 13 months in Sydney.

LUCKY? WE HOPE SO! All ZB stations will broadcast the drawing of the " Royal Chance " Art Union at 5.0 p.m. on Friday, August 2.