A NATIONAL SONG

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2742, 10 April 1916, Page 8

A NATIONAL SONG

Mr. Henry Kayward, who has\jffered a prizo of £50 for the test' national Bonn; or anthem composed by a Now Zealander, is the managing director of ■the Now Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., and the member of a musical family. .He proposes to present the Writer of the licsfc lyrics with £25, and the. composer of .the music with a similar amount, so that the offer involves two competitions., as the best lyrics ■ trill have to be selected before the composers are'able to set them to music. To a Christchurch reporter lie said that although he had not thought out the conditions, his object,_ generally, was to bring forth a national song, (which would be .imaginative in conception, idealistic iii tone, and inspiring in offeefc. It must be free from flamboyance, distinct from the purely military spirit of these times, and truly national. The Cromwellian wars in lEnglaiid and-the French Revolution, he said, had-inspired some splendid poems. Tho present great struggle should firo the imagination in the 6ame, way. TJp to the present time, as far as his observation and judgment went, no song that met the requirements had been published in New Zealand. An old writer had said, me write the songs of a nation, I care hot who makes its laws," and he was convinced that Now Zealand' coultj produce a song worthy to express the country's sentiments and aspirations.

Mr. Hayward has placed his proposal before the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, who has expressed his hearty approval of it.