CARNIVAL FLORAL FETE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 72, 24 March 1923, Page 11

CARNIVAL FLORAL FETE.

A SPLENDID SPECTACLE. GREAT CROWD AT ELLERSLIE. I A splendid spectacle gTeeted the thou - ' ands who wended their way to witness the great floral fe.te organised by the j Auckland carnival executive on Ellerslie racecourse this afternoon. Happily, the : threatened rain kept off. When the , prand procession was marshalled to j round the course, the sun ehonc epien- I clidly on a brilliant scene. Long before j the hour of display, all patha leading to j the racecourse held steady streams of | people, their numbers resembling that i of the habitual race crowd, with the ! addition that it contained many htm- ! dred-3 of happy children. Vehicles of j every description, from the lumberin? motor lorry to the gracefully propor- I tioned touring car, and tiny goat-cart and pony phaetons to big four-horse lorries were represented, decorated in innumerable beautiful designs with flowers natural and flowers artificial—a truly brilliant display of moving colour. There were numerous entries for the lug prizes offered in the classes for advertisement and trade displays, decorated motor trucks, lorries, carts, trucks, horse and rider, decorated motor cycles and side cars, push bicycles, go-carts and perambulators, carts and children's pets. First in public estimation in the parade was the display of Mr. Norman A. Brett, whose car waa beautifully got up as a gondola, in red and white, with a line of green ivy leaves. It waa a splendid and stately sight, looking for all the world as if the craft it represented gently floated upon a still-surfaced stream. It is said that no less than 80011 paper roaes went to the bedec'-cinfr of this gondola. Another tine spectacle was provided by the carnival car. carrying a huge white globe, with Australia and New Zealand outlined in vivid blue, and the Surfdalc car, a beautiful barge in blue and white, also charmed the artistic eye. A wedding car, covered with snowy down, waa also worthy of more than ordinary notice, and was particularly pleasing to the eyes of the fair sex. always interested in anything that hints of rice, confetti, and old shoes. The children's turnouts were particularly pretty —tiny men and maidens, driving ponies almost ns tiny, the decorations showing much quaintnoss. Another turnout with miniature ponies and jockeys was perhaps the most noticeable in this class. There were very many fine trade displays nnd a great line of motors, of old and new modelling, whilst a huge sixwheeled motor lorry drew much attention us it lumbered along, the greatest vehicle seen in modern trade locally. A decorated lorry attended by Swiss maidens and advertising a well-known brand of chocolates provided a picturesque display, and there was much humour in the fat man, clothed in tyres lof a well-known firm, and also in the I walking clock, which advertised a KaraI ngahape Road jeweller. ' A parachute descent by Mr. Eastwood from a seaplane was amongst the atI tractions. The Maypole dance was also j a splendid sight.

FIREWORKS DISPIAY.

It was stated in yesterday's "Star" i that quite the best event of the evening |at the Domain on Thursday was the i fireworks display by the Chinese popuj lation. The display was not made enI tirely by the Chinese, but by Mr. YV. 11. I Hazard, with English rockets and shells, ! the Chinese being responsible for the 1 crackers and set pieces. This display !of English fireworks cost over £50, and, was greatly appreciated by the large crowd. i BANDS DEMONSTRATION THIS EVENING. CONCERT IN TOWN HALL. I The Auckland Summer Carnival is I being concluded to-day, the main attraction being the floral fete at Ellerslie, I while this evening the massed bands de-! monstration and quick step competition! lis to take place under the electric light jat the Domain. There will also be anI other excellent, concert by the Carnival ■ Revue Company in the Concert Chamber | of the Town Hall this evening. ■ CARNIVAL TUG-OF-WAR. | WON BY TRAMWAYS'TEAM. At the Town Hall last night the somi- | final and final in connection with the ! carnival tug-o'-war were pulled off. In j the semi-final. Suburbs heat Southdown ' in the first and third of three strenuous | pulls: and Ponsonby Tramways beat the Southdown Midgets in two straight | pulls. The final between Ponsonby j Tramways and Suburbs was won by the i former in two straight pulls.