QUEEN CARNIVAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 26, 23 November 1945, Page 5

QUEEN CARNIVAL

ASSISTING R.S.A. FUNDS

MEMORIAL WELFARE APPEAL

"From the Whakatane Borough and Count}'- .some 1701) men (exclugive of those in the Air Force) foughl overseas in World War IL. It is estimilled lhat out ol' this num1000 to 1200 will come back and settle in this district. .It is the wish of the R.S.A. to help these men. 'When they arrive back many of them are, to all intents and purposes- fit and well. Immediately they commence work they lose any pension ol' which they might have been in receipt. But in iv number of cases the effects ol' the war do

not show up until I lie man has been working lor perhaps some months. He is then unable to work and it may be sonic time before his pension can be recommenced. It is in this interim period that the man often needs financial help and the U.S.A. hopes to be in a position to meet this need." Thus did Mr L. R. Brown outline the object of the new R.S.A. Queen Carnival which is being inaugurated in an effort to raise funds. The speaker was addressing a meeting of representatives of the various Patriotic Committees in theddistrictt t which took place in the Awaken Hall on Monday evening.

The meeting f which was chaired by Mr T. Macken, consisted of the following representatives: Otakiri — Messrs 11. W. Dunning and M. Leslie; Te. Teko —Messrs W. Burr and P. Jaques; Awakeri —Messrs N. Carter and D. Butler; Edgecumbc— xMessr.s C. Thompson *and D. 11a dcliffc. The meeting was convened in Crder to put forward proposals lor the Carnival arising from suggestions made at a former meeting of businessmen and residents held in AVhakatane. At this meeting' it was suggested that two Princes and Princesses should lie rut forward by the town and a competition run against the same number put forward by the County. Those leading at the conclusion of the Carnival would be crowned King and Queen.

The above idea Avas not accepted hoAvever by the county representatives Avho thought that a straightout Queen Carnival should be held. This was embodied in a motion put bv Mr Leslie, and passed.

Air BroAvn assured the meeting that the toAvn Avas Avilling to withdraAv the tAvo princes if such was the Avish of county delegates.

Mr Macken suggested that the County should be split into two areas; that each district should run its own queen and that the two lop ones would become, 'area' queens. These would then compete against Whakatane which would also run two candidates. A second motion which was carricd put forward the idea that each district's votes should equal in the percentage of its patriotic quota. In this manner, all districts would be on an equal

oo ting

A suggestion from Mr that districts be asked to postpone their local appeals till the R.S.A. apeal was concluded, and give support to the latter found favour with the meeting. It is expected that the carnival ; which will probably be opened at the end of January ? or in February will be complete about April.

Discussing the proposal further as' regards the use to which the funds acquired will be put } Mr Brown said that it was also hoped to set aside certain sums in order that they would bring in an annuity, which could be used to help in the education of children of deceased or disabled servicemen. The funds were necessary and now ? with the war still fresh in the memory of people, was the time to get them. All money collected would be in the form of a trust fund and properly administered. Whenever a ease of distress Avas found ? it would be brought for attention by the representative of the district in which it occurred.

With regard to the. name by which the appeal should be the title 'R.S.A. Memorial Welfare Appeal' was decided upon. With regard to it must be stressed that the word Memorial should not be translated into 'bricks and mortar.' The meeting was firm in its resolve that the Memorial would lie a trust fund devoted to assisting disabled servicemen, or the relatives

of servicemen disabled or deceased. 5 _ Chairman anil Secretary oi' the main committee for handling the Queen Carnival were elected in the persons of Messrs T. Slacken ami D. S. Radcliffe respectively.