HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 156, 3 July 1937, Page 17

HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

"MASQUE OF MEMORIES."

Effective costuming was used at the "Masque of Memories" presented last evening by the Auckland Historical Society in the Fabian Club rooms. Nati\e flax plants, rustling Maori skirts and korowais tufted with bright wool added a New Zealand note to the proceedings, while a contrast was formed in the English soldier uniforms worn by the children of the Kowhai School.

The occasion waj the society's annual social evening and the guests were welcomed by the chairman of the masque committee. Mr. Spenceley Walker, who pointed out that the masque was no now form of entertainment but was one of the oldest forms of drama. Committee members responsible for the arrangements of the masque were Mrs. C. H. Holland, Mrs. W. H. Wilson and Mr. H. Williamson. The entertainment consisted of a number of scenes from New Zealand history, which were introduced in the old-fashioned way by a prologue. These prologues, as well as two of the scenes, had been especially written by Mr. Spenceley Walker. The programme opened with a 6ong by Mrs. H. Trevelyan King, after which a Maori scene was given by the Kowliai School pupils, a series of poi songs being concluded »by an effective liaka. The next scene was a tableau vivant, '"The Treaty of Waitangi," which showed the Maori chiefs signing the treaty at the Governor's table. The "Landing of the Immigrants," a humorous sketch, came next, the quaint costumes of earlier days being well to the fore. In this sketch were portrayed some of the peculiarities of early Auckland, such as the stocks and the gallows which used to stand in front of the courthouse, at the foot of Vict.ua Street West. An inspiring scene was the presentation of the Battle of Orakau. Here the natives uttered the famous battle cry of "Ake, Ake" ("We will fight for ever and ever"), and the Maoris and English | soldiers fought as bitter enemies. As a I final tableau the whole cast appeared j upon the stage and displayed a striking ' picture of historical pageant.