MAORI CONCERT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3718, 17 November 1927, Page 2

MAORI CONCERT.

The Alaori Concert held in the Town Hall oil Tuesday evening in aid of the meeting house at Alatakarapa proved to be well up to the usual high standard of local Native concerts. Inclement weather, however, prevented a large number of people from being present, but those who witnessed the entertainment were unstinted in their ap- * plause of every item and most of the performers were recalled. The first item was a tableau entitled “Home kittle Alaori,” in which Air. . Ilapi Hakaraia took the leading part. The staging was particularly effective, the greenery, pah, etc., blending nicely with the lake and hush drop scene. The Peerless Quartette (Messrs J., S., and H. McGregor and H. Hakaraia), delighted the audience with their harmonising and well-balanced voices. Tom Ellers and Charlie Prew provided the comedy, and kept the audience in roars of laughter with their “Telephone Sketch,” and burlesque haka. A daintily-executed solo dance was given by Miss Ada Rooi’c, while Miss N. Pritchard had to respond to an encore for a fan dance and Aliss J. Robinson for her execution of the sailor’s hornpipe. Messrs J. and S. AlcGregor provided much-appreciated instrumental items and accompanied D. Ivawai in /an exhibition of the hula dance. Poi dances by the Alaori maidens and hakas by the warriors were also included in the programme, which was undoubtedly worthy of r a packed house. During the interval the winning tickets in connection with the art union for the taiaha and puipui were drawn under' the supervision of the Mayor (Air. M. E. Perreau), and resulted in C. Hendricksen winning the taiaha and P. Little the puipui. The Alayor congratulated the performers on the quality of their items and wished them success in their very deserving object—the raising of funds for the renovation of the meeting house at Matakarapa. He was pleased to see that the young Natives were making themselves conversant with the haka and Native dances, and in this connection he congratulated Air. .Turoa for the tuition given to the , younger members of his race .There was a danger of the haka becoming a lost art among the Maoris, and he was particularly pleased to see the interest evinced in it by the local Natives. Instrumental items were played by Alessrs Graham and Newton and accompaniments were played by Alesdames Goodman and Ellers. It is probable that the performance will be staged at Levin at an early date.