QUEEN CARNIVAL

Evening Star, Issue 23698, 4 October 1940, Page 6

QUEEN CARNIVAL

SPORTS GALA TO-MORROW NUMEROUS ATTRACTIONS AHEAD BIG PROCESSION ON OCTOBER 11 To-morrow the big sports gala will bo hold at the Caledonian Ground, an event organised by the combined committees of the Army and Navy Queens. Women’s Rugby, and all manner of sporting events are scheduled, but burlesque and comedy will be well to the fore. Gymnastics, relay races, and athletics will also help to promote a successful day, while a march past by the various women’s interhou.se sports teams, headed by the Highland Pipe Band, will be a feature. Both the Army and Navy Queens will bo in attendance. If there was any enthusiasm lacking during the staging of the previous queen carnival procession, the reverse should be the position when the big “ all-in ” one takes place on the evening of Friday, October 11. _ The committees conducting the activities of the two city queens have amalgamated, and they have also co-opted the services of innumerable other people, organisations, and societies, and a feature of the whole organisation is the manner in which the industrial and trade unions have taken up the project, working whole-heartedly for its success. The joint committee is under the chairmanship of Mr R. H. Price. _ Time and labour are not being spared in the. successful promotion of this “ alj-in ” procession, and the “welcome back ” fund for our soldiers, airmen, and sailors should materially benefit from this undertaking. A generous response from the public is anticipated, for a large sum of money is required, £IOO,OOO being the aim at the moment. Indeed, as an indication of the necessity for funds, it may be pointed out that men of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. and some of their dependents are even now receiving grants in one form or another. So far as the big procession on October 11 is concerned, the response from the various sections of the community promises an initial estimate of from 60 to 70 floats, hundreds of active participants, several bands, concert parties, jazz bands, and a dozen and one other attractions. For example, the men of the Hillside Workshops are rallying 500 strong, and their floats and burlesques promise to be highly diverting. The feature of their effort will be the inclusion of the railway engine which was on display at the Centennial Exhibition at Wellington. The engine is to be brought from Wellington specially for this occasion, and the appearance of such a monster in the streets is certain to be one of the highlights of the display. Then there will he tho “ Dark Town Fire Brigade,” staged by the Central Fire Brigade staff with the aid of an old engine, the pagoda float which tho Chinese section of the community is arranging with much detail and accompanying with a team of collectors, and the display that the garage and motor spirit resellers are organising. It seems not unlikely that this lastmentioned effort will include a burlesque on the petrol restrictions, which is an undertaking which the petrol resellers will no doubt shoulder with great heartiness. In addition, there are to be adaptations of motor wrecking vehicles and a composite display that will certainly attract a great deal of interest. “ Pun for Funds ” is to he the slogan for the occasion, and it would be difficult on.present indications to imagine an event more suited by colour and general gaiety to its catchline. An application is being made to tho_ City Council to suspend all traffic, vehicular and tram, between the Octagon and Frederick street between the hours of 7.30 and 9 o’clock, and it is intended that the procession shall find its way along the main streets to Frederick street and turn back before disintegrating into concert parties at almost every corner. Everyone is to be in fancy dress, and with the arrangement of the bands in the bands of Mr James Dixon, of the St. Kilda Band, and the marshalling of the procession tho rcsponsihibtv of the chief traffic inspector, Mr R. J. Avorv, the orderliness of the parade and the general lay-out should be assured. THOROUGH ORGANISATION. All of the entertainment is to be in the procession for the preliminary stages except for the Casino in Dowling street, but as soon as the comparatively formal stage is passed there will be mobile parties installing themselves at various points from one end of the citv to the other. Since this is a critical stage of the Queen Carnival special plans have boon laid and are being worked out with much thoroughness and with the full and active support of the business section of tho city and tho various unions. There is still opportunity for people prepared to organise floats, and communication with Mr F. L M’Farlano, care the Automobile Association (Otago) will provide further particulars in this respect. Without a doubt this undertaking has been tackled on a big scale, and the evening of Friday, October 11, is going to be one of the brightest ever seen in tho main streets of Dunedin. UGLY MAN COMPETITION. Nominations for the ugly man competition are coining forward, among those received being a number of prominent citizens. Following are the nominations; — Vivian Jacobs, Monty Gilroy, Frank Paape, Jack Metcalf, Frank Fay, A. E. J. Blakely, A. G. Forbes, R. O. B. Greenslade, James W. Young, David Stewart, Jim Ncilson, F. R. Loughran. Arthur Barnett, R. S. Glendiniug, H. T. Speight, L. N. Fahey, Arch. Fergu-

son, A. T. Ross, Reginald Dawson, Jack M'Caffcrty, Joe Marks, Jock Reid, Tom Mackie, Jack Poole, H. C. Harford, Jeffrey Barnett, A. A. Paape, Frank Tyson, Eric Wain-lick, John D. Gilroy, R. P. Murphy, John Shannon, M. J. Kellv, J. W. Dovo, D. P. Barrie, Bill Kindley, W. E. Bell, J. T. N. Grant, J. Mitchell, D. Wilson. ARMY QUEEN ACTIVITIES. A very successful dance in aid of Army Queen funds was held in the Green Island Town Hall last night. Queen Airini, who attended the function with members of the Central Army Committee, was welcomed by the mayor (Mr G. A. Orange), and was presented with a bouquet by' the mayoress. From every point of view, both socially and financially, the function was an outstanding success. • To-day the people of Port Chalmers had an opportunity of seeing the Army tank, which has now become a familiar object in Dunedin. _ This evening the National Reserve Battalion, under the command of Lieu-tenant-colonel M'Pherson, will make its first public appearance, when a full dress parade will be held through Princes street. The parade will comprise over 600 men, and will pass through the Exchange about 7.30, and will march past a saluting base in the Octagon. The mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) and Queen Airini will be at the saluting base. TO-MORROW’S DANCE. Arrangements have been made for soldiers from the two Territorial camps in the district to attend the Army Queen dance to-morrow night, when both the Main Town Hall and the Concert Chamber will be used for dancing. There will be modern dancing only in tho main hall and old-time dancing in the Concert Chamber, and in each nail an attractive programme will be presented. The music for the old-time dancing will be supplied by Wright’s Band, and for the modern dancing by Mat Delaney’s Radio Rhythmics, with the vocalists Miss Daphne Jordan, Jimmy MacFarlane, and Arthur Waller. Spectators will be admitted to the circle for a small charge. AIR FORCE QUEEN. The Air Force Queen (Miss Mary Pratt) and her party visited Clinton, Clydevale, and Greenfield districts on Wednesday afternoon, A reception was attended at tho Clinton Hall, where the school children and local residents had gathered to meet Miss Pratt. Mr M’Kinnon was in tho chair, and extended a welcome to the queen on behalf of the district. Miss Pratt sang, after which she inspected the guard of honour of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. The party then proceeded to the new Clutha Valley District High School, where it was received by the head master, Mr Grant. The speakers were Mr A. V. King and Mr G. Hardy. After Miss Pratt had sung she inspected a guard of honour composed of high school girls. The next stop was at the home of Mr Charles Lucas, Tuapeka Mouth, where the queen was presented to Mr James Smith, the father of the Country Qreen in the queen carnival held during the Great War. While the queen and her party are in South Otago they are the guests of Mr and Mrs F. L. Nicolson at their home in Balclutha. At Kaitangata yesterday the queen and her party first visited the Kaitangata /School. Later the party proceeded to the local hall, where a large gathering of ladies entertained Miss Pratt at afternoon tea. The mayor extended a welcome at this function also, and items were rendered by Miss Aitchison and Mr Robertson. One of the efforts of Kaitangata towards the raising of funds for the Air Force Queen was a copper trail held this week, which realised over £lO, and the mayor reported that,, along with this sum. already over £6O had been collected. BALCLUTHA FUNCTION. Last - night there was a large attendance in tho Britannia Theatre, Balclutha, when a concert was held. Miss Pratt, Mrs' J. H. Stevenson, Misses Matheson, and Niool (Countesses of South Otago, Peninsula, and Waikouaiti), Flight-lieutenant J. H. Stevenson and Messrs A. C. Cameron and F. L. Nicolson, were escorted to the stage by the chairman of tho Balclutha Patriotic Committee (Mr A. I. Miller) and introduced to the audience. The ladies of the party were presented with posies by the deputy-mayoress (Mrs J. R. Copland) and Mrs Miller. A concert programme was presented by Mr Sincock (miramba solos), Miss Drake (vocal solos), Miss Lexie Matheson (elocutionary items), Mr Wilson Brown (humour), Miss Aim White (violin solos), and Mr Stevenson (vocal’solos). Miss Pratt also sang three solos, and at the conclusion of her rendering of ‘ There’ll Always be an England, Mr W. Twaddle offered an Air Force pennant at auction, and the countesses passed through the theatre with a flag. The sum of £9O was received, bids ranging up to £lO. The pennant was afterwards presented to Miss Pratt a,s a memento of the occasion. Mrs E. Drake and Mrs Baillie were the accompanists. At the conclusion of the concert a community sing was held under the leadership of Messrs A. R. Dreavcr and O. T. Baragwanath (“ Bertie ” and “ Bags ”), with Mr G. Laing at the piano. An auction sale of goods was also held, and the effort resulted in about £125 being added to the funds. Thanks were extended to the party for their visit, and a special vote was accorded Mr J. W. Mitchell, who had again generously given the theatre free of_ charge. Before leaving the theatre Miss Pratt said she had that day visited Miss Rebecca Grant, who had done so much in past patriotic efforts and who was now laid aside with sickness. She was sending her bouquet to Miss Grant. CHILDREN’S PARTY AND FETE. An attraction that will appeal to all children is a party being held in the Town Hall Concert Chamber" to-mor-row afternoon. While fancy dress is optional, no doubt tire majority of the children will be present in costumes representative of many and varied characters. There arc numerous prizes, and a baby show will be held, _ for which over £5 in prizes will be given. No attraction of this kind would bo complete without ice creams, sweets, cukes, etc., and on Saturday these delicacies will be plentiful. Sir Percy Sargood has kindly thrown open his gardens at his residence, “ Mariouoto,” Newington Avenue, for a garden fete to-morrow afternoon. Blooms and trees are at their best just now, and a visit to these beautiful grounds will be well worth while. Numerous competitions will be heldExhibits of prize-winning cookery will be on display. The feature of the afternoon will be an orchestra of 40 players from the Technical High School. Buses will run from Pitt street from 2 p.m. onwards. CASINO TO-NIGHT. The Navy Queen Committee will be to the fore to-night with new Stunts, new games, and a musical treat to be presented at intervals during the evening. Admission is free and lucky tickets will again bo a feature of the evening.