EXPECTANT!

Evening Star, Issue 19387, 22 October 1926, Page 5

EXPECTANT!

To=morrow Night

“Miss Otago” To Be Proclaimed Today “Miss Canterbury’s” Birthday Birthday greetings to “Miss Canterbury.” The little lady is sixteen years of age to-day, and is entertaining a party at afternoon tea at the Savoy. For to-night only the four Otago contestants will parade in bathing costume. This will give the audience an opportunity of judging form, as well as feature and carriage. The vote on Saturday night will be taken early. That is to say, the Pageant will be staged in the first half of the programme instead of the second half, and the voting cards will be collected during the interval. These will then bo rushed off to the office of the official scrutineers, who will have a staff ready for counting them. A certified declaration will then be forwarded to the manager at the theatre, and the announcement made from the stage at the conclusion of the Last act. \

Immediately the result is made known in the theatre the ‘ Star * will issue extras, which will be posted at various points around the town. These will convey the official figures and make known who has been proclaimed “ Miss Otago.”

Though it is still something of an ordeal to step from dais in front of a, house-full of expectant and critical people and to tread the stage for those few minutes, our girls are now used to it—in fact, beginning to like it. Last night the applause was wonderful, and each, girl received her full share of it. The report from the auditors this morning does not alter the order in which the public have previously recorded their opinion. Miss M‘Mil lan is still in the loading position, with Miss Osten striving to depose her, and Miss Taifc and Miss Wilkinson each making a bold bid to gain one of the coveted places. This is the order: — No. 1 (Miss Thelma M'Millau) 1 No. 4 (Miss Marie Osten) ... 2 ■ No. 2 (Miss Alice Tail) 3 No. 3 (Miss Bottie Wilkinson) 4 To-morrow’s matinee has been arranged so ns to give as many people as possible an opportunity of seeing the show and of casting their Votes. It is anticipated that there will be heavy polling at this afternoon performance. “ The beauties ” formed the centre of attraction at the Merrymakers’ dance last night, and the girls all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There can be no complaint concerning the manner in which they arc being looked after. Motor cars are ar their disposal day and night, and life is being made as pleasant as possible for them. As evidence of the tremendous interest the Dunedin people are taking in the Beauty Contest it is worthy of note, that very few indeed of the patrons who pack the theatre nightly decline to accept, a voting card. One there may be here and there who has not been stirred by the happenings of the week, who has no eye for beauty, or does not oven care who is acclaimed “ Miss 01 ago ”! When the votes come to be counted it will bo found that a good many thousands have been cast. While there will naturally bo something of a lull in the excitement once Miss Otago ” has been elected, decorated, and sent on tour, the interest in the contest will by no means die out until the judges have decided who is “ Miss t \e\v Zealand.'’ Jt must bo borne in mind that a “ Maid of Honor” (that is to say, the girl who comes second m the final in each province) hi is the same chance as “ Miss Otago,” “Miss Auckland, ” “Miss Wellington,” or “ Miss Canterbury ” of becoming “ Miss New Zealand.”

When “ bliss Otago ” and her Maid of Honor leave Dunedin on Monday morning the engine drawing iho train will bo specially decorated with the provincial colors (dark blue and gold) in appropriate designs. These have been arranged by' ttic locomotive repair staff of the railways, and should form a very effective display.