COMPETITIONS NEAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 794, 15 October 1929, Page 16

COMPETITIONS NEAR

AUCKLAND SOCIETY’S FESTIVAL

ENTRIES SHOW INCREASE The Auckland Competitions Society’s nine-days’festival begins on Thursday morning in the Lewis Eady Hall. In the evening the official opening ceremony will take place, when Mr. Andrew Menzies, president of the society, will speak. Recalled competitors from the day session will reappear and combined ballet dancing will add to the attractive entertainment arranged. With 1,500 individual entrants, the society has gained a list much larger than that of last year. This encouraging fact has been revealed, although the classes for the approaching fourth annual festival have been reduced. The secretary to the society, Mr. J. A. Sharp, is at present busily occupied in completing the final arrangements necessary for a successful opening. * Apart from entrants from provincial towns there will be competitors from Wellington, Palmerston North, Napier and Wanganui. One of the excellent prizes provided for the society’s festival has come from the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association, which has given a £ 5 5s prize for the prepared speech section. The subject will be on New Zealand’s industrial development. For the championship pianist section, the Auckland Society of Musicians has offered a £ 2 2s trophy and a prize has also been presented by the Auckland Savage Club. The society’s official pianist, Miss Theo Halpin, has offered a gold medal for competition. In the vocal section, gold medals have been given by Mrs. G. Squirrel!, Mr. James Hayden and Mrs. Richardson. Miss Halpin is well known for her recitals and for her broadcasts from IYA. Mr. Dance Craig, of Hastings, will be the competent judge of the vocal section. Mr. Craig has had wide experience in competitions work. Two judges are coming from Wanganui. One is Mr. J. William Bayley, who is wellis Mr. J. William Bayley, who is well was once engaged with the Metropolitan Opera Company, New York. The second, judge will be Miss Audrey Hughes-Johnson, who has gained prominence in dancing instruction. Mr. Sharp this morning was optimistic over the prospects for the festival. He said the entries included the names of many performers of note, and the standard of performance reached should be high.