Items From The ZB's

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 123, 31 October 1941, Page 25

Items From The ZB's

programme of old tunes is pre sented from 2ZB every Saturday evening at 9.15 by Maurie Power whose picture appears on this page "i | \ PLEASANT three-quarter hour’s in character." The session has a distinctive old-world atmosphere about it, and many of the songs are old enough te be new to the younger generation. Few of them lose through being rendered by modern orchestras, * a * "SNOWY," who conducts 2ZB’s Gardening Session, decided that he would be helping gardeners still further if he could give them a practical demon stration of certain fine points, and 2 recent Saturday afternoon saw the first of what will be a series of demonstra tions in the grounds of Griffin’s factory in Lower Hutt, Wellington. Laying «6 lawn was the problem "Snowy" tackled and with the help of a microphone and a public address system he was able to give the 200 spectators who turned up an interesting lecture on this difficult subject. Several of 2ZB’s personalities including G. P. Brodie, acting-station director, were there to welcome spectators. The third section of "Snowy’s’ competition for the Gardening Cup closes this Saturday, November 1, and in spite of the damage done to Welling: ton gardens by floods, it is expected that there will again be a large number of entries. The cup is decided on aggregate of points in the sectional competitions. * * PART from a few notable exceptions such as "There'll Always Be An England," "Roll Out the Barrel" and "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant-Major," this war has not given birth to the rousing songs that the last war did, The number being composed may actually be greater, but surprisingly few of them show any signs of "catching on" like "Roses of Picardy," "Tipperary," "Pack Up Your Troubles" and "There’s a Long, Long Trail a-Winding." Old and new patriotic songs are all presented in a regular session from 4ZB every Thursday at 6.30 p.m. Thumbs Up is its appropriate title. ‘® 8 * NE of the most remarkable artists heard from Station 3ZB is Gwen Webster, who has been blind from birth, but. who plays the piano with considerable talent, sings well, and has a wide repertoire of songs. She has never attended any school, having learned Braille for six years from Miss L. Campbell, who though blind herself, has done much to help other blind people in Christchurch. Under Miss Campbell’s guidance, Gwen also became an expert typiste, and prepares her radio sessions herself, typing two scripts, one on an ordinary typewriter and the other in Braille. In her weekly session, which is on the air from 5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Sunday, Gwen presents a medley of popular recordings, songs at the piano and mandolin-guitar solos.