TRIAL BY RADIO

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 425, 15 August 1947, Page 13

TRIAL BY RADIO

ZB’s Present Tales From Four Cities

HEN Lord Montgomery held his Press conference in Wellington, he asked, casually, "Which is supposed to be the better, the South Island or the North?" In unison three or four South Island pressmen replied "the South, sir"’ One of them improved on the occasion by telling the Field Marshal that the North Island was simply an offshoot of the South Island, which was, after all, the mainland. Most visitors to New Zealand are quick to notice the civic competition between the Dominion’s cities and towns; and those who value their peace of mind take care not to tell Napier citizens how pretty Hastings is, or how much more bracing is Wellington’s climate than Auckland’s. Now this competitive spirit is being used as the basis of a new New Zea-land-made feature to be heard shortly from the ZB stations. Its title is Challenge of the Cities. Announcers at the four stations open the programme by inviting the four Mayors, to tell listeners why they think their city should win the title of the best all-round place to live in, : Mayoral Foreword J. A. C. Allum talks about the beauty of Auckland, Will Appleton of Wellington’s attractions, E. H. Andrews of the industrial and social progress of Christchurch, and D. C. Cameron discourses proudly about the "Edinburgh of the South." That is by way of foreword. Then the radio announcers are let loose. Station 1ZB’s_ representative waxes lyrical about the glittering Waitemata Harbour, the famous island of Rangitoto and Kawau Island, "the yachtsman’s paradise," to coin a phrase. Against a background of rushing wind 2ZB describes Wellington as seen from the top of Mount Victoria; 3ZB tells listeners that Christchurch is building homes faster than any other centre and that the city has no fewer than 8,000 acres of parks and reserves; Station 4ZB opens with a moment of silence from the strong silent men of the south, soon

shattered by a rush for the microphone to explain why Dunedin should take the laurels. Listeners to Take Part Listeners to the four stations are invited to send in descriptions of any event, person, institution or unusual incident, currént or from the past, which they consider will help their city to build up points. And the main interest in the feature is that it will be controversial, inasmuch as one city’s boasts will be capped by another. But while there is much humour in the material, all of it must be factual. Challenge of the Cities-a half-hour programme-will probably run for several months. It will start at 1ZB and 2ZB on Saturday, August 23, 3ZB and 4ZB on Saturday, August 30, and 2ZA on Saturday, September 6, to be heard thereafter at weekly intervals. The show will open at all stations at 8.0 p.m.