Visit to Queensland

New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 759, 5 February 1954, Page 19

Visit to Queensland

‘HEN Kathrine Keddell visited the | beautiful balmy Australian State of Queensland, one of the first things to impress her was the number of insects that bit. Only: then did she begin to understand what all the nets were for. There were mosquito nets in al! colours and sizes-even some embroidered with hearts and flowers, "as if designed for one of Rubens’s opulent women." This and other impfessions of her Australian sojourn will be broadcast shortly by Miss Keddell-her photograph appears’ on Page 38-in the Women’s Programme from Commercial stations. ‘In a series of three talks entitled Tropical Queensland, she will speak of "Mosquito Nets and Monsoons," "Houses on Stilts"" and "Wild West Towns of Queensland." Greymouth born, Miss Keddell taught there and in the Wellington district until her retirement a few years ago. Always interested in the theatre, she has lectured on drama for the W.E.A. and is the founder of the Otaki Players. | The latter, she says, is a group "which is still going strong after nearly six | years, in spite of the fact that ‘most people said: ‘They'll peter out in a year.’"’ She is also the author of numerous essays and articles, and is a member of the P.E.N. and the N.Z. Women Writers and Artists’ Society. Before gaing abroad, Miss Keddell had travelled the length and breadth of her own country and knows it well. In Queensland she gave several talks on New Zealand topics, two of which were broadcast on an all-Australian network. As relaxation from writing she collects sea shells and studies native trees. Tropical Queensland will be broadcast in the Women’s Hour, beginning from 1ZB on February 12, 2ZB, February 26, 3ZB, March 12, 4ZB, March 26, 2ZA, April 9, and 1XH, April 30.