GRAND TOUR OF MALAYA

Te Ao Hou, June 1961, Page 24

GRAND TOUR OF MALAYA When the ship finally docked at Penang on 23 November 1959 the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr C. M. Bennett, was thrilled to be welcomed aboard in the traditional Maori way and the party made its debut to the people of Malaya through the medium of radio, newspaper and the Malayan film unit who sent cameramen aboard whilst the ship was still in the stream.

The Concert Party's first trip away from Taiping was to the capital of the Federation, Kuala Lumpur, on the occasion of New Zealand's National Day, February 6, 1960. At a garden party given at Mr Bennett's home, the party performed before hundreds of guests from the diplomatic corps, Malay civic and government officials and New Zealanders in Malaya. The guest of honour was the Prime Minister of Malaya, Tungku Abdul Rahman. Whilst in Kuala Lumpur the party recorded a varied programme of Maori items which has since been broadcast in Radio Malaya's English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese programmes as well as from Radio Philippines and Radio Indonesia. New Zealand audiences also heard some of these items several months ago on the “Saturday Night at Home” programmes. Towards the end of last year, Kiwi Records released two extended play discs recorded by the party in Kuala Lumpur entitled “Maori Soldiers Abroad” and “Coming of the Maori”. The next tour was further afield—to Singapore, and here the Party gave seven public performances in five days to schools, cultural organisations and the general public. The highlight of the visit was participation in an international night of festival of songs and dances before a distinguished audience which included the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (the Singapurian Head of State), the Prime Minister, and members of the government and diplomatic corps. When he met members of the party backstage later, the Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan You, told them that they had “stolen the show”. Other engagements which the party has carried out include a ceremonial welcome to the Prime Minister, Mr Nash, on the occasion of his visit in June, and several performances to the wives and children of the Commonwealth Garrison at Taiping. The biggest commitment however was in connection with the Federation's end of emergency celebrations on July 31 of last year. Highlights of a packed 14 days included participation in the New Zealand Army Contingent for the victory parade and opening of the National War Memorial, a performance before 25,000 people at the Maha (the Malay equivalent of one of our Agricultural and Pastoral Shows) and a twenty-minute item in the grand outdoor victory concert at the Lake Gardens. It was estimated that 150,000 people attended during the two nights that the concert ran.