PAGEANT & CARNIVAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 8

PAGEANT & CARNIVAL.

PREPARING A BIG SCHEME. It is proposed to make an effort during tho coming spring to bring to completion the scheme for a riew building and endowment for the Wellington Boys' Institute. A sum of at least X 2500 is required to do this, and it is hoped to raise that sum by means of a pageant, a carnival, and a bazaar, all being worked in conjunction. A collection will also bo mado to assure the sum being raised. The pageant will tako place on the Saturday and Monday afternoons, October 25 and 27, in Newtown Park, and on the evenings of those days the various groups in the pageant will give tableau exhibitions. Stalls lor the sale of cigars, fruit, flowers, sweets, toys, etc., will bo run, aud afternoon tea and other refreshments dispensed. Sido shows will bo arranged for, and after the pageant the performers will move about in costume assisting at the various stalls and booths. The pageant will be a processional one, marching slowly round the grounds, bands being stationed at various points to enliven tho proceedings. The various groups will bo separated, aud each character will have its own special setting in the group. A description of each group will be published in the official programme, so that each character represented will bo known to tho onlookers. The groups for tho most part will represent historical episodes or periods, thus making tho whole representation not only si>ectacular but educative. It has been decided that the groups should represent—(l) British history; (2)' Now Zealand history; and it is hoped to have altogether 30 to .40 groups, with about 1500 performers. An historical committee, consisting of Dr. Frank Hay, Mr. 11. E. Nicholls, and Mr. Morris I'ox, has been at work for several.weeks drawing up a programme of historical epochs and episodes, which will be pre-ssnted at tho inaugural meeting to be held on Tuesday evening; His Excellency tho nor has consented to act as patron'of the pageant, and will preside at tho inaugural inciting, to which any citizens who are interested, or who would like to help, are invited. Tho groups will, as far as possible, bo taken by various, societies, districts, or sets of peoplo known and easily accessible to each other. Wellington and suburbs will provido most of the groups, but outside districts, such as Carterton, Masterton, Palmorston North, Feilding, Levin, Otaki, etc., will bo asked to lie represented. As an inducement for groups to enter it has been suggested that valuable prizes should be'offered, one of .£SO to tho best representation by any group, to bo decided by voto of the public, each purchaser of a ticket to have a vote; one of J225, to bo awarded by a council of judges for tho best representation by any group. It' will be possible for a group to take both of theso prizes, and thus secure ,£75. Another prize is of .£ls, for the best represented character, to go to the individual. Prizes for' competitians, etc., will also be offered to the public to induce them to soil and to l)uy tickets. After tho Monday, night tho carnival will bo continued in the Town Hall as a bazaar, during which somo fresh attractions will be presented every night It is suggested, for example, that on Tuesdaj ' night there will be a cat show, on Wednesday night a flower show; on Thß'«d a > night a national doll show, on -Friday a Territorial, Cadet, and Boy Scout night, and on Saturday a.children s day.