WAITARA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1917, Page 3

WAITARA.

(From Our Own Correspondent). Babies are dominating the whole of • the interests of the people of the town just now; Wherever one goes one finds ! the coming baby contest stuck up against one in some form or otlier. You are expected to buy tickets in a raffle or give a prize to he ruffled for in the interest of one or other of the two 'babies nominated in the town. Committees of each are busy every day, and, for that matter every night, getting votes for . their particular child. Saturdays especially are busy days. From early in the morning until late at night some members of the committees aro in their places at the shops used for the purpose of soliciting support, and, what is more, they are getting- it. The business people are located in the shop adjoining Mr. Beckbessinger, whilst the freezers have taken charge of the blue store, and in each place there Is displayed the many arid various prizes that are" for raffle. So good are they and so satisfied with the object and the fair manner of drawing that it is not a particularly difficult matter to dispose of tickets'; in fact people go right into the lion's den without asking and freely buy. This ia a good spirit. The freezers are particularly energetic, and 'bring the crowee round In great numbers iby their voices and other means. The business folk take theirs in a more quiet and sedate manner, but withal they are quite as keen. To show what will be done in emergencies a case may be cited that took place outside the freezers' quarters on Saturday night, A Maori was noticed; among the crowd with a fowl that he had purchased that day. A joker among tho freezers' men saw it and was not long in becoming its temporary owner, duo to the Maori not being quick of feeling at the moment. In a few minutes the fowl had realised something like 20s for tho fund, and was then handed back to its owner amidst much laughter from the assembled crowd. Functions of all descriptions have been arranged for between this and Labor Day, all in the interests of baby, and little ground is left untrodden.' The country babies aro not lacking for good nourishment either. Every place ia arranging some means of pushing the baby's barrow along, and as the first official figures are to"be displayed at the pictures on Wednesday night no doubt there will be considerable taken by the public, and more especially by the committees, in the state of the poll to be declared, and this will be sustained each week in tho same manner. Each baby has a color, and it is proposed to hoist (lags showing the positions, but not the numbers, of each baby twice in the 'week, the changes being made on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The papers will also be supplied with the results after being shown at the pictures, giving each branch's number of rotes recorded for the week, so that the whole district will be kept in touch with what their neighbors and their opponents are doing. It is expected that the £IOOO i trill be easily topped when the campaign I is over. :\ In addition to the baby contest there i is to be a surprise packet day on Sep- 1 tembor 15, and as all investor's will got at least a shilling's worth of value for their shilling this should net a handsome ' num. IVaturally very many of the prizes will be worth a good many shil- 1 j-lings, so there is always the chance of getting more than value for the money, ] will this appeals to most of us. Tho New Plymouth Pierrots are in ] 'charge of that daj;, and, needless to say.