ROUND ABOUT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 150, 22 April 1940, Page 5

ROUND ABOUT

fence, is: "Could not some way be found to hold a Baby Contest without babies?" # ♦ * * It had been my intention to present each week a Personality. Things might be so awfully slow at times that it will be impossible to select the Personality of the Week, unless it is from the bar->room, where a local citizen has swallowed six handles under the minute. I Several names have been submitted this week. In o\ir opinion it is the Borough Council deserving of the pat on the back, for its support of the School Committee's efforts for increased accommodation. The strong representations they are to make should assist materially.

(By Aitclie!) THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE During the week I thought of dozens of things I would like to treat in this column but* as usual, when I come to write it I find I have for- ' gotten everything and I have to do a deal of scratching round for material. I must thank the person who suggested that I present a word picture of a local body member each; week, I would like to do that—it is extremely tempting—but I have to recognise the possibilities of libel actions. Strangely enough it would not be possible to present an accurate picture of some of them, without that risk. •.* m m I understand that the Baby Contest is now concluded. The suggestion had been put to me that I mention it briefly—not as an advertisement, but taking up the cudgels on behalf of the innocent parties: in other words, the poor kids.

Now, when you come to look at it, everyone was satisfied —bar the babies. The theatre manager probably had no complaint; the St John Association should not have; proud parents who visited the theatre at every opportunity to see their peiv plcxed progeny* naturally, were pleased; and the ninety-six per cent of the audience who had no interest in the business except to say, "That's So-and-So's Dicky" or "There's Bill's Baby Bobby," were : hugely delighted. Eye to the Future I must confess that twice I formed one of the latter class,, although I had not the acquaintance of Priscilla or Pamela, William or Walter. Perhaps, then, on that admission, 5 may be accused of a lack of sincerity in presenting the case for the defence. If I err in that direction, my memory of some criminal trials assures me that it is in goodly com-* pany. This, of course, is not a criminal trial. But the point I would like to make is that it was for the babies. It was, apparently, when, they 'were took,' and it will be in the future when companions leer and sneer at Maurice or Margaret and say, very nastily, "Oh, I may be wicked, but lhanlt Heaven I never appeared before the public in a loincloth, grinning miserably . to hide my embarrassment and toying nervoously with a rubber elephant." Comment on Comment. I mentioned a little way back that proud parents were pleased to view their potential Garbos and Gables. I am taking that for granted, not having the inside information bn the subject. Possibly they were until they heard the comments passed from all around.

Some of those comments were in shocking taste. Unfortunately, as I* would like to have quoted them, whispering made them difficult to hear and made necessary the filling in of many gaps. Some of the comments, of course, were sincere, either tributes to beauty or condemna-* tion of masculine ruggedness. A Pertinent Question. Thus, when one youth not blessed with an abundance of childish charm marked his appearance with sundry convulsive movements of body and face, it was unkindly suggested that he was 'shikar.' But what, I would ask of his critic, did he look like when in the napkin stage? Probably the old family album slioAvn to visitors on Sunday afternoons would reveal a comparison in favour of the lad with tlie screen aspirations. Most of the kids drew a laugh. It was usually a derisive laugh and though in some cases quite uncharitable, in all justice we will have to admit that it was earned in the majority. We will concede that point to the prosecution. Obviously, to defend the children, one has to lay the blame for their appearance on the fond parents. It has to be admitted that the parents were supporting a worthy cause* that if there had not been entrants there could not have been profit for

the Ambulance Association, but against that there was the incentive of the cash prizes. That was the big draw and it illustrated the fact that there are parents who place a commercial value on their offspring. Case Concluded. Then there was the music so softly played during the presentation! iThe first part of the record was ghastly, but Why on earth select a tinny La Paloma to finish off with? Did those responsible imagine that it stirred the audience? Playing on the chords of the heart and finding, a response to beautiful Nature. The question I would like to put, in conclusion of. the case for the ue(Continued foot previous column).