FRIENDLY ROAD SEVEN YEARS OLD

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 28, 23 December 1938, Page 3

FRIENDLY ROAD SEVEN YEARS OLD

Aucklanders Scramble For Seats At Town Hall Meeting

"SmIVE years ago there were more people outside the Town Hall than in it-because there was a fight on. I was more thrilled this year to find that such a huge crowd had found it worthwhile to be present when there wasn’t even the shadow of a fight-just because they were interested in the regular work of the Friendly Road,’’ said Controller C. G. Serimgeour (‘‘Unele Serim’’), addressing the anniversary gathering of Friendly Road supporters in the Auckland Town Hall on Sunday, December 13. Aucklanders have become accustomed to having to scramble for seats when the Friendly Road holds an anniversary or a gathering of any kind. Even the reporters had to convince the harassed door-keépers that they didn’t want merely to gatecrash. Hundreds packed every entrance and stood about under the loudspeakers. "nging of the 250 children in UnFle.Tom’s choirs and reception given to Friendiy Road and 1ZB personaities, was endorsement of

the Controller’s contention that the Friendly Road was still progressing nd extending. Said the Controller: "During the last eighteen months, since I have been connected with commercial broadcasting, I have conducted more sessions on the air than over any similar period before that time." In his address he talked of the importance of a constant ideal and the need to keep up to date with the trends and changes that are taking place ali the time. "When we cease to change," he said, "we have become old." Nearly all his Auckland staff shared the platform with him; Aunt Daisy made a special trip from Wellington to attend. It was the seventh anniversary of the Friendly Road, a gathering that lacked nothing of the enthusiasm’ of the six that had gone before.