F—3

Overseas Rebroadcasts Rebroadcasting again brought New Zealand listeners many talks, actuality broadcasts, and commentaries on overseas events.. These included the Christmas message from His Majesty the King and the 8.8.C. programme which preceded it. Listeners also heard His Majesty's speech at the unveiling of the Roosevelt Memorial in London, the State drive and Service at St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of the Silver Wedding of Their Majesties, and the 8.8.C. reports on the progress of the Olympic Games. Outside Relays of Local Events As in past years, the use of outside relays during 1948 enabled the Service to extend the scope and interest of its programmes and inform listeners of events of national and local significance. These included State or civic receptions to the World Chief Guide, Lady Baden-Powell; Cardinal Spellman ; Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier ; the Right Hon. Anthony Eden ; and Sir Peter Buck. Broadcast commentaries heard during the year covered, among other events, the State opening of Parliament; the proceedings of the Seventh Pacific Science Congress ; the bellringing from Christchurch Cathedral to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the visit of H.M.S. " Bellona " to the Bluff, a recorded eye-witness picture of the Wairarapa floods, and New Year's Eve celebrations in cities and towns throughout the country. Other relays brought to listeners the opening by His Excellency the Governor-General of the Annual Exhibition of the Auckland Society of Arts, the ceremony at which Timaru was proclaimed a city, the North Island Baconer Championship prizegiving ceremony at Westfield, the opening of the New Zealand Industries Fair in Christchurch, and local events such as wool sales, Arbor Day functions, and Agricultural and Pastoral shows. Sporting Broadcasts During the year there were 707 sporting broadcasts, an increase on last year's total of 678. Of this number nearly one-half were commentaries on Rugby, league, and association football matches. The number of football commentaries was increased by the radio coverage given to the trial matches which preceded the selection of the 1949 " All Blacks." The proportion reflected New Zealand's great interest in Rugby football as a winter sport. The Service also provided for the followers of other sports. There were broadcast commentaries on racing, wrestling, boxing, tennis, yachting, golf, hockey, rowing, bowls, shooting, soft ball, polo, and motor-car racing. In addition to these commentaries, the National and Commercial stations broadcast frequent summaries of Dominion-wide sporting results. Overseas sporting events which were rebroadcast by New Zealand stations included the test matches played by the touring Australian Cricket Team in England, the Olympic Games, the Melbourne Cup, the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, and the New Zealand Rugby League Team's matches in Australia. An edited version of the Louis-Walcott fight for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, and the Murphy-Turpin and fights for the British Middleweight title, were also broadcast. Other overseas sporting events were covered by results. Special coverage was given to the New Zealand Rugby Union trial matches. In addition to a commentary on each match, summaries on the play and the form of the players were heard from the National and Commercial stations in the evenings. Commentaries on other prominent sporting events within the Dominion included the tennis matches played by the visiting professionals Kramer, Riggs, Segura, and Pails; matches played by visiting Australian tennis, hockey, and soccer teams ; the tour by the Australian golfer, von Nida, and by the' Olympic athletes, Herbert McKenley and

7