AT THE GATEWAY OF THE DAWN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1334, 18 November 1915, Page 34

AT THE GATEWAY OF THE DAWN.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. BERT ROYLE. “You want to know what it’s like. It’s a fairy land; a perfect bouquet! I drove for ninety miles through the most exquisite scenery at Honolulu. That’s what it’s like. It has put me on my feet again.” The speaker was Mr. Bert Royle, so well known all over the theatrical world of Australasia, to a “Review” representative who had disturbed him in the midst of a busy morning. Mr. Royle had just landed from the Makura after a health trip round the Pacific Islands, and reached the theatre, when, with his well-known courtesy, he gave a few details of h’s trip.

“I was away for eight weeks,” he said, “and 1 am quite myself again. The climate of Honolulu was so perfect, it only varies from 85 degrees to 55 degres between heat and cold all the year round, and the vegetation

is gorgeous. One of the newspaper men there called on me, book in hand, eager for my impressions. I told him words failed me; the scenery was so beautiful that it made one think that: *■ ‘Men doubted so. that God a sign has given, And in Hawaii lets us peep into Heaven, Weak the thanksgiving human tongue can raise Here Nature sings one mighty hymn of praise.’ “It moved one to verse. The wonders of the scenery so delighted me. “It was m a private capacity 1 went to Honolulu, and so I did not make myself known to any of the theatrical people, but just went in and paid the price like the general public, so I did not hear much news of things theatrical in America. “There is a company—Quail’s Musical Comedy—playing at the Bijou to

enormous business, low-priced business though. Honolulu is chiefly a soldier and sailor community and high prices do not prevail. The comedy was on the lines of the new American style of musical farce. There

are five or six picture shows in Honolulu, but they struck me as very poor when compared with New Zealand product.ons, but the music of Honolulu particularly seemed to me very fine and unusual. At all the leading hotels there are concert c mpanies engaged, and the part singing by the natives is splend’d. I could listen all night.” Mr. Royle, who is looking the picture of health, spent the greater part of his time surf bathing on the Honolulu beaches, where the water is quite warm all day long, and the bathers come out and lie under tne shade of a boat for a rest. The bathing Leach at Waikiki is worid-famed for its beauty, the even temperature of the sea and the unique surf sports indulged in are a never ending source of pleasure to the visitor from New Zealand. The water always rema.ns close to 78 degrees all the year round, and Mr. Royle took every opportunity to avail himself of its health-giving qualities. He states that on many days he spent eight hours in the water or lounging in the sun, and this contributed to restore his health. “One of my most interesting vis.ts in Honolulu was to the Government Experimental Farms/’ continued Mr. Royie. “Here I met some very interesting people. The farms are very fine. They are engaged in acclimatising plants to the Islands, both trees, flowers, and fruits. I was particularly struck with the amount of trouble the scientists in charge took to supply me w.th an assortment of seeds which they thought would be of use to the Government Experimental Farms in New Zealand, and all given free of cost. “But on every side I received the greatest kindness. You can say that the people of Honolulu are the essence of courtesy to a visitor, and the beauty of the land is a glimpse of heaven.

“I also called at Suva, Levuka, Samoa, Vavau, Haapaii and Nukualofa during my trip, but the beauties of Hawaii remain with me as an everpresent glorious memory.”