MR DAWSON AND MR SEMPLE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 271, 28 August 1946, Page 4

MR DAWSON AND MR SEMPLE

Duet on “Waltzing Matilda” (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. On West Coast trips and on visits to other parts of the Dominion, the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) has sung, with actions, “Waltzing Matilda.” This has become fairly widely known, and the result is that he is receiving an increasing number of requests for this item. He put on what might be called his star performance of the number at a public meeting which ho addressed at Napier on Saturday night, when he made a duet of it with none other than the celebrated Australian baritone, Mr Peter Dawson. At the end of the address Mr Dawson, who was in the audience went on to the platform, and in response to a request from the audience for the song, he said he understood “Waltzing Matilda, was Mr Semple’s favourite number, and if Mr Semple would sing it he would sing it with him. To the delight of the audience they did, and the story has reached Parliament House of the titbit with which Mr Semple’s meeting concluded.