ROUND ABOUT WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 30

ROUND ABOUT WELLINGTON.

By

Pencarrow.

(Specially written for the Otago Witness.) July 31. One of the advantages of living in a city is the opportunity to hear good music and drama. We are beginning now on a feast of art, for Charles Hackett opens his New Zealand tour to-night, and Irene Vanbrugh is soon to come. Wellington is on tiptoe with anticipation, and it is probable that again we shall find the Town Hall too small for the thousands who will wish to hear Charles Hackett. lie has been described many times as a second Caruso, but there are critics who have declared Charles Hackett greater than the famous Italian. lie is a worldfamous tenor, whose interpretation of British song leaves nothing to be desired. In Sydney, where great artists are an everyday occurrence, lie has been singing to packed houses, and the leading newspapers have proclaimed him Master of Song, and foremost in the world of music to-day. AA’e look forward with great joy to his first New Zealand concert to-night. Irene A’anbrugh and her husband, Dion Boucicault, are coming across from Sydney in the near future —-and bringing with them a, company of well-known and popular English artists. Such an embarras de richcsse deserves a better theatre than the Wellington Opera House, the dress circle of which is a pretty poor place. Further back than the first three rows, it is difficult to hear or see. A now Opera House is being built —but these great people are coming very soon. The new place is to be a very luxurious affair, we are informed, with a jazz department attached, and all sorts of other attractions. It is down beyond Courtenay Place. Meanwhile, the Opera House is being titivated, with glass screen doors to keep out draughts, new upholstering, and other little luxuries. Things may improve. Competition is a great tiling. As all the world knows, Dion Bondcault is a distinguished member of a distinguished theatrical family. He married Irene Vanbrugh in 1901. Long Before her early marriage, Irene Vanbrugh was world famous. She had already created the parts of Kitty Clive, and the Chili AVidow, and Stella de Gex in His Excel-

lency the Governor, and Sophie Fullgarney in the Gay Lord Quex. After her marriage she became leading actress at the Duke of York’s—and has since created many parts. Probably, most people know that she and her sister A’iolet, who married Arthur Bourchier, are daughters of the late Prebendary Barnes, of Exeter. The fashionable habit of changing real names for stage names is due, no doubt, to the old disrepute in which the stage as a profession was held. Well, our name is what we make it. Irene A’anbrugh and Dion Boucicault are to appear in Mr Pim Passes By, and the Second Mrs Tanqueray, and several other famous and popular plays. Nellie Bramley is here, and playing to fairly good houses. That pretty piece. Daddy Longlegs, was well patronised, and the Misleading Lady is on this week. Bettic Balfour, Britain's own film actress, is to appear here soon in the picture play Love, Life, and Laughter, which has delighted so many thousands at Home. The local Choral Union is producing Handel’s Samson in the first week of August—and so we go on. Meanwhile, the younger set continues the glad dance, in which it is joined by quite a number of the older people, and the cabaret is a popular rendezvous. Mali Jongg grows more and more popular, and it is quite usual now for people to go out for the evening armed with a Mali Jongg box, just as we took our songs and violins in the days that are past recall. AA’e suppose you all know that the irreplaceable treasures in the National Collection are housed in a museum which is built of wood, and liable to burn down at any moment, though we don’t mention it often for fear of tempting Providence —or, rather, incendiaries. However, the time has come when something must be done, and a representative deputation went to Mr Massey the other day, and said, “Now, sir—What about it?”—or words to that effect. The deputation then produced its carefully thought out suggestions—Mr Skerrett being spokesman. The Government has promised a subsidy of £75,000, but is now asked to make the subsidy £IOO,OOO if Wellington raises the same amount for a National Museum and Art Gallery combined. The deputation suggested that the Government shall be prepared to spend £IO,OOO a year on the proposed building instead of the £SOOO which is required now to keep up tne present dilapidated Museum, and Mr Skerrett stated that the National Academy of Fine Arts is prepared to sell its valuable but too small brick building, and pool the proceeds from it, and also certain other funds which have accumulated mainly through the generosity of Sir Harold Beauchamp. Mr Skerrett outlined the ideas of the deputation on the policy of management, suggesting that the affairs of the National Museum and Art Gallery might he managed by a Board, on which Government nominees would be in the majority. Mr Massey listened with interest, but said be was “staggered”—and then proceeded in bis turn to stagger tlie deputation by saying he was surprised to find that they had assumed the present site of the Museum will be used for the future one. It is the ideal site, and could not be used for a better purpose. But we have heard horrid rumours connected with housing difficulties, and still more horrid suggestions about Parliamentary flats, wliich we refuse to believe. Anyhow, Mr Massey is thinking about this proposed National Museum, and seeing what can be done, but he bears in mind many expenses which must soon be faced. Bellamy’s is leaking, and before long the old wooden wing of Parliament will have to be replaced with marble halls to match the main building, in which the two chambers are situated—and the Prime Minister has not forgotten that the National Memorial to our fallen soldiers is still to be built. An anonymous correspondent in one of the daily papers this week has suggested yet another idea, which is certainly worth consideration. He proposes that the National War Memorial might very suitably take the form of . a very beautiful Art Gallery and Museum. Of the raising of money there is no end. AA’e want a marine biological laboratory at Island Bay, and in connection with Victoria College. During an interesting address on the subject given before the Philosophical Society recently, Professor Kirk mentioned that the only marine laboratory in New Zealand at present is at Portobello, Dunedin. He is hoping that AA’ellington will raise £SOOO soon to make a very modest beginning. He indicated that a very persistent canvass will soon begin, and that persons who are longing to contribute should not postpone doing so. During the last few months a great new aquarium has been opened at the London Zoo, and is considered tlie finest in Hie world. It is a tremendous interest to the public, and so well patronised that the extra gate money will probably pay for its upkeep and construction soon. Jt is a popular feature of the Zoo, and a valuable addition, especially from a scientific point of view. The King was interested when lie first saw it, and desired to know full details, particularly in connection with the circulation, filtering, and aeration of the water. Tlie All Blacks have departed after an enthusiastic send off, in which all hands in Parliament joined. Mr Glenn, M.P., one of the 190-5 All Blacks, added words of cheery advice. Of course, cacli province thinks it lias a few men who should have been included in the team. AA’c hear that Hawke’s Bay has a team “which nothing on earth can touch,” and Auckland came down with a handsome offer, but Ilio chosen selectors stuck to their guns, and the chosen team departed. 1 )oubtless, they will return with laurels, but even if they don't, Mr Glenn lias told them we

shall help them bear tlieir licking, if they face the music like men. Good luck to them all.

So the Health Department lias been firm on tlie question of a tangi in the South Island, and for this the neighbourhood should be truly thankful, and doubtless certain Maori kinsmen and friends must be secretly relieved, for a tangi is an expensive luxury, and the cost of living is quite enough without the addition of unnecessary funeral expenses. For horrific details about tangis, we recommend a book (now out of print) by a certain military surgeon called Thomson, who lived at Rotorua about 1000 years' ago (more or less), and published his observations in the ’fifties, we think. AA’e once saw the book, and remember the tangi part, and have since observed many traits among Maoris which he remarked upon. Describing a chief's deatii, lie said that the resignation with which the dying man submitted to his fate suggested to the mind that he died of his own will. Tribes from afar used to attend tlie tangis, and camp around the' dead until the situation became intolerable. Hence the stand taken by the Health Department. At tangis the Maoris practised their natural art of oratory. The greater the chief, the greater the oratory—likewise the tears. Those were the brave days of old. There are little details in the book which, though interesting, are best forgotten. We ourselves, though not antiques, have seen more than one tangi, and have known of occasions on which many hundreds of pounds have been spent in food and drink for the horde of mourners. Though we know very little Maori, we, too, have been moved to tears by the impassioned oratory and the emotion of all concerned. There was an occasion—perhaps 20 years ago—when a great man among the Hawke’s Bay Maoris died. He was not very old, and was well-known and very popular among his white neighbours, who were all very ' proud of the Maori’s prowess on the golf links. He was one of the local champions. AA’e have forgotten some of the details, and are inclined to believe that, though his kinsmen expressed their grief in the usual Native way, some of the old-time custom was departed from. Doubtless the weapons of his forebears were buried with him, but across the coffin,, with loving care, were also placed the clubs with which, on the nearby golf links, the famous golfer had so often beaten his opponents. AA’e hear that Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s son is one of the three Oxford representatives who are soon to visit the New Zealand Universities. A’ictoria College is putting its house in order for the occasion. There was a dreadful tragedy here yesterday. At a wedding, by accident, a girl was lulled, and seven persons injured. It was outside St. John’s, in Dixon street, which is very steep. The bride and bridegroom had just left in a car after the ceremony, and the best man and bridesmaid had just entered tlie next car, when something went wrong with it, and before the guests could get out of the way, the car had dashed across the footpath into their midst. The girl who was killed was a very intimate friend of the bride. Accidents at weddings were unfortunately not infrequent in the days of horse vehicles, but such a scene as this is surely without parallel. The mind goes back to other occasions, including that historical day when a young English Princess on her wedding day arrived at home with blood on the exquisite whiteness of her wedding gown. Fiends chose their king’s wedding day to throw bombs. It was in Spain, and the bridegroom was the present King Alphonso, whose beautiful wife is still so welcome when she visits her English home. There are many Dunedin people who remember that the young Queen’s English doctor was a New Zealand man, a nephew of the late Robert Glendining, of Dunedin, and bearing the same name.