NATIONALITY ISSUE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 272, 29 August 1933, Page 6

NATIONALITY ISSUE.

WILLEBY, THE COMPOSER. WAS HE A NEW ZEALANDER? (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, This Day. The judge of the musical section of the Wellington Competitions Society refused to accept Charles Willeby as a New Zealand composer. Mr S. P. Hawthorne, of Wellington, who is a half-brother of Charles Willeby, says that Willeby was born in France and came to New Zealand when about five year old. About five years later he went to England, and returned to New Zealand in 1885 with his mother Mrs Stuart Hawthorne and two hallbrothers. He was well-known in Wellington as a music teacher. He married Miss Mary Hume, of Dunedin, and about 1889 went to Italy and lias never been back to New Zealand. CONFIRMATION FROM DUNEDIN DUNEDIN, This Day. The facts ascertained here regarding Charles Willeby are that Mrs Willeby brought Charles to Dunedin when he was four years old and here she married Mr Hawthorne (rector of the Boys’ High School). Charles was educated here and married Miss Hume, sister ot Fergus Hume, the novelist. He has always been accepted as a New Zealand composer.