ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 23 November 1914, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

last Saturday evening, the management presented the first photo play New Zealand has ever presented, entitled, "lliiiemoa." The picture in every way was a success. The acting of the Maoris , was excellently carried out amongst lux--1 .urious natural scenery around RoCorua. The musical programme has been arranged from. Mr. Alfred Hill's famous •compositions and added considerably to the enjoyment. The. story of Ilinemoa is as follows: Tu, a strong, handsome ■Maori youth, lived with his father, a great chief, and bis three elder brothers on the island of Mokoia, in Lake Rotoma. Tu was of inferior position and poor, as bis mother had lost caste through, breaking social observance* before his birth. On the mainland lived a Maori maiden named Ilinemoa, of remarkable beauty. The maiden was sought in marriage by .Maori men of highest rank, but Tlinemoa looked with eyes of love, on handsome, Tu. As her people destined her for a powerful noble, the lovcr s mot in secret. In the twilight of a summer's evening, Tu sat in a small tower on the island, and played his love songs which the wind wafted across the water to Ilinemoa, 'whereat the girl was supremely happy. Later the. young lovers arranged to elope and Tu was to sound his trumpet at night so that Tlinemoa could guide her canoe in the right direction. Hinemoa's friends, becoming suspicious, kept the canoes hauled up on the beach and so frustrated the lovers' designs, dialing under these conditions and becoming more impassioned and reckless with an intense desire for her lover's presence, Tlinemoa one .night cast herself into Lake Rotorua and swam across the belt of water, four miles broad, which separated her from Tu who was on the island of Mokoia. Then Tlinemoa rose from the water as beautiful as a white, hawk and graceful as the shy white crane that is seen only once in a hundred years. Tu flung his garment over her, led her to his whare, and she became his bride. This film and supporting films are finally shown tonight.