“MOST POPULAR GIRL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 112, 2 August 1927, Page 5

“MOST POPULAR GIRL

VISIT TO MOTHERLAND Miss Stella Maroney, who was voted the most popular girl in New South Wales, and consequently won the prize of a trip to Europe, arrived at Southampton by the White Star liner Ceramic (reports the London “Daily Chronicle”). The competition was promoted in order to raise funds for cancer research, and Miss Maroney received over 20,000 votes. There were 54 girls in the final, which resulted in about £30,000 being raised. Miss Maroney, who was accompanied by her parents, is a girl of olive complexion, with black hair. She played a prominent part in all the social functions on board the ship, and proved herself an excellent singer. She now begins her tour in London, and hopes to proceed to Rome, Geneva, Marseilles, and Monte Carlo. She will then return to England before making a tour of Scotland and Ireland. “When I knew I had won the competition I was tremendously thrilled.” she said. “1 have wanted to visit England all my life. It is a dream come true. I have heard so much about it from my parents; it is to me the motherland.” Miss Maroney is an accomplished girl, speaking French fluently, and she hopes to make a further study of languages during her visit to Europe. The 20,000 votes which Miss Maroney secured brought in about £I,OOO to the fund, each vote recorded having to be accompanied by one shilling. The whole of the expenses of the trip from Australia to England and the visit to the Continent will be paid out of the funds.