THE COMPETITIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1932, Page 4

THE COMPETITIONS

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The Committee- of the Westland Competitions Society met at the Soldier.,?’ Hall yesterday at 4 p.m. to complete final arrangements for the annual festival opening at the Princess Theatre next Thursday night-. There were present: Mr D. J.. Evans (President), Mrs McGavin, Messrs Richards, Stapleton, Duff. Heen an, Menzies, Sweney, Osmers (secretary) and Rev. H. J. Knights. Mr J. O’Brien, M.P., wrote notifying; donation, ef. a gold medal for the-, classical : recitation - for ladies.—Received with thanks. . r Mr W. E. Brown wrote regretting he could net- accept the invitation to join the Committee.—Received with regret. « Air W. T. Starkey, Hastings, wrote offering his services ag adjudicator for 1933.—Received and filed for reference.

THE FESTIVAL. Mr Osmers reported there were 516 entries? for the Competitions as against 483 last year. The largest increase was in tile- dancing section, 240 as against 144. The musical section was 108, ae against 133, and the elocution, 173 as against 206, There was a well varied programme f°r each session of the festival, Tils Committee would open next Thursday night at 7.45 o'clock in the Prinowns Theatre, when the judges would bo introduced, and some 34 items from the Competitions programme would be rendered. On Friday, Saturday and Monday, the day sessions for dancing would be in progress at the Theatre, and the-other items at- All -Saints’ Hall, where each night the Competitions would be in progress also. .The festival would conclude on Tiieodav night, and on Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Princess Theatre- there would be the Demonstration Concerts. There would thus be a very full week’s programme.

That day, Mr Osmers said, Mrs Bartram of Christchurch, who was to judge the dancing section, was reported ill and taken to the hospital. Mrs A. Strang of Timaru, formerly Miss Ruby Ford, who- had been an applicant for the position, had been appointed to adjudicate in Airs Bertram's place, whose illness was regretted and a hopes expressed for a speedy recovery. It was reported tickets for the Competitions- were now on sale and comet he had from members of the Committee or at the Bristol, Aarrall’s and ProeklehurstH Several 1 -subscriptions were banded in.

Arrangements for the conduct of the several sessions were made, including control of the day sessions. The question of awards in classes where entries were three or less, was to the judges to award according to the merit of the performance in each case, The meeting concluded at 4.45,