In 1941 the musical film 'Nice Girl' was released. It was American made at a time before America had entered the Second World War- but the war still cast a shadow over its script. In the US version of the film, the final scene concludes with the song 'Thank You America'. But for the British release (which New Zealand also saw) the song 'There Will Always Be An England' was added, performed under the Stars and Stripes as well as the Union Jack.

Britain was under the terror of bombing raids and the threat of a Nazi invasion. While America was not fighting alongside Britain at the time, they were about to start supplying ships and arms to the war effort under the 'lend-lease' scheme. 

When the slide was screened during intermission in New Zealand, the war was both terrifying but also far away. The attack on Pearl Harbor gave the British Empire an ally in the form of the USA- but it also brought the war to the Pacific. By the end of 1942, Japanese submarines were sighted in New Zealand waters. Films like this did a lot for morale!

Yates started selling their packets of seeds in 1893. At the time, Aotearoa was slowly becoming an urban country- while the rural sector remained the country's economic powerhouse more of the population was living in the cities and towns. People were proud of their houses, and photography of families posing outside of their homes was second only to portraits in the family albums.

This slide was made much later (probably in the 1950s) but it shows the pride people had in their garden. No garden was shown- this could be any family anywhere in the country. 

The man and women in the slide grip their garden tools like rifles- and this orginally was done on purpose. With food supplies tight during the Second World War, Yates joined the Government in calling gardening a public duty. Images of gardens were displayed next to scenes from the front and the home gardener was drawn like a soldier in overalls. 

This slide may have used leftover imagery from the war to encourage people to keep planting (home gardening remained popular until the rise of the supermarkets in the 1960s). It may have dated from the war itself, but usually these slides mention the war or victory in some way. The 'Reliable Seeds' slogan has been seen in New Zealand newspapers from 1906 to 1962 so doesn't narrow it down much.....

Adamson Dudley Advertising was founded in May 1943 in Christchurch. It is unknown whether this slide was shown outside of the South Island or not, but ones like it would have been screened throughout New Zealand.

At the time, taxes were high to enable the New Zealand to keeping fighting in the Second World War, but citizens were urged to spend any disposable income with the war effort. War Bonds went towards the war effort and Patriotic Appeals like this one provided comforts to troops on the front lines, on leave and in prisoner-of-war camps.  The funds also helped toward rehabilitating returning service personnel. 

Local committees and elected Councils worked on collecting donations in their areas. Raffles were also held to raise money. Those who were judged to have the means to pay received personal letters and visits so if you looked wealthy you could expect some attention!   

Adamson Dudley Advertising must have done a good job as company records show them as being registered up until 1995!

Almost from it's invention the cinema has played a role in war and morale. In the First World War the New Zealand Government even taxed expensive 'dress circle' theatre seats to raise money for the military. However, this slide was less direct, and comes from the Second World War.

It implores cinema goers (from the comfort of civilian life) to subscribe for the latest war bonds drive. By now most New Zealanders knew the war was going well and victory was near- but the slide reminded people of the energy needed for 'the final push'. The slide would have been shown alongside newsreels of New Zealand forces overseas and maybe was in the intermission of a patriotic film.

In fact, in early 1945 there was an undetected German U-Boat off the East Coast- the war was closer than many would have liked to admit. 

Slides like this would have been shown in cinemas across New Zealand.