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No. 61 (December 1967)
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1967 Korimako Contest

On 25 August, the Dominion Finals of the Korimako Trophy Speech Contest were held in St Mary's College Assembly Hall. Wellington.

This year's topic, given to the contestants an hour before they were due to speak, was:— ‘How best can I play an effective part in New Zealand life today, and how best can I prepare myself for this purpose?’

The judges were Mrs C. A. Fleming, Mr N. F. Harrè and Mr N. P. K. Puriri, and the presentations were made by Mr A. McCready, M.P. for Otaki, and Chairman of Parliament's Maori Affairs Committee.

Winner of the Korimako Trophy, first presented by Sir Bernard Fergusson in 1965, and a $30 book token, was Rawinia Carroll-Paku, grand-daughter of Sir Turi Carroll, and a Wairoa College pupil. Second prize, the J. McEwen trophy and a $20 book token, went to Ngatai Huata of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, a daughter of Canon Wi Huata. Ross Smith, of Taupo-Nui-a-Tia College won third prize, a $10 book token.

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Rawinia Carroll-Paku with her mother and grandfather, Sir Turi Carroll.

Some extracts from Rawinia's winning speech show the generally high standard of the contestants.

… ‘In this our land, which we dearly believe to be “God's own country”, we should display a pride and responsibility to our country and fellowman. We should evaluate our successes with pleasure and our failures with a tinge of sadness.

… ‘How we will meet the challenge of life depends upon our pride of race, our independence, our ability to form judgments and upon our willingness to share in the work of running the community.

… ‘Education gives us that opportunity to qualify and achieve, and by that example we give heart, inspiration and leadership to others.

… ‘I hope to assume my full share of responsibility for the country in which I live. The whole purpose of democracy is for participation of the individual.

… ‘My life will not be a success unless I

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learn from the past, live for the present, and plan for the future.

… ‘We must encourage our people to accept responsibility, to adopt better standards of living and to adapt themselves to modern society without losing their identity.

… ‘I sincerely believe that among both races in New Zealand there is a growing respect each for the other, and in years to come a new and exciting culture will develop.’

Quotes from some of the other contestants are worth repeating. From Jane Harding, Northland College … ‘We must have ambition and a goal to aim for. We seem to want a life of excitement instead of gruelling hours of study. We do not lack ability, but we lack ambition.’

From Ann Glover, Gisborne Girls' High School … ‘I must have confidence in my-

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National Publicity Studios
Ross Smith, third place-getter.

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Ngatai Huata, who won second place, with her father, Canon Wi Huata.

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self and in the people around me in my community.

… ‘I must be truthful to myself. Truth is the basis of any achievement.’

From Thomas O'Brian, St Peter's Maori College, came an excellent point.

… ‘How best can I prepare myself? By being a good student, by doing well what I am doing now. I must not only do my schoolwork well but must do well in every aspect of life. I must prepare on a wide basis—myself, my family and my community.’

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Mr Harrè made some comments which should be noted by future contestants.

‘This is a very personal sort of subject, and some of you spoke in general terms.

‘Establish contact with your audience. Don't lose it by looking down at your notes.

‘Use light and shade, timbre and volume.

‘Use humour now and then.

‘I was delighted to hear the Maori language used—however, some used it with more courage than knowledge!

‘You must be heard—sometimes words were indistinctly produced.

‘Some of you made reference to the help given by schools and parents. Make sure you pay it back.’

Posted to Vietnam

Te Ao Hou's record critic, Alan Armstrong, who is in the regular Army, has recently relinquished his post as Director of Equipment at Army Headquarters Wellington on posting to South Vietnam to serve with the Australian Task Force. Some time in 1968 he will re-join his battalion in Malaysia and there be joined by his wife, Waiehu. In addition to his articles in Te Ao Hou, he is the author of the following published, or soon-to-be-published works: Maori Games and Hakas, Maori Action Songs (with Reupena Ngata), The Maori People, Entertaining South Sea Island Style. Kiwi Cooking. Let's Speak Maori and Samoa.

Success at Table Tennis

Following success in the New Zealand Maori Table Tennis Championships at Gisborne last July, a Maori woman, Mrs J. A. Williams of Wanganui, went on to win the New Zealand Open Mixed Doubles title in partnership with England's No. 1 player, Dennis Neale. She performed very well throughout the tournament, winning the ‘Ladies Bracelet’, and playing a major part in winning the Mixed Doubles title.

At the Maori Championships, Mrs Williams won the Ladies' Singles, the Ladies' Doubles with Miss Albert of Wanganui, and was runner-up in the Mixed Doubles with Mr M. Taipua, also of Wanganui.

It appears that Mrs Williams is only the second Maori woman to have won a national title, the other being Mrs Nettie Trail (néc Davis) who is now overseas.