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News and Commentaries. —By the courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation, news from Londpn has been rebroadcast eight times daily, together with commentaries and war talks. An amplified overseas news service was given when news of special importance was received. By arrangement with the United States Office of War Information, the Service rebroadcast " What the American Commentators Say " five nights weekly from Station KWII) San Francisco. The presence of American Forces in the Dominion and the importance of understanding the American point of view in war and post-war action by the United Nations resulted in a •continuance of programmes as supplied by the United States Office of War Information, including talks and commentaries by distinguished American speakers on subjects of mutual interest to New Zealand and the United States. At 9 o'clock each evening the main stations broadcast the N.B.S. Newsreel, and at 7 o'clock news by courtesy of the daily newspapers, as well as sports results, market reports, &c. The broadcasting of a weekly summary of overseas news in the Maori language was continued. A nightly digest of New Zealand news supplied by the Director of Publicity was broadcast to our Forces in the Pacific. Talks. —Broadcasts were made by Their Majesties the King and Queen, and talks by distinguished speakers overseas were a very important feature of the programmes, among whom were Her Majesty the Queen of the, Netherlands, the Right Honourable Winston Churchill, President Roosevelt, the Right Honourable C. R. Atlee, Field-Marshal Smuts, the Right Honourable McKenzie King, the late Colonel Frank Knox, the Right Honourable H. V. Evatt, and General Sir Bernard Montgomery. Rebroadcasts of talks by well-known British commentators such as Wickham Steed, McDonald Hastings, and J. B. Priestley continued to be popular. In addition to members of our fighting Forces, many New-Zealanders, overseas were rebroadcast from the 8.8.C. These included the Honourable W. Nash, Minister of Finance; the Honourable F. Jones, Minister of Defence ; Major the Hon. C. F. Skinner, Minister of Rehabilitation ; Mr. W. J. Jordan, New Zealand High Commissioner in London ; and David Low. Special interest attached to a rebroadcast from the 8.8.C. of Brigadier James Hargest, MP., after his escape from a prisoner-of-war camp. In New Zealand, His Excellency the Governor-General was heard in a national talk and a New Year message to the Dominion. Broadcasts were also made by the Prime Minister, while speakers from Parliament, the Services, and other sections of the community broadcast on a number of subjects ■connected mainly with the war effort. Among visitors to broadcast in New Zealand were Sir John Duncanson, Steel Controller of Great Britain ; Mr. L. W. Brockington, K.C., Empire Adviser to the British Ministry of Information ; Lord Burghley, of the British Ministry of Aircraft Production ; Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, Y.C., D.S.O. ; Mrs. F. D. Roosevelt; Sir Walter Layton, Sir Neville Pearson, and Mr. Samuel Storey, M.P., members of the British Press Delegation ; Rear-Admiral T. S. Wilkinson, of the United States Navy ; Professor Allan Nevins, distinguished American historian; Mr. Bankes-Amery, leader of the British Food Mission to Australia and New Zealand ; and the Honourable T. G. D'Alton, Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand. The scope of local talks has been curtailed in some directions by war conditions, and developed in others. Evening talks on non-war subjects have been confined for the most part to the round-the-year features, gardening and book reviews, and to Winter Course sessions. On the other hand, a wide range of subjects was again covered in the morning talks particularly addressed to women. Frequent appeals were made on behalf of various public causes, and for co-operation in such war measures as rationing and production. Winter Course educational talks were broadcast from the main stations, and these included such subjects as " A Citizens' Guide to Modern Government," " Survey of New Zealand Literature," " New Zealand Economy after the War," " New Zealand and Current Ideas," and " Science Looks Ahead." As the demands of war upon the community increase, it is becoming commensurably difficult to arrange these series, and thanks are due to the local advisory committees and speakers. The Service continued to keep a careful watch on events and anniversaries which could be marked by special programme features. Tributes were paid to distinguished men and women who died in this and other countries. Overseas Rebroadcasts.—A listening watch was kept on overseas stations, and daily talks, commentaries, and programmes were rebroadcast or recorded for future use. Among other rebroadcasts was a programme from the City of Edinburgh to Invercargill, despatches from the New Zealand Broadcasting Unit with the Middle East Forces, and a presentation at Cairo to the Red Cross by New Zealand repatriated prisoners of war. Broadcasting and the Forces.- By means of our Broadcasting Units with the Forces in the Middle East and the Pacific, and the generous co-operation of broadcasting authorities overseas, personal greetings and talks by New-Zealanders serving overseas were frequently broadcast in New Zealand. Over 6,750 messages were broadcast in the programme " With the Boys Overseas." Of these messages, 3,390 were from the Middle East, 2,160 from the Pacific, and 1,200 from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States of America. In addition, many members of the Forces overseas recorded discussions, personal experiences, and commentaries, and approximately 200 of these were broadcast—94 came from the Middle East and just over 100 from the Pacific. Our Middle East Broadcasting Unit recorded an address by the Right Honourable Winston Churchill to the New Zealand Division, and this was later relayed throughout New Zealand. The broadcasting of greetings and talks occupied five hours per "week over the main National stations. ( During the year the Service forwarded overseas a regular weekly programme entitled " The News of the Week from Home," to be broadcast from Fiji and New Caledonia. The " Weekly News Letter " to Canada for broadcasting to Air Force trainees there was continued. In New Zealand the Service has co-operated closely with the Army Education and Welfare Service. Camps and posts throughout the country were provided with musical performances (orchestral and vocal), variety concerts, and gramophone recitals organized by the Service. Thanks are due to the many artists and members of the staff who have given their services so generously.

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