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Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12904, 3 July 1936, Page 8

There was a spice of romance in a ceremony in Sydney recently. It spoke of lifo in the islands, with gentle zephyrs making soft music in tho fronds of tho coconut palms, and the tide murmuring invitingly on the shore. Representative Maoris, Samoans, Tongans, Fijians, and other islanders gathered under the auspices of the Polynesian Club fsome in their ancient dress) and enjoyed larva, which was made with great ceremony in the presence of those who Mere to drink if in honor of Prince Tugi. consort of Queen Salole, and Prime Minister of her dominion of Tonga. Tho Polynesian Club litis it'-v ver had an event so generally interesting before, although native ceremonies have been known, under other, auspices. The larva was not prepared in the ancient way, according '.to which the root "is chewed, 'but was pressed from the root into a bowl, and there mixed with water. A cup of I,ho liquor was handed to the Prince, after which tire oilier guests were served. .It is? said that they arc not likely to adopt.kavn .as a regular potation, •although experts told them that they would have to drink it for some timo before acquiring the taste. Then the elixir ol v the gods of mythology would bo declared second to it. Opinions, however, are divided.