CANTERBURY WOMEN’S CLUB

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19047, 16 April 1930, Page 18

CANTERBURY WOMEN’S CLUB

LECTURE ON HAWAII. Many members were present at the Canterbury Women's Club last evening, wdien Miss. E. Chaplin gave a lecturette under the title “ Where East Meets West.” After explaining how closely allied the Hawaiians were to the Maoris, with their similarity of language and name places, and also through the fact that both New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands were discovered by Captain Cook, Miss Chaplin said that the Hawaiian group, being in the centre of the Pacific steamer routes, had become peopled by many different races. This fact had inspired the title for her lecture. There were over 40 per cent of Japanese in the Hawaiian group, the rest of the population being made up from, the British, American, German, Chinese, Filipinos and other races, besides the true Hawaiians and part Hawaiians, the two latter each contributing 7 per cent to the total population. Hawaii was at one time ruled by a succession of monarchs, after which it was a republic for a short while. Later came the Americans, who tried to get all the races to live amicably together as one big family. This, up to the present time, had been successful. At Honolulu had been held the first women’s Pan-Pacific Conference, which Miss Chaplin had attended. Following her address. Miss Chaplin, assisted by Mr Bell, illustrated her talk with lantern views of the Hawaiian Islands and their people. Noticeable among the slides were views of the beautiful sunrises, the wonderful tropical vegetation and gay .flowers, and the brightly coloured fish in many queer shapes. The buildings, too, in Honolulu and Ohau were remarkably fine, particularly the schools. To illustrate the type of music heard in the Hawaiian Islands, some vocal and instrumental selections were played on the gramophone. Mrs Flesher congratulated Miss Chaplin on her ability as a lecturer, and hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Miss Chaplin and also to Mr Bell.