N.Z. PIANIST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1940, Page 5

N.Z. PIANIST.

IN "HALL OF FAME." | ■ f NICE POINT RAISED. THE ANZAC TRADITION, Some comment has been evoked among visitors to the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington at finding in the Hall of Fame, of the Commonwealth of Australia pavilion a photograph of a New Zealand pianist, Mr. Frank Hutchens, who at the moment is a professor at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Mr. Hutchens was born in New Zealand, educated at Hawera, and for many years was a resident of Wanganui. Son of a Hawera musician, Mr. Hutchens as a youth visited Australia and England to further his piano studies, and later in life, about 20 years ago, he went to live in Australia, but annually visits friends and relatives in the Dominion. He is a composer of some note. With reference to his photograph in the Australian Hall of Fame at the exhibition, a Wellington journal reports: "One Wanganui visitor, after having remarked to an attendant in the court that Mr. Hutcliens was not an Australian, stood aside and in a few minutes heard similar remarks by other visitors. One man said, 'It's a darned cheek calling him an Australian; everyone knows Frank Hutchens is a New Zealander.'

"The man was heard to remark that he went to school with Mr. Hutehens. Many people from Taranaki and Wanganui. where Mr. Hutehens has- manyold friends, made similar comments and were quietly indignant that such an outstanding figure in the music world I should have been claimed by Australia Its one of her sons. One woman was heard to say. 'Australia had Peter Dawson and Nellie Melba. Surely they can spare us Frank Hutehens.'""

No doubt Mr. Hutehens himself would be ready to send an autographed enlarged photograph of himself for inclusion in a New Zealand gallery of musi-

cians who have achieved a measure of fame, and be grateful for the honour— but nobody seems to have thought of so honouring our home-born musicians.

At least the Australians may be given credit for being liberal-minded enough to include Mr. Hutchens in their [gallery rather than permit a technicality to rob him of a just place among distinguished musicians. He is not out of place in the company of other talented musicians, and his" inclusion in the gallery may be regarded as a graceful gesture by the Australians, in the best Anzac tradition.