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Talks The problems confronting the world in its first year of peace were reflected in the talks broadcast during this period. The Service concentrated on presenting to New Zealand listeners an unbiased picture of a world rehabilitating itself. Talks on present conditions in many countries, including Great Britain, Albania, India, the United States of America, and Siam, were broadcast. With an improved staff position, the Service was able to rely less on overseas material and more on that provided by New Zealanders and visitors to New Zealand, but again we acknowledge our debt to the British Broadcasting Corporation for their courtesy in allowing us to rebroadcast many interesting talks. The educational opportunities of broadcasting were not neglected. During the winter months series of talks were broadcast on such subjects as industrial engineering, the role of the University in the modern world, New Zealand's place in the Pacific, the development of the English novel, the place of the scientist in society, and the principles of criticism. Authoritative speakers were engaged to deal with these subjects, and their talks aroused much favourable comment. The period between 8.45 and 9 p.m. on Sundays was again reserved for talks of national significance. Amongst those who broadcast in this session were Their Excellencies Sir Cyril and Lady Newall; Her Excellency Lady Freyberg ; Viscount and Viscountess Mountbatten ; Viscount Bledisloe ; The Right Hon. Walter Nash ; the late the Hon. D. G. Sullivan ; the Hon. W. Parry ; Norman Corwin, American radio author ; Sir Theodore Rigg ; Major-General H. K. Kippenberger ; Commander R. G. A. Jackson, Senior Deputy Director-General, UNRRA; Mr. E. J. Riches, Economic Adviser to the International Labour Office ; Mr. A. R. Cutler, V.C., High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia ; and Mr. John Green, Director of Farm Broadcasts for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Book reviews, gardening sessions, and talks on housekeeping matters were continued. A series worthy of mention was that entitled " Kiwi to Civilian," designed to assist the ex-serviceman in his problems of rehabilitation. Broadcast obituary tributes were paid to such figures as H. G. Wells, Sir James Jeans, Lord Keynes, Vice-Admiral Theodore Wilkinson, U.S.N., and Sir John Rankine Brown. Parliamentary Broadcasts Proceedings in the House of Representatives continued to be relayed to listeners by Station 2YA. The national observance of the silent mimute at nine o'clock each evening continued to be recognized, members of the House standing while the chimes of Big Ben were broadcast in the chamber. Listeners were privileged to hear the swearing-in ceremony of the Governor-General Designate, Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C., from Parliament Buildings. A relay was also carried out of the opening of Parliament by His Excellency the Governor-General. The presentation of the Budget by the Minister of Finance, the Right Hon. W. Nash, and later the opening of the Budget debate by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, were broadcast by the main National stations. Plays and Feature Programmes Major productions broadcast totalled 242, as compared with 126 during the previous year. In addition, approximately 250 episodes of serials were produced. Arrangements were made for Station IYX, Auckland, to broadcast two plays per month, and Stations 2YH, Napier; 3ZR, Greymouth; and 4YZ, Invercargill, will in future feature two plays per month instead of one. There has been a great increase in the number of scripts submitted, and the following comparison with previous years is interesting : 1943-44, 227 ; 1944-45, 270 ; 1945-46, 651 ; 1946-47, 1,171 (477 by New Zealand authors). Unfortunately, the

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