COOK ISLANDS NEWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 3

COOK ISLANDS NEWS

CARNIVAL ON BEHALF OP N.Z. ■WOUNDED SOLDIERS' FUND, [ (From a Correspondents Rarotonga, August 31. This auspicious event, in which, both natives and Europeans took great interest, eventuated on August it, in Miakea's Grounds. Preparations were commenced over six weeks ago, when, at a public meeting, at which Dr. Baldwin was chairman, a strong committee of the principal European residents, aided by many good Maori helpers, and several sub-committees were formed. Mr. H. H. G. Ralfe was appointed hon. sec.; Mr. W. I. Stevenson hou. treasurer; Mr. E. A. Reid, hon. sec., Sports Committee;'Messre. Slmrpe, Mathews, Nash, and Tata Cowan, judges; and Major Lange, starter. A fund was raised by subscription to' provide prizes. tor the sports, and was greatly aided by half proceeds from several of Mr. Willie Brown's picture shows. A jumble stall (with art union), presided over by Mrs. W. I. Stevenson, collected articles for 6alc, the commercial firms and others being most liberal in. making contributions to same, and. valuable articles to the art union. A sweetmeats stall, presided over by Mrs. C. Ivohn, was very successful, while other stalls and diows contributed their share. On August 27 about 1000 natives, with a good sprinkling of whites, assembled in Makea's Grounds, the weather being cloudy and cool. A varied programme of sports and games, which lasted all day, was successfully carried out., Mrs. Stevenson's jumble I stall and .Mrs. Ivohn's sweetmeats stall, in well-decorated tents with many young lady helpers dressed ai'Bed Cross andother nurses, drove a "roaring" trade till they were sold out early in the afternoon. As the entrance to the grounds was free, the "nurses" ever and anon went round with collecting-boxes, into which tho good-natured crowd slipped coins wherewith to pay their footing. During a break in the sports an attractive maypole dance by little native girls of the Ngatangiia Government School. was executed under the 6uperintendance of the mistress (Mrs. W. C. Smith). At the end of the day Mr. C. Ivohn, as auctioneer, disposed of a varied collection of articles contributed to the cause, one being a British ensign (red), presented by Captain Stenbeck, an old ship-i&Etcr. It was knocked down to Mr. Chas. Smith, an old planter of the island, at .£lO. The spacious verandah of Mr. Tinirau's fine residence in the compound, walled in with coconut frouds, was utilised as an afternoon tea resort, and was well patronised throughout the day. and there was also a luncheon booth on the grounds.

Patriotic Concert. A varied anil excellent 'entertainment waa held at night in. the Koyal Hall, which was crowded in every part. The principal items were English and Maori part-songs, sung by the illative children of the Arorangi and! Ngatangiia. Government schools; also tambourine drill by the latter, under their respective masters, Mr.. H. ltogers, Superintendent of .Education here (Arorangi), and Mr. W. 0. Smith (Ngatangiia). 'i'he tatter's two daughters, assistant teachers in the school, gave an excellent exhibition o£ Indian ciub swinging.- The children of tlio Convent School (K.C. Mission) marched and sang "Tipperary" in good style, and subsequently the girls, dressed in Japanese. style, gavo a gracefully executed Japanese fan danco. The old boys of the Tereoia L.M.S. Mission School, in motley uniform?, were excellent in their marching songs, "Rule Britannia-". and "Here We Are Again," to Mr. S. Savage's accompaniment. Pareora'6 company sang some pleasing part 6ongs. Mr. H. Key's party contributed a variety of excellent items, instrumental and vocal. A recitation by Mr. Torn Shearman added > variety to the programme. .While Mary Nia'6 song, "Won't 1 You Buy my Pretty Flowers'" in character, was so fetching, that buyers at once came forward for all her bunches of blooms. Mr. W. C. Smith, master of the Ngatangiia School, was stage manager generally, and at the conclusion of the concert thanked the audience for their attendance. The proceedings were greatly lengthened by the Nativo practice common in this group, of friends of the perfor- J niers, after each item, coming forward from all parts of the house to throwcoins on the stago in testimony of their appreciation, so that it was well towards midnight when the entertainment was brought to a close by the singing of the British and French National Anthems.

Fire Walking. In oonnection with the carnival r,n exhibition of tho ■well-known old Maori performance called TTmu-ti was given in Hakea's compound yesterday afternoon, before numerous spectators. A huge Native oven was prepared, and when the stones therein were sufficiently heated to cook anything, the burning embers of tho fire were removed, the stones swept clean, Christian i>rayers were offered, a heathen invocation uttered by the Tanaga Avarua, who,, after boating the stones with bunches of ti leaves, crossed and recrossed barefooted, a great number of Natives, all barefooted, following in his footsteps, being enjoined not to look back, as on former occasions here, a number of Europeans took part in the 'ceremony, joining the procession over the heated stones. NV> one was injured in any way. A scentific reason has been assigned for this phenomenon, which is hard to account for, , „ Carnival Dance.

These money-raising performances were wound up last night by a grand ball, held, in tho Union S.S. Company's capacious cargo shed at tho wharf, tho use of which was granted by Mr. D. Morrison, branch manager tor tho company here, who, along with the wliarimgen?, Mr. Bryan, and. 'several intelligent young Natives,' formed the danco committee, who did so much to make tho alfuir a success. The ehed, which was beautifully decorated with fl&ge, grespery, etc,, was filled At Ita atmpgt cagM.ity. gith .woU-drwied

Natives, male and female, who have be- | come proficient in European dancing, and row prefer it to their own. A i.umber of European residents were also present. The music was mainly that of a melodeon, played by a Native, who kept good time. The piano was not much used. Nativu stallholders outside sold soft drinks and cakes as refreshments. The Tereora boys in their unique "ge'-un," m&rched round the room during an iutorval, to a rousing chorus, this time having a small'cannon in tow, and they received a great ovation. The affair, though ovctt-TOwded for dancing, was most enjoyablo. The carnival altogether was a great success, and realised a little over JC4SO, as follows:— Mts. Stevenson's jumble stall, odd; Mrs. Kohn's lollie stall, .CT; shooting at disc, i£33; Mr. E. Matthew's stall, S2B; Mis. Eeid and Miss S'ead- (assisted by Native girls), afternoon • tea, £11;' Mrs. Mitchell (Arorangi), Saiaoan Kava stall, £l 10s. j concert. ,£43; Sre-walking display and disc shooting, £17;' dance, Ji3l. Special Prize Fund for the sports raised by the subscription, with J213 added liy Mr. 'Willie Browne, proceeds of his picture shows round the island, total, .£33, a good balance of which goes to the fund, so that the amount realised by .the carnival is fully jS4oO. This, with over ;£f()0 sent to New Zealand since the war began, makes >-£1150 contributed by the Cook and Northern Islands for patriotic purposes'to date.