THE NEW NEW ZEALANDERS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 660, 29 February 1952, Page 14

THE NEW NEW ZEALANDERS

RARITY once, the, chance, of hearing a foreign langides on the street today — discounting college students practising their French-has increased greatly over the last few years. Immi. gration has reached impressive figures. And along with the new settlers have come problems, both for the local inhabitants and the prospective citizens. These difficulties (which are both material and social) along with some of the methods of meeting them, are to have an airing at 7.44 p.m. on Monday, March 3, when 2YC presents the first of a series of four talks, followed by four panel discussions, which will deal with all aspects of the subject. These eight weekly sessions will also be heard from 2YA at 7.15 p.m. on the Tuesdays following the 2YC_ brvadcasts. The four talks which begin the series -Settlers in a Strange Land--are entitled, "New Settlers in Néw Zealand," "The Assimilation of Migrants," "Assimilation Problems of the British Migrant" and "Alien Immigrants in New Zealand," and are presented by H. C, D. Somerset, J. R. McCreary, Jean Robertson and H. J. Benda respectively. The four penels to follow these talks will consist cf British immigrants, non-British European immigrants, New Zealanders, and the four first speakers discussing the various. points emerging from the previous broadcasts. As these authorities point out, problems of the immigrant do not arise solely from difficulties in language or

in getting a home. Even more important considerations are’ involved in attitudes, both on the part of the immigrant and his hosts. There are, according to Mr. Somerset, approximately 12,000 new arrivals from Europé in -this country whose role in the future of the nation depends largely on the decision of the majority, the native-born New Zealanders. But the problem for immigrant and local inhabitant is mainly a personal one, and all that can be done to relieve any tension arising is to create understanding between the two and suggest adjustment on either side. It is in this belief that this series from 2YA and 2YC is presented. For St. David’s Day MARCH 1 is St. David’s Day and "various programmes from the NZBS stations will commemorate the occasion with special productions. The love of the Welsh people for singing and the fame of their choirs makes vocal presentation a natural. way of honouring the day, but from 1YA The Story of St. David’s Day will be told at 8.0 p.m. In. Wellington, 2YA will present a programme, at 7.30, prepared by the Wellington Welsh Society, while 3YA_ will introduce the Cambrian Society of Canterbury with a special programme at 7.45 p.m. Stations 1YC and 4YC will each present during the evening the BBC programme The Res-cuers--the story of a Rhondda Valley pit disaster of last century; and from the 4YZ studio Veda Simpson (soprano) will present "Music for St. David’s Day" at 8.30 p.m. Appropriate programmes have also been arranged by various other stations, so that in New Zealand the anniversary should be almost as enthusiastically honoured as it will be in Llanrhaiadr-ym-mochnanh or Merthyr Tydfil.