Anzac Night Appeal

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 98, 9 May 1941, Page 14

Anzac Night Appeal

Statistics of the organisation of the Anzac Night radio appeal show that much of its success was due to the hard work of officials of both radio services, the Post and Telegraph Department, Patriotic Committees, and hundreds of people throughout the country who worked long hours on a holiday night. In Wellington, 59 ’phones worked at high pressure dealing with local donations, while 17 dealt with toll calls from other centres, and there were several direct toll lines to Auckland. Each phone was manned by two people. In Christchurch, 42 phones dealt with local calls and ten with toll calls. Altogether 345 exchanges were working on Anzac Night, 263 of which were either re-opened specially or kept open beyond their usual closing time by volunteer service Although Auckland was not participating in the appeal, donations from the city and all over the province came in shortly after the start of the programme, and the direct lines between Auckland and Wellington were kept busy for hours. During an Anzac night concert at Timaru, a special appeal was made from the stage. Seven Post Office officials took the names and addresses of those who promised donations, and these were later acknowledged over 3YA. Just on £130 was raised. Most of the workers at the various broadcasting stations remained on the job until midnight, but so persistent was the flow of gifts‘into 2YA, that Clive Drummond, the station’s chief, announcer, was kept acknowledging them until 2.30 in the morning. Days after the broadcast, the National Patriotic Fund Board in Wellington was still receiving gifts,