POLITICS AND PRECEDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 66, 14 April 1909, Page 4

POLITICS AND PRECEDENCE.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln the Stratford Evening I'.-st Sir. SfcCluggage continues the cor:s;spondence re the above, but hi spite of his challenge and his promise to "easiiy v. prove" that I was wrong, he doos not ' attempt to prove one single sentence of his original letter. This being so, nothing remains for me but to thank yo'j for providing space for m t v letters and so close tie correspondence.—l am, etc., D. BACON. Kohuratahi, Bth April, 1909. \ —— AX EISTEDKOD FOR NEW ZEALAND To the Editor. Sir,—Wheu the Premiers were .in England at the late Imperial Conference, it was the proud and justified boast of Sir DeaUin (Australian Premier) that music, csperially chorus and part singing, was making wonderfully rapid strides in his country, and that it was owing principally to the Eistedfod now an "established fact in Australia. Nearly every little village and settlement has its choral society as well as the cities. What is an Eistedfod? Putting it briefly, the Eietedfod is a Welsh invention, simply a system of contests in elocution, " oration, poetry, and in music—choral or choir singing, male choruses,

ladies' choruses, quartettes, trios, solos, v and instrumental pieces; and also composition in poetry, essays and music, etc. Owing to the Eistedfod, many a brillunt, intelligent and sound musician has been unearthed and exalted in their right sphere. The Hon. Lloyd-George, one of the brightest minds aud one of tin' most fluent of the orators in the i English l'arliame-at, frankly admits that he owes his success to the Eistedfod, and i its kindly hand has also been extended to many a musician who has become noted and the'pride of his people, lu Australia, .Queensland takes the lead, and its choirs are attaining a high state of proficiency. At the late Ballarat con- ; test the first honors were carried off bj- < Queensland (Toowoomba and Maryborough), beating her senior sisters of New r-oulh Wales aTid Victoria, although