“MISS N.Z.”

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25834, 20 June 1949, Page 2

“MISS N.Z.”

MISS M. D. WOODWARD’S STUDIES Miss Mary Daphne (Bobbie) Woodward, who has been selected as the winner of the “Miss New Zealand” Quest, is a blonde 20-year-old student. Educated at the New Plymouth Girls’ High School, Miss Woddward is now completing the B.A. course at Auckland University College. This year she is studying the piano for the A.T.C.L. diploma. This is only one of her interests, as she claims such others as the associated arts of the ballet and the theatre, and has studied dancing. When qualified as a teacher of langu-. ages, she would like .to study at first hand the educational systems of Europe and America. Before the result was announced at the Town Hall, Wellington, on Friday, the 13 district finalists filed on to the stage and were introduced to the audience in front of a battery of cameras. Miss Nelle Scanlan, one of the four judges, who made the announcement, kept the name of the winner a secret, almost until the end of her address. “Looks and general appearance, are certainly important in this Miss New Zealand quest,” Miss Scanlan said. “A girl who has a good appearance has

10 yards start in 100 out of every race. But many other aspects were taken into consideration. This is most definitely not just a bathing beauty contest/ Keen intelligence and awareness and a breadth of information, both about New Zealand and Britain were highly necessary, and all these qualities were possessed by Miss Woodward. “I can tell you that we judges put all the candidates through the hoops properly—in fact the contest was almost like a Grand National, with candidates gradually falling as the jumps became higher. But Miss Woodward cleared the very last hurdle,” Miss Scanlan said. The judges had been unanimous in their decision. “It’s just a tremendous thrill and I haven’t quite realised it yet,” Miss Woodward said when she was escorted to the front of the fctage by the executive director of the quest, Mr K. W. Kilpatrick. “I will do my very best to represent New Zealand worthily.” She thanked all those connected with the quest and the other finalists for their support. “Miss Woodward will go Home on July 13 and do credit to us all,” said the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash), congratulating her. The Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) was unable to attend. The quest had had a two-fold purpose, said the chairman of directors of the quest, Mr A. J. Manson: to raise money to provide memorials to airmen who had died in the two world wars, and to find a young woman to represent New Zealand abroad with dignity, charm, and ihtelligence. Cr. R. L. Macalister, deputising for the Mayor of Wellington, Mr C. M. Bowden, M.P., deputising for the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland), and Sir Keith Park. Dominion president of the Air Force Association, also congratulated Miss Woodward.