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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1953.
THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS
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Christmasca huve celebrated in winters.
Christmas dimer
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"This is New Zealand Calling"
By BRETT OLIVER
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The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend divina service in this church-St⋅ Mary's Anglican Cathedral, Auckland—an Christmas Day,
been them from the Commonwealth's fortnight's break for most of the Dominicn. It begles on Christ- England's heart,
Ev: with But le Christmas Day: the mas
& countrywide Queen talks from a New Zealand reuniting of families, for it is
be "home for and potatoes, it is virtually the ning of the Auckland Cup Ir Majestys staying at hearth. This will be at 9p.m. traditional to
country's national dish,
Boxing Day. It Is the second (New Zealand me). Britons Christmas"-a magic ghrase,
Australasia, race in richest Government House In Auckland, will, as usual, listen to her at
Dinner is invariably inte. The Like anywhere else, the eve NLY twice in the the Dominion's sunlit capital in a p.m. (G.M.T.), just after their
trife lakes time, and the fruit second only to the world-famed Melbourne Cup, run in Aus- last three and a half the North. She-sils down to Christmas dinner, but to a re sets off parties, parties galore, up
and down the fand, But unlike salad has to be cut. And there tralia the month before, centuries has
her greetings. In Britain, New Zealand has to is fresh crearn to be whipped. there with cording of Edinbunch, the Hongkong, it will be at 11 pm. celebrate iterally in the home.
This year, the Queen will see Everyone cats too much ard, the Auckland Cup race and she relgning British the Duke of
Now Zealand, almost dropping Licensing Inws decree "Timo, in the afternoon, the country to suckles how much Now monarch celebrated Christ Governor-General, Sir Whough-
at 6 pm. dozee. Gentlemen Please" Prime off the map in the great ex- als has helped to produce
Streets are deserted, the Zealanders enjoy the turf. The mus away from Britain, by Norrle, and the
Minister, Mr Holland,
panse the South Pacific, thus The last occasion wns 42
except for essential hande (at the thoroughbreds swing into are a proud race but retain tow ritual feasting. The Maori much forethought!
will be evidence of their old tribal customs, In likes his food, and the tables of years ago. King George V
double-tmo wages) might not the, straight exist. Residential New Zealand enough. was then in India to attend
less than 100 years, since they the meeting-house falzly ereale the great Durbar of 1911.
digests, and nothing matters.
Boxing Day whizzes by, and finally shook hands with the then with dishes such us whole- On the beaches and at lake the night · is a time for
re white man, the Maoris have lost roasted pigs, shark meat, cels. This Christmas, Queen
side ELTS Elizabeth II, is 12,000 miles
riverside camps. counting the hard-hick stores much of their tradition, Civilisa
ton has overtaken them. the races. And, always popular at Christmas from
persista sun from home in the most
has been out, there is they have almost completely THERE is date right shopping in ume the drowsiness
accepted theor
new way. So the towns, up to 0 pm, East- till late afternoon. Then move- sunburn to be soothed.
Christmas to them niso 31 minute presents Thero la galety ment resumes, but only slowly. Countryfolk Only the children have zest. the streets. in
con- The water beckons but entices meeting their neighbours, fetti, children.
the few. streamers,
In the cities of the two islands. temporarily becomes the centre nation of people possessed of bear him in the gardens. Work, roar that rises over Ellerslie GB much of its attractiveness. They them a chance' 'to` Indulge' in a
much of the
There
In homes ocrom the rich farm- Ing lands, New Zealanders will toast the Queen as they have done the throne for decades past. with Elizabeth But this time,
umong them, the gesture will distant part of her sprawling bear a strengthened sincerity, a Commonwealth. In New new intimacy. Zealand, two million people, are having their first Royal Christmas. They have { double reason for celebra- uus sense of closer personal tion. It is also the first-ever relationship will be even more occasion on which they have harply evident when the Quten been host to their sovereign. in the afternoon. Previously, the British stock, has grown up with t
makes her Christmas, broadcast
For the Queen,
to many this Royal greetings have come Christmas is unique
Zealanders in New another respect. It is, of Christmas Day was over. They course, summer now in New have thus felt a little out of things, le more conscious
A Zealand, whereas all her past of the great distance separating
of the Commonwealth and of
world. Tin this hardly a home that hasn't stock- Christmas, these pleasant Islands ed up well ahead for Christmas. have been known for their meat All and dairy produce, for their Back" Rugby foo:liem (now aponding
Christmas in Eng- lund!) and, more recently, for Sir. Edmund Hillary, con- queror of Everest,
when
All right, then, just how different is New Zealand? What dappens there at Christmas time? What will be happening during their Royal Christmas?
The
for the white New Zealanders.
time for celebration, just as it is HE likes, also, to sing, and the Par swell with the soft timisors The
majority of the Maoris of Maori folk songs, He likes to in Western homes. They dress up and dance, so out: como local brass band and, in the Cimer evening, the long WOVEN through the pattern South Island, particularly, with evening of a southern summer,
of the country's celebrations are Christians and know what the reed skirts and tribal cloaks
for Christmas
traditional dances, and action means. So they re- its strong Scottish communities,
easy-going by the local Highland Pipe Band, and the pickings of the goore are the much older threads that Joice at Christmas in much the songs. Being an
fellow, the Maor! likes Christ- the roast lemb go into a make up the New Zealand back-
mos, the shops, the traditional
In years to come. Christmas can belong to the original people
are about 117,000 of of Father Christmas waggles his ght cold supper, attended by cloth to the Queen's tour. They
exclamations of "How.wo beard at goggling youngsters possibly be cating again...” of the islands, the Mauris, They them in New Zealand. A Day in New Zealand, for Mooria old and whites alike, will be funda- Just like anywhere else.
were there in the 14th century minority still live in the not a long time ago by British tribal inanner. Life revolves mentally the, same. But--not for the last time.
standards but it is the Maori round the Pa, or tribal settle exactly the same as this Royal who has given New Zealand so
And Christmas gives one of 1933,
founded country,
traditions te of their "Home," rs Now Zealanders so often call the mother country. Christmas comes round and it is a British scene. It helds the Christmas-New Year hoilthys, a
Auckland, where the Royal couple will start their tour of New Zealand, has many fine parks and rosorves. This shows the beautiful Albert Park, in the heart of the city.
or
Then the streets empty und darken, and the homes light up. Kegs and crates of beer are broached. The eve draws out arxt
Christines Day begins.
HRISTMAS night. Tane for There is midnight Mass for the
unhurried visiting of friends, Dominion's. "Catholics, and
quietness. A easy talk,
few Santa
Claus through the night s
parties, but mostly the family docs hig Jab Stockings at home, relaxing. And before Christmas trees nre rare-fill they know it, Christmas Doy miraculously for the children to has slipped by and it is time squeal over in the early hours for bed. of the day.
Boxing Day sends people
drives
halls Zealand
In
A New Zealand Christmas scurrying. It is the plenic day morning is one of high activity, of the year-a day for activity, The youngsters pound about, sport, new places, and the grown-ups settle down through the countryside, to prepare dinner-a major along the way. New project. Father usually retires is a sporting country, and its thankfully to a quiet corner to people love a gamble. So, shell the new peas, scrape the thei: thousands, they "tootle aff the races, Bs they say, new potatoes, chop the mint.
big city racetrack With a summer Christinas these either to n are in season, and Mum and meeting or to a country course, auntie Inbour in the kitchen, the plenie, outing.
where racing is incidental dressing the goose, the brace of chickens or and this is by far Auckland, with its Ellerslie, the most common-work on a one of the finest tracks in the prizu leg of lamb. Roast Jamb Commonwealth, highlights New and mint sauce. With the peas, Zealand's racing with the, run-,
to
same way,
There
ment,
Government House, Auckland, where the Queen and the Duko will stay in the fint wook of their 39-day tour of Now Zealand. The Queen will broadcast from here.
All the
very
best
for his Christmas
From
3 Mackintosh's
Alexandra House Des Voeux Road,
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