BEAUTY CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 50, 23 November 1926, Page 10

BEAUTY CONTEST

THE GIRLS NOT SPOILT

JUDGING IMPARTIAL AND FREE FROM PROVINCIALISM

MESSAGES FROM THE TWO WINNERS

Dominion’ Special.

Auckland, November 22. “Miss New Zealand” gave the following message to-day for the people of the Dominion :—

“I think it a very great honour that the judges should have picked 1 me out of the girls of the whole Dominion. I hope' that everyone is satisfied with the choice, and I will do my very best to be a credit to them wherever I go and in whatever I do. I especially want the Dunedin people to know how proud I am to have won this honour for them.” Miss Isobel Wilson said: "I am very proud to be associated with Miss DlcMillan, and I hope everyone is pleased with me, too. I will do my best to be worthy of New Zealand always." There can be no doubt that the decision of the judging committee was a most popular one. The judges adopted the ballot system, each one allotting certain points to each girl, the chairman then taking the individual papers and making up the totals. On all sides could be heard remarks of satisfaction at the verdict, and'while some are disappointed people, they are adopting the sporting spirit, and agreeing that the result is a good one. In this action they have excellent leaders in the six finalists I who were not placed, but who are still the happiest lot imaginable, full of i praise for “Dliss New Zealand” and ! her attendant. I The appearance of “Dliss New Zea- , land” and her attendant in a special I car to-dav attracted great attention, I and wherever they went crowds soon I congregated. Both girls went gathering gifts presented them by various i firms, and when the car stopped in the streets it was soon surrounded by admiring throngs. Dliss McMillan has charmed all, and Miss Wilson, too. Commenting editorially on the contest the “Star” says: “No competition organised in New Zealand has aroused one-half as much enthusiasm or interest as was centred in the choice of ‘Dliss New Zealand.’ There have been critics of the competition, but their condemnation has carried little weight. Such competitions are held at regular intervals in all parts of the worlds Everywhere they arouse interest as keen as that shown here, and nowhere has there been any suggestion of ill-effect following in its train. The choice of ‘Dliss New Zealand’ was carried out under conditions of absolute impartiality. That is clearly proven by the final decision of the judges, for, in the contest final in Auckland, an Otago girl gained first place and one from Wellington became her maid-of-hon-our. The whole conditions of the contest left the choice of the provincial representatives to the general public, while the final selection rested with a committee of experts, which performed a difficult task with complete fairness and in a manner leaving no loophole for the suggestion of influence or provincialism. “The Mayor of Auckland,, who made the presentations to the city’s representatives, and Mr. Louis Cohen, who presided at the final judgment, both declared that they felt it an honour to be associated with a competition carried through so successfully and in such an atmosphere of good feeling. The girls who entered for the competition both here and in the south delighted all who were associated with the contest by their sportsmanship and camaraderie. They, were frank, natural, and good humoured through it all, not a sign of jealousy being displaved at anv stage. “When the Aucklanders were chosen almost at the eleventh hour the southerners, with more experience of stage appearances, following the selection, took them to their hearts, and did everything possible to lighten the ordeal for them, not seeking in any wav to improve their own chances by withholding any little hint of action or carriage which might have helped their rivals. A friendlier, more kindly group of girls could not have been got together anvwfiere, and not one of the eight has been in the least degree spoiled bv her success.”