NATIONAL ANTHEM AND NATIONAL HYMN

New Zealand's National Anthem is:

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen.
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen.
O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.

Percy Scholes in his exhaustive study God Save the Queen! (1954) says that the anthem is of uncertain origin but was first performed in London in 1745 and that the words and music first appeared in Harmonia Anglicana, 1742, and Gentleman's Magazine, 1745.

Instructions for Playing the Anthem

The Queen's Regulations for the Army gives the following instructions for playing the National Anthem. If the anthem is played in full, the first six bars are to be played “pianissimo” at M.M. 60 crotchets, with a “crescendo” starting on the second beat of the sixth bar rising to a “fortissimo” at M.M. 52 crotchets for the last eight bars, with a “rallentando” in the second to last bar. If the first six bars only are used, as for a salute to the Governor-General as the Queen's representative, the anthem is to be played “fortissimo” at M.M. 60 crotchets. When performed at a function or entertainment, the National Anthem takes precedence over the anthem of any other nation. At the conclusion of proceedings this order is reversed, the National Anthem being played last. On such occasions the anthem is played in full, being preceded by a three-bar sidedrum or timpani roll, “pp” < > “pp” at M.M. 60 crotchets.

A third verse, with special application to New Zealand, to be used in place of the second verse, was written by E. S. Emerson:

Far from the Empire's heart,
Make us a worthy part,
God save the King.
Keep us for ever thine,
Our land Thy southern shrine,
And in Thy grace divine,
God save the King.

A copy was sent to King Edward VII, who as an indication of his approval, signed and returned it to Emerson. This verse, however, has not been generally adopted, nor have various others put forward as alternatives from time to time.

National Hymn

New Zealand's national hymn “God Defend New Zealand” was written in the early 1870s by Thomas Bracken.

GOD DEFEND NEW ZEALAND

God of Nations! at thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices we entreat,
God defend our Free Land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.
Men of every creed and race
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our Free Land.
From dissension, envy, hate
And corruption guard our State.
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.
May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our Free Land.
Guide her in the nation's van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

Bracken was editor of the Saturday Advertiser, Dunedin, in which he published the words in 1875, offering a prize of 10 guineas for the best music setting. The adjudicators, Messrs Zelman, Siede, and Zepplin, three leading Victorian musicians, each judging independently, had no hesitation in awarding the prize to John Joseph Woods, a school teacher at Lawrence, Otago.

The song was published under the title “National Anthem, God Defend New Zealand” and was dedicated to the Governor, the Right Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G.. Later, Bracken assigned to Woods all his rights to the publication which were subsequently acquired by Charles Begg and Co., Dunedin.

The words, with the addition of two extra verses, appear in two early collections of Bracken's poetry, under the title “National Hymn” in Flowers of the Free Lands (1877) and with the title “New Zealand Hymn” in Musings in Maoriland (1890).

The man to whom most credit must be given for having “God Defend New Zealand” adopted as New Zealand's national hymn is James McDermott (1882–1955), Chief Engineer in the Post Office from 1935 to 1939. In the 1930s he became a Bracken enthusiast, and in furthering his campaign for the general adoption of the national hymn he bought recordings of it. These were distributed to broadcasting stations.

The New Zealand Centennial Council in 1939 recommended to the Government that “God Defend New Zealand” be made the national hymn. Finally, on 1 May 1940, McDermott's efforts were crowned with success when the then Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, announced that the Government had purchased from Charles Begg and Co. the copyright, performing, reproduction, and similar rights and words of the hymn.

by John Sidney Gully, M.A., DIP.N.Z.L.S., Assistant Chief Librarian, General Assembly Library, Wellington.

• Evening Post, 27 Jul 1955, 5 Mar 1959
• New Zealand Railways Magazine, Jun 1939.