First published on 30 June 1939, copies of the first 20 years of the 'New Zealand Listener' will soon be available on the Papers Past website. The National Broadcasting Service and the National Commercial Broadcasting Service were formed in 1936 and combined in 1945 as the New Zealand Broadcasting Service. In 1962, this became the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation. In the 1939 to 1959 period, the Broadcasting Service managed all radio stations in New Zealand, except for a small one in Dunedin, and its 'Listener' was the only source for radio programming. The British Broadcasting Corporation's 'Listener' started in 1929.
The 'Listener' was (and is) highly regarded for its music, art, book and film reviews, interviews, reprints of broadcasts, poems and short stories, and as a forum for discussion of current social, political and cultural issues. It was first edited by Oliver Duff (1883-1967) and from 1949 by Monte Holcroft (1902-1993), who was to edit the 'Listener' for over 18 years.
Arthur Rex Dugard Fairburn (1904-1957) and family lived at 7 King Edward Parade in Devonport, and particularly from 1947 he regularly contributed music, art and other reviews to the 'Listener', along with comments on contemporary issues. His 'Poem on the advantages of living at the Remuera end of the North Shore, or see Devonport and fry' mentions ferries, Takarunga/Mount Victoria, local boating, the golf course, the two 'pubs', fishing from the wharf and the Naval Base. It was first published posthumously in 1958, in the collection 'Poetry harbinger' with Denis Glover.
Janet Frame's (1924-2004) first published work was her short story 'University Entrance', in the 'Listener' of 22 March 1946, and her 'The lagoon and other stories' was reviewed by Frank Sargeson (1903-1982) in the 18 April 1952 issue. However, they didn't meet until March 1955 and soon after she boarded with Sargeson at 14 Esmonde Road, Takapuna for around 16 months. Sargeson lived there from 1931 until his death and was first published in the 'Listener' on 15 November 1940, with his short story 'Big ben'.
While living in Takapuna, Frame's 'I got a shoes' short story was published in the 2 November 1956 issue and she was able to work on her first novel 'Owls do cry', which was reviewed in the 31 May 1957 issue. Her poem ‘The road to Takapuna’ was published in the literary periodical ‘Mate' in 1964.
Amongst others mentored by Sargeson at his Takapuna property, and contributors to the 'Listener', were Maurice Duggan (1922-1974), Kevin Ireland (1933-2023), Graeme Lay (1944-), Bruce Mason (1921-1982), R.A.K. Mason (1905-1971) and C.K. Stead (1932-). Allen Curnow's (1911-2001) first published review was in the 1 August 1941 issue.
However, in the 1939-1959 period there are only four major 'Listener' articles featuring the North Shore, with three of those about the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
david.verran@xtra.co.nz
