“Miss New Zealand”

Evening Star, Issue 19351, 10 September 1926, Page 5

“Miss New Zealand ”

Dominion=wide Interest Friendly Rivalry Between Provinces Otago Entries Coming in Steadily Seven entries came to hand yesterday and twelve new applications for entry forms. Looks well, doesn’t it? If entrants are wise they will make immediate arrangements with the official photographer (Mr Jas. J. Webster) for a sitting, this will obviate “rush” work, which is never satisfactory. ’ And remember —twenty-four hours is the limit within which your chosen proof must be returned. _ Are New Zealand girls prettier than their Australian sisters? This is always a question that crops up amongst b( interesting to compare the finalists in the “Miss New Zealand contest with “Miss Australia” and her nearest attendants. In the meantime, however, the big question is: “Are Otago girls prettier than those of Auckland”—or Canterbury, or Wellington? We contend that they are, and that “Miss New Zealand” will, or should, come from our province. And we look to our beautiful girls to prove it. All competitors whose portraits appear in the ‘Star’ will be eligible both for “Miss Otago” and “Miss New Zealand” honors._ That is to say, there is a possibility of our most beautiful girl winning not only the two highest places, but the accompanying money prizes totalling £3o°. . , There is a suggestion that the country districts should make a popular choice of one or more of its girls and enter them as the representative of the town or district. This is a good idea. A noticeable feature of the Entries so far is the fact that groups of girls from drapery and other firms and from largo offices have determined to -put the big question to the tost and leave the result to competent judges. By the way, the question of judges is now under consideration, and competent and reputable ladies and gentlemen will shortly be approached with a view to enlisting their aid. From time to time we will publish in the ‘Star’ photos of competitors in other centres, in addition to those of our own girls. QUERIES ANSWERED. “Not Quite Sure.”—We would suggest your leaving the matter of pose to the photographer. His experience will he the best guide. HINTS AND CONDITIONS. We have received numbers of requests for copies of the conditions as published at the outset. 'We republish these below, together wifcn the measurements of three famous beauties. As already pointed out, however, these measurements need not be taken as a standard, You mav differ in some of them and still be considered perfectly formed. Somewhere in the Dominion there is a beautiful girl worthy of the title. The Dunedin ‘ Evening Star,’ with the aid of the principal papers in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, and in conjunction with New Zealand Entertainers, Ltd., intends to discover her, and, with this object, has organised a great Beauty Contest. _ Simultaneously will be chosen “ Miss Auckland, bliss Wellington,” “Miss Canterbury,” and “Miss Otago,” which means that a provincial contest will be held in each of the four centres. Attractive. prizes await the lucky girls who become the eight finalists, £650 is being offered, to be divided as follows; MISS, NEW ZEALAND •• £250 SECOND DOMINION FINALIST £IOO “ MISS AUCKLAND,” “ MISS WELLINGTON,” “MISS CANTERBURY,” and “ MISS OTAGO ” £•><> each FOUR SECOND PEOYINCIALFINALISTS £25 each W’hon the two competitors at the head of the poll in each province have been found, they will, be assembled in Auckland, where specially-appointed and competent judges will select MISS NEW ZEALAND.” , All expenses will be defrayer] of Uio trip to Auckland for uic final pageant, which will take, place at His Majesty s Theatre in conjunction with the New Zealand Entertainers, Ltd., on the occasion of the next season of International Vaudeville. HOW TO COMPETE. Entry forms for intending competitors within the Dunedin provincial boundaries are available at the office ot the Malinger, Beauty Contest, ‘Star’ Office., Bond street, Dunedin, and arc cither bv personal application or by mail. When the entry form is completed and returned to this office, accompanied by the five shillings entry fee, a coupon will be given to the competitor, entitling her to bo photographed, free of charge, at Jas. J. Webster’s Studio, Stock Exchange, Dunedin. Mr _ Webster lias been appointed official photographer for the Otago province. In order to facilitate the entry of_ country competitors, and to give them equal opportunities with the city girls, it has been arranged that on certain davs, which will bo announced in this column, Mr Webster’s staff will be in attendance at Baiclutha and Milton for photographing purposes. JUDGING AND PUBLICITY. The girls will ho. chosen for beauty of face and form. To facilitate judging full-length pictures of each girl in bathing costume will ’ also bo taken, though not necessarily for publication^ Each day, during the currency of the competition, the ‘Star ’ will publish double-column reproductions of competitors. From the photographs submitted, a judging committee, whose mimes will ho given later, will select the twelve mast bcautilul girls, whose pictures will be again published, and the readers of the ‘Star’ invited, through the medium of coupons, to vote for the most beautiful girl. The four girls at the head of the Otago provincial poll will then he invited to appear in the beauty pageant at His Majesty’s Theatre, when the final selection of “Miss Otago” will be made by the audiences, who will thus have an opportunity of seeing the girls in person. . This procedure will bo adopted in each province. Throughout the competition the ‘Star’ will also publish pictures of the most beautiful girls contesting in' other provinces, and simultaneously the Northern papers, the ‘Dominion’ (Wellington), the ‘Star’ (Christchurch), and the ‘Star’ (Auckland), will bo displaying pictures of Otago competitors. The names of the judging committee to select MISS NEW ZEALAND from the eight finalists at the Auckland Pageant will be announced later. MEASUREMENT OF FAMOUS BEAUTIES. VENUS DE MILO. BERYL MILLS FAY LAMPS l ER (Miss Australia). (Miss America). TTriMit sft 4in Height - sft 6)in Height sft 6in Wejaht "" _ Weight 9st nib Weight 9st 21b jleck 12]m Nock - - Neck 13)in Arm (’upper) 12)in Arm (length) 29in Arm flipper) IGin Waist 26in Waist Jljps 58in Hips —.... 36]in Hips - 37iin Thichs - 22iin Thighs 22in. Thighs 20in Ca lf 13 1-Sin Calf 13]in Calf 13)in Anidc". 7 2-siu Ankle 9in Ankle Sin Wrist 5 9-10lu Wrist ... 6fin Wrist — 1 A VALUABLE COMPETITION. To competitors we would point out that this beauty contest, is the first of its kind to bo held in the dominion, and in organising it wo are bringing New Zealand into lino with the other countries of Dio world who are stimulating the love of the beautiful by means of annual national beauty quests. The United States have their annual beauty pageant m search of “Miss America” at Atlantic City, when hundreds of America’s most beautiful girls compete for the honor. England, too, is now holding contests with enormous success, as is also Franco. To’ come nearer home, we have Australia, where there has just concluded the most successful beauty competition in her history. The amazing interest that was developed throughout the length and "breadth of the Commonwealth was typical of the public enthusiasm invariably centred on those explorations of unknown beauties. For the first time in the history of this dominion a serions attempt is being made to discover the flower of our womanhood. The competition is no parochial affair, and will embrace the whole of New Zealand from the North Cape to the Bluff for prizes that are worthy of the occasion. We wish to specially stress the fact that country girls will have equal chances with their city cousins, and for the benefit of the former it may be stated that Miss Beryl Mills, winner of the “ Miss Australia ” contest, came from Gerald ton, an obscure town in West Australia. The system of photographing and judging will give every girl an equal chance. The greatest precautions will he taken to exclude any suspicion of favoritism. INFORMATION. Intending competitors who seek further information on any point should communicate with the Manager, Beauty Contest, ‘Evening Star,’ Bond street, Dunedin. Replies to queries will ho published in this column. asihey arise, will bo published from time to tune.