MARDI GRAS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16567, 3 June 1914, Page 2

MARDI GRAS.

. f. THE NAPIER FESTIVAL. THREE DAYS' CARNIVAL SUGGESTED FOR CHRISTCHURCH. At a special meeting of tho Canterbury Industrial Association held yesterday, a. description of the working of the Napier Mardi Gras festival was given by Air J. Hopkins, who was general secretary of the carnival. Mr J. B. Laurenson presided. Mr Hopkins said tho Napier carnival was run on thorough business lines. Thero was a guarantee fund of £SOO set aside, but by means of the "Carnival Queer, " election thero was enough money brought in to meet all tho working expenses of the carnival, the votes being sold at twopence each. All along tho line something spectacular had been aimed at. Several original tableaux were introduced with excellent effect and success, while local industries sent most elaborate and picturesque outfits. Besides these tableaux, there were liistorical and humorous tableaux all arranged on a largo scale. The whole provided an advertisement such as Napier had never had before, the people of Napier were so pleased with their carnival that he had been asked to go back and conduct another one next year. There had been a considerable amount of pessimism, but'it had been all overcome. During tho carnival tho amount of money turned over was £2804, takeu over two days and three nights. Referring to Industries Week in New Zealand Air Hopkins said that it was not novel enough to make the public take notice of locally made goods. The Eight Hours' Procession in Melbourne, which was not carried out on anything like the scale of a proper Mardi Gras procession, did more for the industries m that city than all the Industries Week exhibits would ever do. In reply to Mr Hercus, Mr Hopkins said ho would suggest a three days carnival in Christchurch. Asked how long it would take to organise such a carnival in Christchurch, he said that it would take at least three months. To rouse the public spirit in tho matter it would possibly take about eight weeks. On the motion of Mr W. W. Charters a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Hopkins. Tho chairman stated that there had been some talk of a Mardi Gras being t held to extinguish tho debt on Lancaster Park, but he thought that as tho Industrial Association was aiming at a far larger thing and would be advertising the city by holding a Mardi Gras Carnival that the other proposal should givo way to tho Association's projxjsal. The Industrial Association had been the first to suggest anything of the kind in Christchurch and it w*~ > thought, only that they shouM come- first. *