COMPETITIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 167, 9 April 1919, Page 8

COMPETITIONS

!;:. ANNUAL'MEETING OF SOCIETY

[■. The annual meeting of the Wellington I .Competitions Society was held at the S' Town Hall last evening, the Mayor, Mr. ! t'J.'P. Luke, presiding. . !.- ■ The annual report of the society con- » N Rratulates members on the success which } Attendee! the competitious held recently. i Popularity and success attended. thn ! musioal and elocutionary / competitions : 'first inaugurated in 1911, hut in 1913 the '. competitions fell on evil days,' and wero ! subsequently abandoned. _ In spite of thA f "war, however, interest, in the competi- < tibns was maintained, and the arrival of ! 1918 saw the first steps taken to re-estab- !• lish. these musical contests. 1 It was origin:i ally hold'the competitions in [■.November of last year,, but the advent i. of the.epidemic necessitated a postpone- • nient till February, of this year. This ; .was a" serious matter, ns not-only lnul r'considerable liabilities been incurred in ;.' advertising and iii other directions which ; would be entirely lost, but it was felt \ that the holiday vacations of music and ; elocution teachers, which always take ;• place' early in the year, would • probably be detrimental to the success which the , executive had confidently anticipated un- ■ der :the first arrangements. However, 1 notwithstanding .the postponement,' the -. competitions resulted successfully 'both ~- from an artistic and financial point of j view. The total, entries received- were' | 1535, being a Dominion record. Jt was f evident from the trials that there h '/plenty of ability and talent in Welling-' [ ton that only required development by t careful training to': make elocutionary :' displays in Wellington equal to any in. ; the Dominion. The standard reached in ! the adult classes was exceedingly flood, ■■ and reflected much credit upon many of 1 the competitors and their .teachers. The I appeal for special prizes met with sple'ui did response. They comprised a scholari ship, two shields, a numberiof gold medals, and numerous trophies and cash ; prizes, the total value of which approximated ,£l5O. The report concludes by •, stating that the competitions more than ; paid their way, and the executive thanks . all those who contributed towards their ! success. „ The report was adopted. 1 : It was .decided in future to'hold'the ■ competitions about the middle of October , icach- year. The. following officers were elected for ■: the ensuing season:—Patron, His Kxcel- : lency the Governor-General, Lord Livcr- : ipool; president, the Mayor (Mi\ ,1. P. ■Luke); vicc-oresidents, Sir Robert Stout,' ; the Hons. T. M. Wilford, J. A. Hanan, !A. M. Myers, G. W. Uussell, and Messrs. ; H. Beauchamp, M. Carr, G. H. Clarlc. C. .B. Norwood, and W. Sim;' executive ; council, Messrs. G. W. Je'nner, .T. K. •Helliivell. ■L. E. Partridge, L. A. George. ; J. W. Carr. C. M. Boivclen, W. P. ' 'M'Lachlan, F. Holtz, 0. C Mazengarb, : F..C. Cray. W. E. Puller, M. Palliser, J. \ L.'Arcus, H. Menzies, J. H. Fielding, B. ! P. Gully, C. H. Barrett, Hew A. Hunt, j and Captain M'Farlane; secretary, Mr. r .0. W. Jenner. The election of a treasi. urer was left to the executive.