During the last week I’ve been doing some research (for the book) about settlement in New Zealand & was seeking early references to music. I dipped into a very elderly book The Making of a New Zealander by Alan Mulgan, published in 1958.

Mulgan was born in 1881. In his book he told of ancestors who had come to NZ on the Lady Jocelyn in 1878. On the ship there were concerts & dances. In early settlements in NZ he described concerts & dances. The latter started about 8pm & in the summer months they went on till the sun came up. The music at these was piano & that alone. He noted, that in reference to the time the dances ended that most cars then had no headlights, inferring that driving home in the dark was not wise.