QUEEN CARNIVAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5006, 28 July 1926, Page 2

QUEEN CARNIVAL.

CONCLUSION OF CONTEST.

BLUE QUEEN TOPS THE POLL.

After running for just over seven weeks the Queen Carnival contest in connection with the raising of funds tor the local Boy Scouts’ band and other projects was brought to a conclusion at the Gaiety Theatre last night. The contest was between three local young ladies, namely Mis_s Reta McCullay (Blue Queen), Mis f s Iris Masters (Yellow Queen), and Miss C. Fleming (Rod Queen). As a grand finale to the contest a danco and euchre tournament was held at the theatre, the proceeds of which were devoted direct to the boy scouts’ funds. A large number of people attended, and the i.ance hall looked very pretty, the decorations, comprising bunting and paper streamers representing the colours of the queens. The dance music, supplied by the Symphony Orchestra of seven musicians, was mucr enjoyed, and frequent encores were demanded. tOwnig to the number of people who played euchre the tournament was held in the Soldiers’ dub, 84 plavers taking part.

During the evening the committees o*f the, queens- spent a busy and profitable time raffling various articles as a means of extracting money from those who attended, in the hope of gaining a,- last minute victory. A' responsible citizen acted as official tima-keeper, and during the night money was. paid into the credit of the different queens, and the results were announced each quarter of an hour up to 10.45 p.m,, which was the time agre,ed upon when the official dlosing for the receipt of money which was to count as, vo’ces for the queens should take place. As the hour approached, interest in -the. contest became intense. • At 10.30 o’clock the position ct the queens was, Blue, 7326 ; Yellow, 5880 ; Red, 5204. During the last quarter of an hour there was a buzz of excitement and much speculation as to the final result.

At 11 o’clock the carnival secretary, Mr R. L. Miller, mounted the stage and -announced the .results as follbiws .

Blue Queen, 13,040 votes, representing £163. Yellow Queen, 5918 votes, repre senting £73 19s 6d.

Red Queen, 5204 votes, representing £65 Is.

After the applause that greeted the announcement had subsided Mr Miller, in declaring Miss McCullay the winner, said that he had .to apologise for the absence through sickness of the scouts’ district commissioner, Mr Ek W. Porritt, and the Red Queen, Miss Fleming. As carnival! secretary he had had many opportunities of realising the difficulties that beset the careers of the contestants. Few people realised the careful planning required to make even a small public entertainment a success. ’ For weeks past the queens and their committees had been working long hours, and often in stormy weather, in the town and district, while many people were comfortably asleep in their beds. The results attained had far exceeded the expectations or anticipation's of either the scouts or the general public. It was a difficult task to thank adequately the queens, their committees. and all who had so liberally assisted td bring the contest to such a successful conclusion. There was no doubt that hereafter young and old would regard the queens; not only as being ornamental, but as being possessors of the qualifications of publicspiritedness -apd leaders of good ¥or the common weal in our midst. On behalf of the district commissioner and the local troop of boy scouts the speaker extended hearty congratulations to Miss McCullay oh her success, and also to thq other queens, and he especially thanked all who had contributed towards the success d.? the undertaking. A scene of wild enthusiasm prevailed when Miss. McCullay mounted the stage to acknowledge her thanks, after which she called, for cheers tor Misses Masters and Fleming. These were lustily given, and th© appearance of Miss Masters, who graciously congratulated Miss McCullay on her success, was the signal for further prolonged cheering and applause.- . During the evening Mr Miller presented prizes to the winners of the euchre tournament as follows: Ladies, Mrs J. White, first; Mrs Lipsham, senr., s.econcl. Men, J. Pascoe, first; L. Lovich, second.