NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20315, 25 January 1928, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TRAVELLER.

Returning home after 18 months absence abroad, Miss Ethel Hanham, of -Dunedin, who travelled on the Chitral to Australia last week, seemed to have packed so much interesting experience into those months that one regretted meeting her only a short time before her vessel went on (says the Melbourne Argus). Intensive seems to be the only word to apply to the courses of study that filled her tim© in London. Always interested m craft work especially in silversmithing, jewellery,’and enamelling, she found it impossible in New Zealand to develop or add to the little knowledge she already had so although primarily she went to London to take a teacher’# post-graduate course at the Royal Academy of Music, particularly the conductors’ course, she joined also classses at the Central School or Arts and Crafts, which she describes as “ a wonderful place.” She was one of 2000 students who came from all over the world, and ther e were 20 Egyptians among those in her particular classes. _ She_ was wearing a necklace of silver chain with a lovely drop of jade set below filagree enamel work that was beautifully done, and she had earrings to match, all her own work. Her music course included 11 subjects, which will explain the use of tbs term intensive. She speaks most enthusiastically of the course and of the teachers. As a member of the choir under the baton of Sir Henry Wood when she sang among other big things in Beethoven’s Choral Symphony, she had, she says, what was a unique opportunity of watching the methods of one of the world’s most famous conductors. But as a background to her enjoyment of every experience that came her way was her appreciation of the hospitality of the English people. “ I thought, from what I had heard,” she said, “ that I would find the English stiff and reserved. On the contrary, I have never experienced greater kindness. As soon as people learnt I came from New Zealand, it seemed they could not do enough for me. I have visited in some most delightful homes, and I can only describe the kindness I met with everywhere as marvellous.” When she returns home, Miss Hanham hopes to develop her art craft work, as there seems to be a practically untouched field for it in New Zealand.