Eisteddfod And Our Own Festivals

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 5, 11 August 1933, Page 43

Eisteddfod And Our Own Festivals

Welsh Festival Embraces All the Arts-Appeal for Newspapers for Porirua Mental Hospital — Six Out of Seven Persons in Empire Are Coloured. |

Te LTHOUGH it possesses points of similarity, the Eisteddfod of Wales is unlike our local competitions. The Welsh festival is a national event, with over a thousand, years of tradition. According to Mr. Morgan Davies. some idea may be gleaned of its ramifications by the fact that this year’s entries include 90 ehoirs, nine orchestras, 20 brass bands, and 31 ambulance teams, and among other arts, competi: tions are held in literature, composi. tion. translations, design, and sculpture. So comprehensive is the field of contest that S4 adjudicators are to officiate in the various sections. Pa % Er J{NTERTAINMENT during the eveuing does not take the form of demonstration concerts. The finest artists available are engaged. On the first night the 16th century morality play "Byeryman" will be presented by 300 players under the direction of pr. Stephan Hock, of Vienna. Other performances will feature the Histeddfod Choir of 600 voices in Handel’s "Samson," and the choir, augmented by Halle’s Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Adrian Boult. in "Psalm to the Earth" and Delius’s ‘A Mass of Life." So attractive is the festival made that special liners are chartered to carry parties from Canada and the United States, and this year it is expected that competing choirs from Cleveland and Calgary will take part in the chief choral events, Fs * % FISTEDDFOD means "a sitting" or "an assembly of learned men," and first mention of it under that name is recorded in the seventh century, when King Cadwalader presided, but its origin goes back to Druid days. When Wales was conquered the Wisteddfod came under the jurisdiction of the English throne. The last legal commission for the opening of an Wisteddfod was granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1568, and by virtue of this deed an Histeddfod may be held at any time or place decided on by the Assembly of Bards of the Isle of Britain and the National Kisteddfod Association in London, in. which joint control the festival remains vested to this day. ad Ed (THE Hawera resident, Mr. L. 0O.. Hooker, to whose sympathy, public. spiritedness and organising, ability Porirua Mental Hospital owes: its: radio installation, made a further ap-: peal to listeners for the inmates. There are 1600 patients at Porirua and. in. addition to weeklies and monthlies, 500 copies of daily newspapers are required. All that need be done is to address them to the hospital and pop them in the letter-box without a stamp. Mr. Hooker has never known a scheme he has undertaken to fail, so he suggests that one of the family be de puted to daily address and post the

newspaper, Single copies only are to be sent. ™ o N drawing comparison between the Spartan upbringing of the children of the Roman. Republic and that of the . late period of the Empire, Mrs. E, W. Kane implied that indulgence was possibly the cause of the fall of the Empire. The statement is often made. but it is questionable in face of its ob vious illogicality. The hard upbring: ing of the soldiers of the Russian arniy did not prevent collapse during the Great War. Indulgence was pos sibly a contributary factor in Rome's eclipse, but it was a minor one. -As in the case of Hurope to-day, Rome knew the remedy, but it could not be ap-

plied. and again as in the case of Europe, it had nothing to do with the upbringing of children. ¥ = * N discussing the problem of human progress in relation to the contribution of colour to the world picture, the Reverend Albert Meal (4¥A) mentioned that of every seven persons in the British Empire, six were of a brown or yellow tint. Quoting an American writer, it was asserted that the basic factor in progress to-day was not politics, but race. The discovery of America and Australia were two epoch-marking. events which affected the fate of the Britisb people: and contributed to the greatest extent in making them a dominating race. The history of a peopie was the judgment of the world, and it was claimed that wherever British Imperialism had flourished it had benefited the people concerned. * " * N making reference to the chaotic state that would follow Indian secession and independence from the British . Commonwealth, Mr. Mead pointed to the inordinate nationalism crippling Europe, and deprecated the self-determination shibboleths of fire-

brands in portions of the Empire. The question was asked what ill-informed Indians would think when Australia cut the last Imperial tie by claiming to appoint its own Governor-General. & s & N various parts of the world selfexpression was having tremendous results. Black, brown, and yellow are fired with new aspirations, and while our civilisation owes a debt to some of the coloured races, it is our duty to ° arrange our own destiny. Mr. Mead is of the opinion that the Japanese are unconscious of the task they have set themselves in subjugating China, but this opinion may be questioned, In & few years it is possible China may defy the whole world when Japan would have no hope of success in an imperialism designed upon Chinese subjection, and Japanese footing in Manchuria may lengthen the days of her hold of Korea. In these days when we hear so much sentimental rubbish, the Rey. Mr. Mead’s contribution was most refreshing. * % Co PHE broadcast concert of the year so far as all New Zealand is concerned was the Wellington Symphony Orchestra’s eontribution. The programme was one that suited all tastes, and we can only imagine the furore it would have created in pre-radio days. % * & Y largely denuding the land of bush e we have robbed the birds of their homes and food. Before we introduced the axe and the fire-stick New Zealand was clothed in a healthy verdure ‘because the birds kept pests under control.: The damage insects do cannot be ealculated, but it is estimated they consume at least a million sterling of wealth each year. Birds and forest go together, and in reminding his hearers that the Sahara was once a fertile land, Wirihana exhorted all to feed the birds for posterity’s sake, and at the same time find comfort in doing a humane deed.