The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 28, 1915. THE CARNIVAL FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2499, 28 June 1915, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, JUNE 28, 1915. THE CARNIVAL FUNDS

Even those who have not approved the Carnival Queen idea or those who have objected to some of the methods pursued in connection therewith cannot fail to recognise that it has at least served the main purpose in view beyond the most sanguine expectations. Never before in uns community has there been displayed such widespread and whole-hearted interest in any public movement; never have the people subscribed more generously. No doubt the object, the assistance of our wounded and tho dependents of thoso who may lay down their lives for their country, was largely responsible for the splendid response made; out it is safe also to say that many people were reached by means of the methods adopted by the organisers who would not have been reached by ordinary means; and many more were prompted to give with greater liberality than otherwise would have been the case. The Queen Competition has had some features which were not- altogether pleasant ones, but on the whole it must be recognised that it has been carried through with an amount of enthusiasm and with the spirit of self-sacrifice worthy of the purpose in view. No one who has lived in the City of Wellington during the past month can fail to have been impressed with the fact that a tremendous amount of hard work has been voluntarily performed by very large bands of workers for the various candidates; oftentimes under conditions far from pleasant, but always with a whole-hearted enthusiasm that imperatively commanded success. Here and there the efforts were better organised and experience or special opportunity gave the workers for certain candidates an advantage over their rivals, but the spirit underlying all was a worthy desire to help forward a good cause. The admirable organisation and splendid enthusiasm of the Commercial Travellers enabled them to secure the victory for their Queen, and it must be that they worked very hard to win success. Many people—on sentimental grounds—had hoped that the "Trentham Boys'" candidate would gain the coveted distinction, and during the later stages of the contest the appeals made for the Red, White, and Blue met with a spirited response. Had the effort been made a little earlier it is possible that instead of being a good second the nominee of our | soldiers would' have been crowned Queen; but as it is the "Trentham Boys" have good reason to be proud of the handsome sum collected in support of their representative. Indeed, as mentioned before, the workers for all the candidates can look with pride on the outcome of their efforts as represented in the large sum of money raised. Over £63,000 has been added to the funds as the result of the Carnival Queen contest, and before the ceremonies are concluded this amount will probably be substantially added _ to. Tho various ladies who permitted themselves to be nominated for tho royal office have been in most cases amongst the hardest worked of those who assisted in the contest, and they can well feel that the sacrifices they have made were not in vain. The large sum collected must_ again direct attention to the question of the control and administration of those funds. The matter is quite as important as the task of collection, and should at the earliest possible moment be placed on a proper footing. We have already expressed the opinion that the whole of the money collected for the benefit of wounded soldiers and the dependents of the killed should be placed in a National Fund with local nimniittees to advise as to the distribution of grants. Unless this is done and some general scheme, of distribution prepared there is certain to be inequality of treatment in different parts of the Dominion and conscfjucnLiuJ diwonl«»l and dis&athlttt;. lion,.