RADIO LAUNCHES NEW SAVINGS CAMPAIGN

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 103, 13 June 1941, Page 13

RADIO LAUNCHES NEW SAVINGS CAMPAIGN

NLY a few months after their () first successful drive for 100,000 National Savings accounts, the National and Commercial Broadcasting Services have undertaken to boost the total up to a quarter of a million. The campaign was launched last Sunday night with a National Service talk by T. N. Smallwood, chairman of the National Savings Committee, and judging by the rate at which the first hundred thousand New Zealanders thronged in to open accounts, it will not be long before the quarter million total is reached, Radio started its drive for National Savings early in November of last year, when a little over 1000 people had opened accounts. After a_ hesitant start, new accounts began to flow in by the thousand, until a peak was reached of 8000 a week. At one stage, they were coming in so fast that a large staff in Wellington was unable to cope with them. This time the National Savings people are prepared for any emergency. The methods used to emphasise the importance of savings are familiar to most listeners. Every re-broadcast of the news from London was followed by a reminder to open an account (later, to keep the account "alive" by adding to it regularly), and in addition, the Dominion total was announced every evening at nine o'clock from the main national and commercial stations. As the campaign progressed, this daily total assumed the ‘interest of a progress report in a test cricket match, or, to take a more topical parallel the daily "bag" of the Royal Air Force. Even More Comprehensive The new campaign for 250,000 accounts will be even more comprehensive than the last. Sunday night brought Mr. Smallwood’s National Service talk from all main stations, and the following day saw an extensive advertising campaign in the daily mewspapers through New Zealand. During the next few weeks, every householder in the Dominion will receive

a circular explaining once again the need for saving, and enclosing an application form and an initial pay-in slip. All that householders will then need is a pen and ink and the will to lend. Keeping the Score Again After every broadcast of Daventry news, listeners will again be told some facts about the National Savings scheme, and urged to open an account if they have not already done so. At nine o’clock every night, just before the period of silent prayer, the daily total of accounts will be given from every broadcasting station in the country. The campaign starts off with the total at something over 120,000, and it will be interesting to watch the rate of progress. The goal set is regarded as easy of achievement, and if anything like the busiest weeks of the initial drive is approached-and the chances are that accounts will flow in even more rapidlythe quarter million mark should be reached in quick time.