ST. CLAIR CARNIVAL

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 9

ST. CLAIR CARNIVAL

LAST NIGHT’S OPENING SURFING IN FLOOD-LIT BEAKERS The annual carnival of the St. Clair Improvement Association was opened last night under auspicious circumstances. The weather was fine and warm, there was an attendance of about 3,000, and, with floodlights and a searchlight playing on the breakers and festoons of coloured lights illuminating the area of the carnival next to the Esplanade, the scene was one of colour and animation. Games and amusement devices of various kinds had been prepared, and the crowd entered at once into the carnival spirit, brisk business being done. Children found a thrill in riding on the Ferris wheel or on the merry mix-up. Before the official opening took place there was an excellently-staged parade along the Esplanade representing a “ march of yputh,” those taking part being teams of life-savers from the St. Clair and St. Kilda Clubs, the St. Clair School boys’ life-saving squad, Y.M.O.A. gymnasts, and several teams of girls from various concerns that participate in girls’ sports. • Mr R. Love, president of the St. Clair Improvement Association, welcomed those present, and introduced the deputy-mayor (Mr J. W. Munro, M.P.). Mr Munro congratulated the association on its enterprise in organising such a large carnival, and complimented it on the enthusiasm of 'its members, who had done much to improve the amenities of the beach. The Dunedin City Council was well aware of the work that was being done, and was proud of the beach, of the society, and of the St. Clair Life Saving Club, which had been doing such excellent work. The life guard who was employed. on the beach had proved his worth time and again, and the council willingly and gladly contributed part of the cost of maintaining this service. There had been, at times, some criticism of the council on the grounds that it was neglecting to make the most of the fine asset it had in the beach. These remarks were quite unjust. The council fully appreciated the facilities afforded and its obligations in the matter. The council, however, did not control the whole area of the beaches. It was the controlling authority of the Esplanade and the buildings connected with it, but from the end of the concrete wall along to Lawyer’s Head the beaches and the sandhills were controlled by the Domain Board, which had for many years_ carried out its work very well in spite of its limited finances. Mr Munro then declared the carnival open. Items were contributed during the evening by the Otago (Regimental Band, under Lieutenant L. 0. Asten.' An exhibition on the horizontal bar was given by the Y.M.C.A. gymnasts, and in the illuminated breakers the members of the St. Kilda and St. Clair Life- Saving Clubs gave exhibitions of alarms and rescue work and of shooting the breakers in canoes. Badges were on sale during the evening, each of these carrying a vote in the “ Miss St. Clair ” competition.