WOMEN'S FORUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 230, 29 September 1933, Page 9

WOMEN'S FORUM.

A BARDIC CHAIR.|

A bardic chair is to be endowed at the National Eis'-.eddfod, which takes place in Wales in'lo3s, in honour of Lord and Lady Bledisloe and their sojourn, in New Zealand. The money has been collected by the Welsh people resident in the Dominion as a mark of their appreciation, and the fund is £250, of which £20 will be used in providing a prize and the rest in providing the chair in which the winning bard is installed. Tho chair is being: made in Mew Zealand of native woods, and will be carved in a Maori design. The eisteddfod in 1935 will be held at Carnarvon, and 1935 has been chosen because Lord Bledisloe will then have completed his term as Governor-General, and both he and Lady Bledisloe will be back in England. The chair is an honour for Lady Bledisloe, who is the daughter of tho late Lord Glantawe, a member of tho Gorsedd and a generous supporter of the esiteddfods. These gatherings are unique in that vast numbers, 25,000 or more, attend them day after day for weeks to listen to original poetry being spoken, and to the singing and" harp-playing. In good weather the people gather on the hillside in somo green ampitheatre, or if the weather is bad into a huge structure, which is~ specially erected for the occasion. Tho only other people who so regard poetry are those of Serbia, where a whole army has been known to line the hillside to listen to a poet who recited an original poem on otic of their historical incidents. At that unique gathering one New Zealand woman was privileged to be present.

This movement to commemorate Lord and Lady Bledisloe's time in New Zealand lias been brought to success by Mr. J. Morgan Davies, of Wellington, who is a native, of Pencader. He lias written to Dr. K. Gwylfa Roberts, of Lantelly, Wales, wlio is tlie recorder for the. Gorsedd, stating that the year 1035 was chosen eo that Lord and Lady Bledisloe ' might be present.