LEARNING OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19486, 16 November 1926, Page 16

LEARNING OF NEW ZEALAND

BROADCASTING IN BRITAIN. A DOMINION PROGRAMME. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON. Oct. 6. Listeners-in throughout Great Britain had an opportunity one night last week of learning a great deal about New Zealand. It was the New Zealand night of the British Broadcasting Company, and the greater part of the programme consisted of talks regarding the Dominion or music by New Zealand artists. Early in the evening Mrs. StaplesBrowne (formerly Maggie Papakuraj spoke for haif-an-hour on the Maori race She told how they started out far back in the night of time from a mainland called "Uru," how they - migrated to the land known as Irihia (India), and from there, about 300 8.C., to a place called Tawhitiroa, and so in time out to the islands of Kiwa (the Pacific Qcean). She told of how they voyaged in their great canoes to New Zealand. "They had wandered half a world away from their original homeland, and here, at the edge of the world, they abide, conservative and disdainful as of old, to await the end." The speaker went on to tell of the' old life of the Maoris, of their religious-' beliefs and practices, of the daily life of the people, of their arts and handicrafts, of their presont-day participation in the ordinary life of the Dominion. Sir James Parr was to have spoken on the Dominion, but he was prevented from doing so as he was not back from the Assembly of the League of Nations. Mr. H. T. B. Drew, publicity officer, read the High Commissioner's speech. The first part dealt with the physical characteristics of the country generally and with special reference to the thermal district. Reference was made by Sir James to the many directions in which the Dominion has led the world, to the Dominion's exports and to its education system. Dramatic eftect was added to the musical part of the programme by an appeal to tiie imagination. Mr. Drew acted as a conductor. Listeners were carried in imagination to the deck of a steamer entering Auckland Harbour. One heard the conversation of New Zealanders returning home, the sounds of the steamer as it was moored to the quay, and the sentiment of the home-coming was illustrated by the song "Home is Calling" (Alfred Hill), sung bv the New Zealand contralto, Miss Stella Murray.' t A few moments later there was the sound of a departing train, and the conversation indicated that the scene was being changed from Auckland to Rotorua. Here Mr. Hubert Carter translated into song the sentiment of the Maoris. A few explanatory words by the conductor introduced each song. Mr. Alfred Hill's "Waiata Poi" was the first number, and then followed the ~ mournful song, "The Last Tangi," by Marcelle D'Oreen. Mr. Carter's interpretation of this and of "The Mere"—a wild battle song—were both excellent. Those who heard him must have felt that here was a type of music entirely new to them.