GRAND SKATING CARNIVAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1178, 13 July 1911, Page 6

GRAND SKATING CARNIVAL.

6 The Olympia Skating Rink presented a ver.v gay spectacle last evening, when tlie annual grand fancy-dress carnival •was hold. A large number of people wero present, both as spectators and skaters, and the various events were watched with interest. The'largo liall was lung with gaily coloured flags, and, from the rafters, were suspended numbers of equally bright-coloured Chinese lanterns, fully in keeping with the brilliant dresses of the skaters. A great variety of fancy dresses were to be seen, some of the wearers sustaining their characteristics remarkably well.

Nationalities were not so largely represented as they usually are, the skaters having apparently devoted their attention more to representative personalities than anything else. At one time during the evening one saw a dainty little butterfly dancing away most • blithely with' His Majesty King George, who. (for tin's occasion at least) had forgotten all about his royal cares and dignities. Juliet, in white satin and pearls, glided about the hall utterly unaffected by the absouee of liouieo—Juliet, brought up-to-date, as all things apparently have to be to suit these times. Harry Lauder, entirely irresistible and decidedly substantial, frollicked gaily about, tho place with ar ( , equally lightheai ted lady, clad in something that might have been either a harem dress or a bathing suit, with tho addition of a pink parasol. A fishwife, with, her '.'man" (they surely must have come from Xowhaven) were adm.irablo in their get-up, every detail having apparently been thought of. A gipsy lass, as dainty as though she had just stepped out of a bandbox (somewhat unlike the original), with her partner, an early Victorian lady, were a particularly graceful pair of skaters. Pierrots, and pierrettes, overgrown babies, posters representing Petone blankets, lienzi's "Pepso," and lurkcaldie and Stains, royalty and all its train, Maoris, with the small baby tied across their backs, Marcus Superbus, a lingo bottle of Begg's whisky, and all other individualities which are usually to be seen at such things, were there in numbers.

Some of tho skating was particularly interesting to watch, especially the dancing, and one could but marvel at (.lie proficiency shown. The music also wiys inspiriting. As everyone entered the lttill. they were given voting papers on which they were to record the numbers of those who struck them as being She best in tho various events, twenty in number. Today a. committee will go through the papers, and announce. tho?e who have, been adjudged bv popular vote to ba the .winner*.