RADIO APPEAL FOR AGED

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27709, 13 July 1955, Page 9

RADIO APPEAL FOR AGED

MANY GIFTS MADE YESTERDAY

56 TELEPHONES READY FOR THIS EVENING

Station 3ZB planned to launch its radio campaign for £50,000 toward the appeal for the aged at 7 o’clock this evening—but all day yesterday two girls were occupied in receiving offers of contributions from people who wanted to head the list of names to be broadcast.

%c knew of a few who intended to call tomorrow to start the ball rolling but this premature response has been simply staggering--and thrilling,’' said the station manager (Mr John Stannage). “Listen to this—£lo. £lO. £lO f 5; ?•??’ IrOs’ 1 r Os ’ £ 25 ’” he rcad the first list of subscriptions. The biggest gift of the day was £ 150 and from the 300 names on the list before him. it seemed that many hundreds of pounds would be in hand before the appeal even opened. Mr Stannage said. An elderly woman called at the studio yesterday and left £5. refusing to take a receipt or have her name broadcast. A doctor sent a cheque for £lO 10s and asked that 10 other doctors should do likewise “A well-wisher in Cashel street” sent £5O g ex P ef ience had given the staff the greatest encouragement, and also some idea of how business was to be handled, said Mr Stannage. *- The organisers of the recent Auckland appeal for the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society had reported that 6o telephones were inadequate to deal with calls, Mr Stannage said. Through the splendid co-operation of the Post and Telegraph Department, it had now been arra: ged to increase the telephones available for the Christchurch appeal to 56, with five other lines standing by if required. Two business firms were providing 10 telephone attendants each, and 14 would come from a Government department The.rest would all be radio staff.

Telephone Numbers The telephone numbers which should be used to offer contributions this evening are:—62-199, 62-899. 76-236, 76-200, 77-680.

The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) will launch the appeal at 7 p.m. and immediately afterwards, Station 3ZB will present a short documentary programme explaining the needs of the aged and the proposals to provide accommodation and other services.

From then until the last gift is received at midnight or afterwards, the station will broadcast the names of contributors, individual amounts received. and the progress totals. There are already indications that some groups will challenge colleagues to equal or better their contributions, and it is believed that district competition will develop. The radio and telephone appeal will extend from Kaikoura to Ashburton, and country subscribers will telephone their nearest post office, from which names and amounts will be relayed free of toll charges to Christchurch for inclusion on this evening’s announcements.