“Miss N.Z.” Semi-Finalists Appear To-Night

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 June 1927, Page 1

“Miss N.Z.” Semi-Finalists Appear To-Night

Picture Patrons to Choose Girl for Hollywood POPULAR VOTING PRINCIPLE The JG Auckland semi-finaliasts in the “Miss New Zealand 192 T” competition will make their initial stage appearances to-night at the Regent and Majestic Theatres. Members of a band of SO New Zealand girls, they will simultaneously appear before the public, who are the final arbiters in this great screen contest. “The judges have conscientiously done their work,” said Mr. Henry Hayward, chairman of directors of the Fuller-Hayward Theatres, and the

veteran of the New Zealand picture industry, in a statement to-day. “The responsibility now rests with the public. I hope that picture patrons will not be animated when casting their votes by any personal sentiments or reasons. We want the best possible girl in New Zealand to go abroad and represent us. We have done our best to find her, and now we invite the active assistance and co-operation of the general public.” Voting would be on the principle of “one person, one vote.” Mr. Hayward explained, so there will be no possibility of block voting, “For instance, no person can buy up votes,” he added. “Every Auckland citizen who attends the theatres while the girls are appearing will have one vote. There will be no privileged voting.” QUARTER OF MILLION VOTES Certificated accountants had' been placed in charge of the ballot boxes in all the Dominion centres. Mr. Hayward estimates that no fewer than 250,000 votes would be cast during the competition. It is hardly likely that “Miss New Zealand 1927” will be selected before the end of September. The process of selecting “Miss Auckland” and her Maid of Honour, and the Southern representatives, will be rather a lengthy one. The ten finalists will have to appear In all the cities and the principal country towns. “I have great faith in the ultimate judgment of the people,” said Mr. Hayward. “The people of New Zealand

will, I feel certain, select the best type available—it is essential, of course, that the features of “Miss New Zealand 1927” should be acceptable to the camera—and will elect our representative to go to Hollywood entirely on her own merits.”