Sounds Historical for Sunday 29 March 2015

8:09 Today in New Zealand History 3’53”

The New Zealand Grand Lodge formed in Dunedin 29 March 1889.                                     

8:14 Artist: Deane Waretini 2’30”

Song: Now is the Hour
Composer: Kaihau
Album: Now is the Hour Deane Waretini
Label: Ode                                    

8:17 Homework

Name at least four New Zealand locations which are named after New Zealand Premiers/Prime Ministers.

8:18 Dad's Army 9’07”

They are making a new film version of Dad’s Army and purists might ask why do they bother? The first film version, they say, was widely regarded as a washout and the programme remains best viewed in its television format. In 1980 Arthur Lowe, who played the part of Captain Mainwaring was touring New Zealand in a play and talked to Sharon Crosbie about his career. He considers acting as a job like any other job and he’s been doing it for so long now he’s not afraid of being type cast. Lowe explains that the more humourless the character is, the funnier they will be to other people and it’s not about poking fun, it’s a search for truth. When Dad's Army ended in 1977, Lowe took starring roles in television comedies such as Bless Me Father and Potter (1979–80), as busybody Redvers Potter. He battled with ill health and alcoholism in his last years and died on 15 April 1982, aged 66.    

8:30 Artist: Bud Flanagan 1’08”

Song: Dad’s Army theme
Composer: Perry/Taverner
Album: The Best of British Comedy
Label: Castle                                    

8:34 Wonder Book of Knowledge 6’30”

A 1954 children’s programme. Peter Dawson of 4ZB Dunedin was one of the great “radio uncles” an in this extract he tells his audience about the Pyramids.                                     

8:40 Artist: Marcus Turner 3’47”

Song: The Maid Behind the Bar/Hill 60/The Gravel Walk
Composer: Trad.
Album: The Best is Yet to Come
Label: Cityfolk                                 

The attacks by the Anzacs on Hill 60 were the last throw of the dice for New Zealanders in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. Brigadier-General Andrew Russell, commander of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, dubbed Hill 60 'an abominable little hill'. This relatively insignificant feature on the edge of the Suvla plain just north of the Anzac area was the site of a number of attacks by units of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in August 1915. The first attempt to take the hill from its Turkish defenders was made by men of the Otago and Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiments on 21 August as part of an unsuccessful general attack at Suvla that left 5000 casualties on the Allied side. The New Zealanders succeeded in seizing part of the Turkish trench system but could not dislodge the Turks from the hill. Six days later, the remnants of the whole brigade (about 300 men, down from the 1865 who landed in May) made another daylight attack that extended the line but again failed to capture the target. The British historian Robert Rhodes James later wrote that 'For connoisseurs of military futility, valour, incompetence and determination,

8:42 Robert Stead discusses his role as BBC representative in Australasia 8’49”

Recorded in 1953. Talks about his career and meeting New Zealanders during the war serving with the navy. Describes his job “a broadcasting traffic cop” organising exchanges between New Zealand/Australia and the BBC.  Describes BBC coverage of the coming royal tour. (Stead is mentioned frequently in Asa Briggs’ BBC history). 

8:52 War Report 29 6’31”

Stories of German atrocities were staple fare for the New Zealand Newspapers: BABY-KILLING AGAIN. TAUBES MAKE WAR. By Telegraph-Press Association Copyright. (Received March 29, 10 a.m.) Paris, March 28. A Taube dropped, two bombs on Estaires. Two children were killed. Official: A German aeroplane bombed Wilier, north-west of Hann, killing three children. Star (Christchurch) 29 March 1915. Extracts from a recruiting handbook issued to New Zealand recruiters and historian Laurie Barbour summarises the period spent by New Zealand troops in Egypt and analyses what was to come at Gallipoli.

Music:

Artist: John McCormack
Song: There’s a Long Long Trail A Winding
Composer: King/Elliott
Album: Oh, It’s a Lovely War Vol 2
Label: CD41 486309

Artist: n/s
Song: Fred Karno’s Army
Composer:
Album: n/s
Label: n/a

9:04 As I Remember 3’37”

A 1950's Fishing Story from Macraes Flat, Otago by Rodger Mills and read by Duncan Smith                                  

9:11 Homework

Name at least four New Zealand locations which are named after New Zealand Premiers/Prime Ministers.

9:12 Artist: The Swingalongs 2’58”

Song: The Rose of No Man’s Land/The Old Rugged Cross
Composer: n/s
Album: The Swingalongs
Label: n/s                                     

9:15 Have a Shot – 1958 14’01”

Extracts from the 1ZB Auckland talent quest.

Artist: The Phantoms from Onehunga
Song: Never in a Million Years
Composer: Gordon
Album: Sound Archives
Label    n/s                                        

Artist: Florrie Castle of Tamaki
Song: Whimaway
Composer:
Album: Sound Archives
Label: n/a

Artist: Cathedral Quartet
Song: Lord, I Want to be a Christian
Composer:
Album: Sound Archives
Label: n/a                                     

9:28 Old Bill's Story (part two) 12’00"

Read by Lance McCaskill, recorded in 1956. A story is about a cattle-driving trip from the Waiau River in Canterbury, through the Cannibal Gorge (Lewis Pass) to the Robinson River on the West Coast.    

9:41 Book of the Week 16’19”

At The Margin of Empire – John Webster and Hokianga, 1841-1900, by Jennifer Ashton. Published by Auckland University Press, ISBN 9781869 408251

Jennifer Ashton describes the life of John Webster an entrepreneur in Hokianga who played an important part in the relationship between Maori and Pakeha in 19th century New Zealand.