The Real Start

Evening Star, Issue 19352, 11 September 1926, Page 5

The Real Start

First Photographs To-day The real start in the Beauty Contest is made to-day; that is to say, the portraits'of the first Otago competitors are published. The photographs reproduced above were taken by Mr Jas. J. Webster, the official photographer. Both ladies reside in Dunedin, so the city girls go off with the lead. This is but natural; their country sisters will not be long in coming into the competition, however; and then the town dwellers will have to look to their laurels. In addition to the photos of our first two entrants we publish those of two of the Canterbury competitors. It is our intention to publish from time to time photos of competitors in other centres. “Gentlemen prefer blondes,” says the young American authoress, Anita Loos. But she does not know everything. Lor instance, a famous artist (Sir William Orpen) has said that he prefers brunettes, because they possess-more soul. At any rale, in this Beauty Competition blondes and brunettes stand an equal charcc. Beauty is more than skin deep. HOW. THE JUDGING WILL BE DONE. THE VARIOUS STAGES EXPLAINED. Many competitors and intending competitors who have not thoroughly grasped the directions ask us how the judging is to done. We republish the details as follows First, two prizes have to be awarded—“ Miss Otago” and the runner-up. That is to say, the two competitors who are to be adjudged the two most beautiful girls in the Otogo province. The judging for these honors wall be decided in three stages : FIRST STAGE. —Three judges wall be appointed. The photographs of all the competitors in the Otago province will be placed before these judges* and TFIEY WILL SELECT what is in their opinion THE TWELVE MOST. BEAUTIFUL. That is the end of the first stage.

H.ECO.ND STAGE.—The photographs of the twelve competitors selected as above will be published in the ‘STAR’ each day for a week. Subscribers to the ‘STAR’ will then vote by , means of the coupons for the particular candidates they favor. Tn this way FOUR FINALISTS will be chosen. Remember, • first the judges choose the. TWELVE they consider best; then out of that twelve the readers of the ‘STAR’ choose FOUR. THIRD STAGE.—Having reduced the competitors to four by the processes stated, the next stage is a vote by the audiences attending the preformances of N.Z. Entertainers, Ltd., at His Majesty’s Theatre, Dunedin. The selected Four Finalists will he invited to come to Dunedin and be presented to the audience each night for a week; and each night the audience will cast their votes by means of coupons issued with the sale of tickets. This ballot, like the others, will bo carefully scrutinised to ensure fair play to all. The result of the ballot, will decide who is 10 be “MISS OTAGO” and gain the £SO prize, while the competitor securing the next highest number of votes will be adjudged second, and receive a prize of £25. That ends the provincial phase of the competition. THE FINAL STAGE, however, still remains: (he choice of who is to have the distinction of being declared “ MISS NEW ZEALAND.” The two finalists —that is, “Miss Otago” and the runner-up—will then go to Auckland, and will there be judged with the two finalists from Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury. There will then bo eight finalists left in the “MISS NEW ZEALAND ” contest. The judging as between those eight will be by judges specially appointed, not by public ballot. THE ‘STAR’ will nominate one of the judges, aud will send a representative to Auckland to look after the interests of the two Otago candidates. The three papers in the other centres will each nominate a judge, and so also will New Zealand Entertainers, Ltd. These judges, as stated, will choose ‘MISS NEW ZEALAND' from the eight finalists. “ MISS NEW ZEALAND ’ will receive AN ADDITIONAL PRIZE OF £250, and the girl who comes second AN ADDITIONAL PRIZE OF £IOO. That is the story of the judging. Of course, (here are other prizes. Kodaks Ltd., for instance, have presented a valuable camera, and no doubt the ultimate winner of the contest will carry off many valuable mementoes. QUERIES ANSWERED. “Anxious.” —No, not in the meantime, unless you wish. “ Who Will It Be?” —The names of the appointed judges will be announced shortly. “ Doubtful.” —(1) The Mode of judging is announced again to-day. (2) The original photos will be placed before the judges. ■“ Ivy.”—The photographer will make the appointment to suit you, but the sooner the better, v