WHAT IS A NEW ZEALANDER?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 206, 1 September 1933, Page 6

WHAT IS A NEW ZEALANDER?

The difficulty that sometimes arises in applying nationality to distinction in the arts or public affairs is illustrated by the decision of a judge in the Wellington competitions that Mr. Charles Willeby, formerly of Dunedin, is not a New Zealand composer. In some shrewd comment on this the "Otago Daily Times" says a "nice point" has been raised, but possibly this particular case is not so "nice" as is supposed. Mr. Willeby, it seems, was born in England and spent some years of his early life in Dunedin, but has been out of New Zealand since ISB9. Dunedin appears to have always regarded him as a local composer, but is not the claim rather slender? The classification of prominent people is particularly difficult in young societies like our own, where so much talent comes from abroad. Our earlier statesmen, writers and artists were nearly all born overseas. Mr. Seddon was born in England, and Mr. Massey in Ireland, yet no one would dispute that they were New Zealand statesmen. It was here that they did the work for which they were known. Similarly, Thomas Bracken, as the "Otago Daily Times" says, may properly be called a New Zealand poet, though he born in Ireland. Adam Lindsay Gordon is claimed as an Australian poet, but he was an Englishman who emigrated to Australia. The case of Mr. Alfred Hill is particularly interesting. The Wellington judge who disqualified Mr. Charles Willeby, said it was a pleasure to bear music composed by "one New Zealand composer," Mr. Alfred Hill. However, not only was Mr. Hill born in Melbourne, hut he seems to have spent more of his life outside of New Zealand than in it. Why, then, is he accepted as a New Zealand composer? Mainly because much of his work is definitely New Zealand in subject. This qualification, however, must not be pushed too far. A Russian composer might spend a year or two here and write a Maori symphony, but that would not make him a New Zealand composer, any more than the. fact that Samuel Butler wrote the germ of "Erewhon" in Canterbury made him a New Zealand writer. Nor is it suggested that Mr. Hugh Walpole is a New Zealand novelist because he was born in Auckland. How, then, shall nationality be decided for these purposes? Clearly it is a difficult business. One must take into consideration not only the place of birth, but the country or countries -where the subject has lived and the nature of his. work, and where it was deno. The Wellington Competitions Sicily will find it ha d to define a New Zealnnd composer more definitely, bu'", it should make the attempt.