ST. KILDA CARNIVAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24205, 25 January 1940, Page 11

ST. KILDA CARNIVAL

SUCCESSFUL FESTIVITIES "THE FUN OF THE FAIR" Probably the best attendance there has been at a local carnival was present at St. Kilda's Kettle Park last night for the first night of the festivities organised - and arranged by the St.. Kilda Beach Improvement Society and the swimming clubs of Dunedin A ferris wheel, a chair-o-plane, a merry-mix-up, and all the other eso= teric devices of a carnival are there to delight the patrons, and they appeared to meet with their due share of popularity. An accordion band and a display of archery are also scheduled to make their respective appearances during the week, but they were not in evidence last night. The main attraction was undoubtedly the " Three Aerial Delgados," a trapeze trio of a high degree of skill. Routine, but interesting and technically wellnigh perfect, trapeze work was climaxed by a " death slide," wherein one of the trio slid down a high wire hanging by his toes from a movable trapeze. The natural gasp which went up from the crowd should have been tribute enough for the performer. One small boy. perched precariously in the branches of a nearby tree, was so awed by the performance that he even forgot to emit the ear-piercing "Hivo Silver." with which he -had greeted all the previous acts. Side-shows and skittle-alleys were well patronised, and the humorous situations which they usually afford were not missing—as witness an elderly woman's attempt to fire a ball in a straight line, without much success. She hit a dog. much to the indignant mongrel's bewilderment. St. Kilda carnival patrons are not offered the highly cultural and aesthetic pleasure of hitting Adolph Hitler in the eye, as is afforded visitors to the Centennial Exhibition, but there is compensation and a high degree of satisfaction —not to mention a box of chocolates—in knocking the teeth out of a grimacing clown. It is of interest to note also that the wheezy melodies of the old steam merry-go-round caliope have been superseded by the brassy blare of modern American " swing" bands, but the spirit of carnival remains the same. It is to be hoped that the organisers meet with the same good fortune as regards the weather during the remainder of the season as they did last night, for the proceeds of the carnival are to be devoted to a worthy cause. The carnival will be carried on each night until February 3.