QUEEN CARNIVAL TO BE HELD

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 138, 17 September 1954, Page 5

QUEEN CARNIVAL TO BE HELD

♦ OBJECTIVE £2000 BY CHRISTMAS A fully representative public meeting held in Rickit's Tearooms on Wednesday evening, September 8, decided that a Queen Carnival should be organised for the purpose of raising funds, for the development of the Taupo Sports Ground on the lines suggested at the earlier public meeting reported in the "Taupo Times" of August 27. It was decided that the! target figure.be £2000, and that the Carnival should conclude on December 24.

There was an attendance of over sixty, including a number of ladies, the meeting being presided over by Col. J. D. Swan, chairman of the temporary organising committee set up at the earlier meeting. The chairman outlined the proposed scheme of developing the sports ground, as placed before the previous meeting called by the Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, on August 17, and stated that the temporary committee then set up had met, and had decided to suggest the holding of a Queen Carnival as a means of raising the necessary money. Financial Position It had been estimated that the cost of constructing the actual sports ground, as shown on the plan, would be about £2400. The Borough Council, in its capacity as Domain Board, had no funds available at the moment, and the position was that if the job were to be done at once the necessary funds must be raised. If that were done, and the actual sports ground thus financed, there was no doubt that the Borough Council would continue with the remainder of the development scheme thereafter. The Chairman then asked Mrs Laughton, secretary of the temporary compiittee, to read the minutes of that committee's meeting. These showed that the committee's suggestion was that five queens should be chosen for a, queen carnival. The Chairman, in saying that the whole matter was open for discussion, mentioned that owing to Taupo business people being very busy over the Christmas holiday period it was suggested that the Carnival, if the meeting decided to adopt that method, should be concluded before Christmas. Answering a query by Mr W. J. Stevens, the Chairman stated that the ground would be out of use for a year, but that it had already been decided, at the previous meeting, by the representatives of the various sports, that they would arrange to get temporary grounds for themselves in the meantime. Three Queen Candidates Following a general discussion of the problem of raising the funds required it was decided on a show of hands, with only three opposing, to hold a Queen Carnival, and after further discussion as to the most desirable number of queen candidates, and the interests they should represent, it was decided that there be three, representative of Taupo, the Maori People, and Sports. $ Mr Ian Logan, chairman of a delegation of four appointed by the Taupo Businessmen's Association, stated that the Association supported the proposed effort, and had already organised a subscription list amongst its members, circulation of which had already commenced. Mr G. Anchor, president of the Association, said businessmen were vitally interested in the move, and he thought it would be successful. He hoped the Carnival would be concluded before Christmas. Mr K. Bogue stated that he had reason, unofficially, to believe that the Tuwharetoa Trust Board members would be behind the idea of a Maori queen candidate. The Chairman suggested that the meeting consider the idea of closing the carnival on December 24,

with a ball to be held that evening, with another ball to be held on December 31st at which the crowning of the successful queen candidate be held. This suggestion was adopted on the motion of Mr Bogue, seconded by Mr J. Burge. Committees Set Up • Following discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr G. A. Acres, seconded by Mr J. M. Stanley, that each queen group set up a committee consisting of a chairman, organiser, secretary, treasurer, with three other members. On the motion of Col. Swan, seconded by Mr Bogue, it was decided that the Central Carnival Executive consist of a Chairman, a secretary and a Treasurer, together with the chairmen and organisers of the three queen candidates' committees. The following were then appointed to the Central Executive: — Col. J. D. Swan, chairman; Mr J. Burge, secretary; Mr F. Bostock, treasurer. It was decided that organisers be elected for the Taupo and Sports Queens groups. Mr Owen Delaney was then elected organiser for the Sports Queen group and Mr P. Staines for the Taupo Queen group. The following Committees were then elected: — Sports Queen Committee: Mr G. Foote, chairman; Miss Walters, secretary; Mr F. D. Stretton, treasurer; Messrs J. M. Stanley, G. A. Acres, D. E. Baker. Taupo Queen Committee: Mr Ian Logan, chairman; Mr Dick Fraser, secretary; Mr David Woodward, treasurer; Miss Cohen, Messrs C. Thomas, W. N. Morris. The Chairman suggested that it would be fitting that the matter of the committee and organiser for the Maori Queen be left to the Tuwharetoa Trust Board members and other Maori leaders, and this was agreed to. Central Executive's Job The Chairman suggested that the Queen Committees should get busy as soon as possible and that their first payments to the Central Executive be made on September 24 and fortnightly there after. This was agreed to, and after discussion it was decided that votes be one penny each. The Chairman mentioned that each committee must pay its own expenses. The Central Committee would receive the nett cash from the Queen Committees, and amounts would be notified on and indicator to be arranged in Tongariro Street, probably each Friday evening. Queen Committees must notify the Central Executive of any function theyj planned to hold, in order that the Executive could arrange hall engagements and allocate dates, etc. The Central Executive would be responsible for arranging any combined functions. The first meeting of the Central Executive was fixed for Monday evening, September 13. It was decided that amounts already donated to the Sports Ground Fund, as reported in the "Taupo Times," should not be allocated to any Queen candidate. The Chair^ man also pointed out that this Fund would remain open, as it was likely there would be some donors who would like to give their contributions outright, instead of through the Queen Carnival. This fund,

which stood at £317/3/- would probably reach about £500. Gift For Queen Mr C. Thomas asked whether, if this fund should happen to bring in more money than any of the Queen Committees raised, the Chairman of the Central Executive would then be the Queen? (Laughter). The Chairman replied that he had been called all sorts of things, but never a queen. (More laughter). The matter of whether a prize should be offered for the successful queen candidate was mentioned, and it was suggested that some suitable gift might be arranged The Chairman mentioned that while something of the sort would be fitting, the emphasis of the whole Carnival must be on raising money for the Sports Ground and keeping expenses down.

r ■ISHBilBMMnBO ■ * !■ (I ■ « f5 W P M P K ■ ■ Mr W. J. Stevens, who had raised the matter, stated that he would like to present a gold wristlet watch to the successful Queen candidate. The Chairman accepted the offer with thanks^' amid applause. Mr Stretton suggested that the Carnival should have a definite target figure, and moved that it be the sum of £2000 to be raised by Christmas. Mr J. W. Woodward seconded the motion, which was carried. The Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, stated that he would be glad to do anything he could to assist the Carnival, and hoped any of the Committees would call on him if he' could be of assistance to them. The Chairman thanked all present for attending, saying that they were off to a good start. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Col. Swan for presiding moved by Mr G. Anchor and carried by acclamation.