Radio Digest Episode 16
Part 1. Introduction to the programme which includes interviews and talks covering visiting celebrities; the Wellington music competition; Mr. Miller, Lepers Mission; New Zealand Broadcasting Service recording unit in Fiji; India celebrating their second year of Independence and the discovery of ancient Biblical scrolls in the Holy Land.
The Wellington music competitions have been running since 1917, the President of the Society Mr [Grower] speaks about the annual festival designed to provide encouragement and incentive to young musical talent.
The piano duo Ivor Moreton and Dave Kaye are interviewed and they outline their careers in music from the time they played in Harry Roy's Band in the 1930s to when they were known as the 'Tiger Raggamuffins'. They discuss their musical set up in the studio and on stage, 'Rebop' and their Australian tour.
Part 2. Interview with the bass baritone, Peter Dawson, who opened his tour in Christchurch on 3 September 1949. He talks about a performance in front of an audience of 83,000 people at a speed track arena in London when there was a speed test match between Australian, Bluey Wilkinson and 'the best Americans'. At this recital he was accompanied by the pianist Gerald Moore.
Mr A.D. Miller, Secretary to the Lepers Mission talks about the work of the mission in India. The previous year he had visited a home for lepers in India which had been built 10 years previously on 45 acres of salty wasteland.
Representatives of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service had recently returned from Fiji where they had recorded a special programme. They also recorded a group of Fijians singing "Isa Lei". Included is a description of the many expressions carried by this song.
Part 3. In Wellington the Indian Community marked the occasion of their National Day with a sports meeting in Karori Park. Mr [Mahabeid] a philosophy student speaks of the progress made by India during her two years of independence.
In February 1949 a discovery was made of fragments of parchment dating back to the 4th century BC; scrolls were found dating back to the 2nd century BC and the longest, some twenty feet in length, held the complete book of Isaiah from the Old Testament of the Bible. With this was a book of early worship ritual. The narrator states that the discovery of the 2000 year old scrolls proves the authenticity of the Bible. Hebrew Scholar, the Reverend R. Wallman comments on the new discovery and its authenticity.