THE COMPETITIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1930, Page 5

THE COMPETITIONS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As the “Book of Words” is now in circulation the chief topic of interest during the next few months for students and others in this locality, .will be the Competitions Since the inception of the local Competitions our school has taken an active part therein and our Choir tor girls under 18 won the Cup on every occasion. This year, however, this Choir, has been reluctantly compelled to withdraw and we desire, owing to various distorted rumours, to give the reason for our withdrawal. When , our girls won the Cup in 1926, we were. told at the presentation that if we won it three times m succession it would belong to our school. We did . so, only to be informed that we would have to go on competing for it from year to year as it had, become a Cha'ienge . Cup! We were surprised l at this change but went on. 'Early..-this year we saw that the conditions in this section were changed. Up to 1930, the sec lion had been an open one—any Choir of girls under 18, taught by .any teacher, was" free -to enter'; Without any known discussion thereon* the section has been changed and it .is now open only to girls belonging "to a school. It is at once evident tha>. a school with u large attendance has the greatest possible advantage over every other when a condition like this is laid down, for out of any fsv hundred, one can always find twenty voices worth working on,

However, it being the right of the authorities to lay down conditions, we would submit, but that we consider it most unjust to make a new and restricted class and then to take a trophy won outright four times in the open class and de-vote it thereto.

On hearing ol this new arrangement we informed the President that we weie quite willing to enter under new conditions provided that they would start afresh and for a new trophy--otherwise the injustice would compel us to withdraw. He agreed that lie could see our viewpoint and Mould let us know after the meeting what had been’ decided. The matter was never discussed at the meeting. On being asked later if any decision had been arrived at, he uronused to communicate with us still later There has been no communication s>nco, •but the “Rook of Words’ makes the matter quite plain. Hence our withdrawal, and this letter. We are, M. E. NEVILLE, M. C. FTJ7.tr EE A ID. Prefects Saint Mary’s School." Hokitika, March Ist, 1930.