THEATRE COMPETITION

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 25 October 1934, Page 4

THEATRE COMPETITION

Hawera Manager Awarded Second Paramount Prize

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z ENTRIES

Advice that the second prize in the B section of the recent Paramount publicity week lias been awarded to Air J. H. Horton, manager of Hawera Theatres Ltd., was received at Hawera yesterday. This section of the competition, which was open for competition among managers of theatres in towns in Australia and New Zealand of 25,000 population or under, has been won by the manager of the Winter Garden Theatre, Ipswich (Queensland) . Air Horton has been the recipient of congratulations from members of theatre interests in many parts of the Dominion, who have referred to his outstanding performance in heading the list for New Zealand contestants.

The Paramount competition, which was conducted simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand from September 1 to 8 last, attracted a great deal of interest in the film trade and keen competition among theares, large and small. Prizes were awarded to those managers organising, and launching, the best publicity campaign in the interests of Paramount. At Hawera Air Horton devised a groat variety of schemes to draw attention to Paramount films, and! in particular, the feature for the week, “Alelody in Spring.” In conjunction with Hawera retailers, large advertising spaces were taken in the “Hawera Star,” two full pages during that week being devoted to “tie-ups” between the Opera House and retail shops. Banners and streamers announcing Paramount Week and “Alelody in Spring” were hung at various vantage points in the town; on the water tower, at the Hawera railway station and on the overhead railway bridge on South lload and at other points. A mannequin parade was held; at the Opera House in conjunction with “Alelody in Spring,’’ a children’s decorated pram and trolley competition attracted many entries, while a parade of Alaori maidens was hold through the streets of Hawera.

Photographs of the foregoing and other displays were taken. These, together with a large number of newspaper clippings of advertisements and other publicity were assembled in an album, handsomely bound and hand illuminated. This striking and comprehensive record of the week’s activities created wide interest among members of tire trade in-Wellington and it was considered before the judging took place that the Hawera entry would be difficult to better among the New Zealand entries. These opinions were confirmed by th© results, which placed Air Horton at the head 1 of the. list from New Zealand and second in the group in a competition open to Australia and New Zealand Theatre managers.

The news of Air Horton’s success lias been received with pleasure by friends and those who co-operated with him in his campaign. It is-considered a notable achievement in the theatrical business world that a theatre in a town of the size of Hawera shoud have competed so .successfully with, theatres in centres with populations up to 25.000.