Rarotonga's G.O.M.

Mr. Stephen Savage Organises a Patriotic Concert

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga. July 4.

rE Grand Old Man of Rarotonga is Mr. Stephen Savage (“Teveni”), Registrar and Interpreter of the Native Land Court for countless years.

Apart from his work, violin-making, and compiling a native dictionary, Mr. Sav age is an excellent entertainer and a composer of no mean ability.

During the last two months he, single handed, organised and trained perform ers for the most lucrative concert in aid of patriotic funds that Rarotonga has yet seen. On the first night, in the Royal Hall, Avarua, practically half the crowd

could not be accommodated.

A new patriotic song in the native lan guage, composed by Mr. Savage, was sung and proved to be a catchy tune. features of the concert were an Aitutaki play and several of the latest hula dance rhythms from Manihiki, led by Mrs. “Teveni”.

An interesting feature of the first nights performance was a number of items—Fijian songs and dances—by re turned lepers from the colony at Mako gai. Unfortunately, these people were returned by schooner to their home island Penrhyn. in the Northern Cooks, next day, and those who attended later performances of the concert missed these distinctive items.

Mr. John Edmonds, formerly a member of the staff of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., New Guinea, is now a pilot in an RAF fighter squadron in Great Britain.