our New Zealand culture is being maintained to a very high degree. Many also must have received encouragement from the fact that in one school group nearly 50 per cent of the performers were Pakeha children. As Mr Richards, headmaster of the Apanui School, guest speaker of the evening, said in his opening address: ‘Our heritage of Polynesian lore is a rich one and one that we can not afford to neglect if we are to develop a truly New Zealand culture. Personally I feel that, for it to survive, it must be integrated into the over-all plan of our schools' curriculum and in my own school we endeavour to do this, both Maori and Pakeha children taking part in these truly New Zealand activities. However, for this to achieve the desired success requires interested and able teachers and a sympathetic public. I like to think we are progressing towards this.’ At the Apanui School which has a roll of 755 children, 35 per cent of whom are Maori, Maori cultural work is an integral part of the school's club activities. The club has equal numbers of Maori and Pakeha children, and all participate fully in the activities, which include Maori music, wood carving, flax weaving and decorative art.

Gisborne Cultural Competitions A striking feature of the 15th annual Maori competitions in Gisborne on 3 September was the number of Pakehas taking part. In fact, cheers and shouts of encouragement greeted the Gisborne High School haka team which was lead by a young European boy. The guest artists at the evening performance—members of the Kawerau Maori Club who left on a tour of Australia on 12 September—had in their ranks many European children. Though a little unsure at first, the party soon relaxed and the large audience in the Gisborne Opera House enjoyed the competent action songs, hakas and stick games. Other guest artists in the evening were members Mrs P. Kaua presents the new trophy, the Tuini Ngawai Memorial Cup to a member of the Mangapapa primary team L. J. Edwards photo of Te Hokowhitu A Tu party, which had just returned form a tour round the southern part of the North Island. Their performance was highlighted by four of the boys trying their skill with the long poi. The afternoon guest artists were North Clyde Primary School pupils, from Wairoa. Three teams competed in the primary and four in the junior sections of the competitions in the afternoon. Four teams competed in the senior section. Each team had to perform a modern action song, a haka taparahi, a poi and an ancient Maori melody. The judges were Myna Poi, Gisborne, the late H. Te kani Te Ua, Puha, Koro Dewes, Wellington, and Hana Mita, Nuhaka. One of their decisions—awarding 100 per cent to three teams in the modern action song section—was not popular, even with the performers, who said they would prefer to have the judges explain their marking and tell teams where they could improve. Mrs P. Kaua made the presentations to the junior and primary section winners and the Mayor of Gisborne, Mr H. H. Barker, officiated in the evening. A new trophy, the Tuini Ngawai Memorial Cup for the best primary group, was donated by Te Hokowhitu A Tu party. It was awarded for the younger competitors because the late Tuini Ngawai—who composed more than 200 songs—believed the future of Maori art was in the hands of the children, said Mrs Ngoi Pewhairangi, Tokomaru Bay, the leader of Te Hokowhitu A Tu. The cup was won by Mangapapa. After the evening performance a supper and dance, with a Kawerau dance band, were held at the Poho-O-Rawiri meeting house.