COMPETITIONS

Southland Times, Issue 18840, 5 June 1920, Page 5

COMPETITIONS

A POOR MEETING. A meeting of those interested in trie revival ui ii.c In.cicaigm Competitions' Isociei.v was iieio m ,-ii.eii’s Hail last night, only nine attending. Air D. J. Wesney was voted to the chair. Apologies were received irom six members. 1 The chairman said that up to the 1914 festival the society had nourished. During the war years, however, no lestivals were held, anil uotnmg was none unta last year. The result to start with was gratifying, and everything ftomted to a successful festival. The entries were not encouraging, there being only 10 instrumental, 43 %ocal and 36 elocutionary, 50 per cent, of which were from outside Invercargill. Then literary 1 7, writing 19, and dancing 7 brought t.ie grand total up to 132. The curtailment oi tne train services no doubt hai an mlluence on the entries. On account of the lew entries the Society abandoned the competition. It was regrettable that the people of Invercargill had allowed their festival to fall from one of the best in the Dominion to what was achieved last year. The lack of local entries was the main factor in the abandonment of the festival. The initial expenditure amounted to about £6OO, and unless the committee had the whole-hearted support of the public the festival would have to be abandoned. The committee was of the opinion that it was useless trying to run a festival without 1100 entries. If there had been a good attendance at the meeting the Society was prepared to take up the matter and try to arouse public interest.

A committee consisting of Messrs A. S. Wallace, G. Braxton. S. Richards, G. Reed, J. D. Gilmore and Gifford was formed to interview prospective competitors, and to report to Mr D. J. Wesney. If sufficient support was promised a meeting of the Society would be held, the meeting being of the opinion that any chance should not be missed to revive the festival.