RAIN INTERFERES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 101, 15 December 1939, Page 2

RAIN INTERFERES

PORO PORO SCHOOL CONCERT

ADJOURNMENT TO HALL

It was unfortunate tor the Poro Poro staff and pupils and also foi those attending that rain should cancel the open-air concert on Wedensday evening. Seats had been arranged in front of the school but the rain which fell half an hour after the commencement necessitated a transfer lo the Poro Poro Hail and as there was no piano or curtain, these being used at the school, the presentation by the pupils suffered somewhat. A feature of the evening's entertainment was i.he spirit displayed by the Maori children in their acting of playettes. The boy responsible for chasing away the 'Black Beetles' in the first of these did it with gusto, and later, when in the hall, the "Story of the Willow Pattern Plate" was also rendered I'orcelully. "Little Sir Echo," with a hidden chorus and a boy soloist;" Red Riding Hood" characterised by surprising vigour on the part of the furcoatcd wolf, and "fen Little Niggei Boys" were presented at the school before it became necessary to transfer to the hall. In the latter act number three of the red-searved 'nigger boys', Avith a physique marking him as a young edition of a professional wrestler, displayed willingness and an niter absence of stagefright. The same lad was also respon sible for a leading part in the haka of this group.

The first item in the hall was a cowboy song and this revealed that Poro Poro has a Gene Autry of its own. And then came a Canoe Poi with eight small girls swinging with the precision of a Cambridge or Oxford boat crew and this was followed by one of the most delightful presentations of the evening, an action song by pupils of Standard 1 and 2. Gene Autry came to light again in this but one to stand out in a very even performance was a pakeha girl. In her actions she proved as graceful as any of the Maori girls and gave a great interpretation. "E-tunga-o-nga-puke" is the title of an action song composed, during the last war. Those who were present at the King Street Hall for the Red Cross concert will remember this Hem. It was appreciated on that occasion and a recall had to lie given on Wednesday night at the insistence of the audience. The part-singing, under the direction of Mr Boswell, was high class

as were the poems spoken by a group In expressing appreciation at the conclusion of the concert, Mr Boswell, headmaster of the school, expressed regret that the weather had interfered with the open-air presentation and thanked the audience for 'patting up with it' in the hall. The staff and pupils, he said, had put their hearts into what was an annual function and they were naturally disappointed that circumstances had Lo some extent, spoiled their efforts.