PAGEANT OF NATIONS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 158, 20 June 1935, Page 10

PAGEANT OF NATIONS

Picturesque Havelock Display

Every available seat in the Village Hall, Havelock North, was filled last evening for the Pageant of Nations. The entertainment had been most ably organised by Mrs. H. Gilbertson, anil entertainment of tho highest order delighted the audience throughout the entire programme.

The ball was decorated most fittingly, with Australia, and New Zealand represented on either side of the stage. On the left-hand corner was Australia, a bower of wattle branches and bright gums witli the Australian flag in the centre and also a vaso of heath and a Koala bear near the front. On the right side was New Zealand, a bower of pampas and flax surrounding the New Zealand flag, with a kiwi symbolic of the country.

When the curtain rose, a magnificent tableau met the eye. The central figure was the Spirit of Peace, clad all in white and wearing a laurel wreath. She held a small white dove and an olive branch, tokens of peace. Surrounding the central figure were representatives of about 30 different nationalities, all wearing glorious national costume.

The first half of tho programme, given by many artists from Hastings and Havelock North, was divided into four groups—England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales—and following these several other items were given. The idea was, as the Rev. R. B. Waugh said in his opening remarks, with song, story, dance and costume to realise the good in other people apart from ourselves.

In the English group a charming minuet was given, the dancers wearingperiod costumes. The lady wore a frock of deep apricot satin with frilled skirt, lace bertha and mittens, and the corsage was laced with black. The man wore a blue satin suit with lace collar and cuffs and a blue hat. Both wore powdered wigs.

In the Scotch group all taking part wore the national dress

Those representing Ireland wore skirts of emerald green with shawls over their shoulders and handkerchiefs round their heads. The dancer of the Irish Jig wore a white frock with a cloak of emerald green lined with scarlet. In the Welsh group, high black hats were worn with little red shawls and pinafores of black and white check. The Maoris, representing New Zealand, were divided into two groups ? the first wearing the native dress of the Maoris and the second that of the Rarotongans. At the conclusion of the programme those taking part in the pageant walked through the hall to allow everyone to see the beautiful national costumes, many of them real frocks from the actual countries and others exceptionally well copied. The following countries were among those in the procession, which was led by the Spirit of Peace, followed by Brittania and John Bull: —England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Greece, Switzerland, Russia, Germany, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Canada, United States of America, Roumania, India, Japan, China, Denmark, llollaml and New Zealand. The whole entertainment gave the greatest deligh t to every mem her of tne audience, and when Mrs. Gilbertson was brought forward at the conclusion of the programme she received a very hearty round of applause for al! her trouble in organising such a fine i effort to assist the Cancer Research I Fund.