BABY SHOW FIASCO

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 5

BABY SHOW FIASCO

CRYSTAL PALACE SCENE JUDGES NOT PRESENT , LONDON, Sept. 19. Owing to 10 volunteer judges, mostly doctors, failing to arrive, Mr. A. F. Fruitnight, the organiser, assisted by one doctor bad to bear the brunt of judging 4000 infants at the final annual national baby show at the Crystal Palace. The fiasco was due to ail under-esti-mate of the popularity of the exhibition, there being 25,000 entries instead of the anticipated 10,000. Consequently the entrants were circularised 1 cancelling the arrangements and limiting, the- show to one instead of the original five days and the entries to 500, but thousands of parents, not aware of the alteration, came to the Crystal Palace from all over Britain. A state of chaos naturally resulted, which was not allayed by the voluble indignation of the mothers. The hall was besieged for hours and eventually other judges volunteered, temporarily averting trouble just as a riot was iiftminent.

The babies were undressed, laid on scales and judged as speedily as possible. It was announced that mothers who were dissatisfied with earlier verdicts could have their babies judged again.

The confusion' was redoubled when fathers addressed the crowd! by megaphone, some appealing to the mothers to go home and others ordering them to remain.

Ail emergency call resulted in the arrival of extra police, who tactfully quelled the rebellion, affording photographers touching pictures of smiling constables with a baby in each arm. Mr. Fruitnight declined to announce the prizes to-night and informed competitors that the winners would be notified by post of the cups awarded.