CARNIVAL NIGHT AT THE SKATING RINK

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 11

CARNIVAL NIGHT AT THE SKATING RINK

So crowded was the. space, available ■for;' spectator* at 'the Colosseum Eink .last-evening tliat many would-be patrpns co.uld c not.be- admitted.. There was nowhere^ left: to put them. Those who were sufficiently fortunate to gevS were treated to one^ of the'finest carnivals yet seen m',:Wellington: There have been occasions when there- have been more_skaters-.on-;the- floor,- but on these occasions,the -floor" has' been uncom .fortably. crowded.; 'Last evening tZ-o were some .130.;, skaters, in the grand march and thoB S : ho know h^ know r that th««. means ,a full fl oor . Th * noticeable aspect was that'- all excepting prepared for the occasion, - wlSf-fteA were some .very clever poster dresses -There were the usual number ofpp cr rot s and lady partners, Indians, .radio™, tioas, it -Pilgrim of the Night/ w ho was a rather humorous spectacle clad m a nightdress and- carrying a'candlf In one or two cases the dfa.es S also have been regarded-as slightly da •. mg In .the humorous section one competitor whose appearance was certainly laughable, arnved with.- a toy horse specially constructed for" tho rink and between the two of'them they ciUed much laughter. v .Apart, from the usual^decoration*; the rink was hung with streamers in various colours, -which added.to the' gaiety offi scene. It had been-realised that iudg^ mg would be difficult on the full floo?, and the spectators were given the chance of . seeing ;.-a 1 the skaters in the grand parade, and later the various sections to which, prizes were allocated were paraded separately. During the evening the public were also asked to vote on the best waltzeTs and. two-steppers. In these cases, as in the case, of the fancy .dress competitions, the voting continues over the carnival and the results will , not ■' be available until to : inoiTow. -. ... -

A race was held between A. M'Donald the, ,? c™e™ ?? aland half-mile champion; and 1. Wilkinson on a motor-bike The two started with half a lap between them and raced for nine laps. The cycle lost on the turna, but gained on the sides, and in the finish had gained some ten yards on the skater. It was a clever oxhibitiou, particularly, by . the cycle rider. M'Donald was »qt' satisfied he could be beaten s ascend Urn?, wid jj^i

challenged "•' Wilkinson to 'another race, which will" take place this evening. Following are the results of the? various events:—Ladies' fan and balloon race—Mrs: Cross 1 [six starters). No others finished. Boys' race (5 laps)— Clarence Burton 1,. E. Pigeon 2. Men's half-mile flat race—First heat: D. Roberts 1, Rpy Whittingtoa 2. Musical chain (men)— First heat: A. :M'Donald 1, R. Austin 2, D. Whittingtoh 5.' The second night of the carnival, will be to-night, when preparations have been made for an even larger attendance,, and the programme will contain special items, and, time permitting, the New Zealand half-mile championship.