PLAN A HOLIDAY NOW

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 21

PLAN A HOLIDAY NOW

There’s a Fortnight’s Free Holiday for the Winner of the "Ideal Holiday" Competition UNDOUBTEDLY the most remarkable feature about the hundreds of essays which have been submitted for Columbia Pictures’ "Ideal Holiday" competition has been the variety of places where entrants would choose to spend their ideal holiday. And though no stipulation was actually made, a bare half-dozen entrants have indicated a preference for a holiday outside New Zealand. The rest, evidently in complete agreement with the slogan "See New Zealand first," would be quite content to spend a fortnight by some New Zealand beach, river or lake. It is evident that the average New Zealander knows his country intimately, knows exactly where pleasant vacations can be spent.

] is not to crowded pleasure resorts that the majority would go. Many know of some quiet. spot, far from crowds and noise, where complete rest and leisure can be enjoyed. How many New Zealanders have heard of the village of Tapanui, for instance? Yet it is at Tapanui, an isolated hamlet nestling at the foot € the Blue Mountains in Otago, that one essayist would spend her holiday. . — "Tt may be a slow little place," she says, "but what quiet contentment one can find there in the beauty of the surrounding hills." That, perhaps, is the secret Of a well-spent holiday. Not 14 days of hectic excursions by day and hectic pleasure-seek-ing by night, but peace and utter quiet amid the beauty of Nature.

After all, the real purpose of a holiday should be recreation in the literal sense of the word. How often do we return re-created, rested mentally and physically, ready and prepared for another year’s work? Holiday Essays © standard of essays entered for Columbia Pictures’ competition continues to . be satisfactorily high. This is especially pleasing in view of ‘the fact that it is obvious that many entrants have seldom sat down with pen in hand to a task such. as. describing in a few hundred words. how they would spend a fortnight’s holiday. It’s all very well for the professional writer, the free lance journalist, or even the amateur

dabbler in the gentle art of essay writing. But for the housewife, or the average working man _ it demands a certain amount of hard work. The high standard of essays is. all the more gratifying. Concerning. the amateur dabbler in essay writing. It is easy to recognise his touch. Gifted with the ability to express himself | more or less. fluently on paper, he is inclined to dwell a. little. too. much..on superficials, such as pretty style, apt phrasing-though to tell the truth, the finished result is always easy to read.

On the other hand we have the. realist who is concerned ’ wholly with hard facts, and whose essay tends to become little more than a_ time-table and a list of equipment and provisions, The happy medium for a competition such as this must lie somewhere between the two.. The ideal essay for the "Ideal Holiday" competition, in other words, should’ be a careful blending of style and facts. , That is why this week’s preliminary prize was.won by Mr, A, lL. McGibbon; of 91 London ‘Street, Dunedin; who'thus qualifies for the final. . And finally, a word to entrants who have not been so suecessful. Don’t be discouraged. Try again. Last week your essay may have been overshadowed; next week it: may be the best submitted. Next week, too, we may be announcing something special. . So watch out for the "Holiday" page.

Holiday Essay Competition FHiERE is an opportunity to win a FREE two weeks’ holiday this summer; all expenses paid. All you have to do is write an essay of approximately 250 to 500 words on your ideal holiday-how you would spend it, what you would do. CONDITIONS. 1. There is no entrance fee and no limitation to the number of essays you may enter for the competition. 2, Essays must be written. or typed on one side of the paper only. 3. Preliminary prizes of 65/will ‘be paid’ each week. by Columbia Pictures Proprietary Ltd., for the best essay submitted each week. The grand prize of a free two weeks’ holiday witl be awarded to the writer of what is Judged to be the best essay submitted during the competition." 4. First prize includes:-~ (a) Return rail fare to Tl maru and Caroline. Bay if the winner resides in the South island, or to Rotorua if the winner resides in the. North Island, and accommodation he a deading hotel. (b) A smart travelling case presented by Nash’s Leather Arcade, only address 133-135, Cuba Street, Wellington (c) One new _- season’s model "Cutie" bathing suit presented by Lane, Walker, Rudkin, Ltd., manufacturers of "Canterbury" woollen goods. ° (d) A Slazenger "Match Point" racquet donated. by Slazenger (Australla) Pty., Ltd., Sydney. _(e) An Ensign Camera donated. by H. E. Perry Ltd., N.Z. ‘Distributors «for Selochrome Films. 5. Essays winning preliminary prizes will be published in the "Record" each week. 6. All essays must be post: ed to "Holiday Competition," c/o. Columbia Pictures, P.O. Box .180, Wellington. d