QUEEN CARNIVAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 4

QUEEN CARNIVAL.

CAMPAIGN CLOSES TO-DAY,

FLORAL FETE IN THE PARK,

VOGELTOWN QUEEN LEADING. FINAL RESULT TO-NIGHT. In a final whirl of gaiety and pleasure the queen carnival campaign to raise funds for further improvements to Pukekura Park will close today, the last shots being fired in a grand concert at the park to-nigfit, when the result of the contest will be announced. Three thousand is the mark at which the carnival executive is aiming, and given fine weather today it is confidently expected that this sum will be realised, if not exceeded. After a contest lasting over two months, the Vogeltown queen (Miss Flossie Washer) has entered on the last atage of the contest a short distance ahead of the City East queen (Miss M. Whittle), the barometer showing yesterday the former as having between 22,000 and 24,000 votes and the latter between 20,000 and 22,000. They .re both a fair distance ahead of their nearest rivals—Fitzroy (Miss Cameron) and West City (Miss Lovell)— who up to yesterday had each polled, between 14,000 and 16,000 votes. The Moturoa queen (Miss Thomson) ia running these candidates close with between 12,000 and 14,000 votes to her credit.

Enthusiasm in the carnival reached a high pitch last night, when Devon Street was crowded with merry parties of songsters. Rain marred the succes® of the evening to a slight extent, but not for ■long, for it was impossible to frel damp-spirited when one’s ears w’ere .assailed from all sides with advice to be merry and bright, and, above all, to give. To-day’s big attraction will be the floral carnival on the Pukekura Park Sporteground. The regimental and the pipe bands will march from the post office to the ground, where the programme will be opened at one o’clock with the tug-of-war contests between primary school teams. With the arrival of the competitors in the decoration competitions the scene should tye a bright one. There will be decorated motor-cars, flower-bedecked children, vehicles, go-carts and, in fact, everything than can make for an attractive spectacle. The final touch will be given by the arrival at 2.45 of the queen oandidatei and their courts. The scheme of decoration that each is employing is being kept secret, but rumour has it that some of the schemes will be exceedingly picturesque and novel. The queens, with their courts, will parade twice around the ground, so that the pjiblic may judge their merits and., record theii votes on the cards with which they will be provided. The queens will then take part in a grand procession of all those taking part in the fete. Among othei items on tire programme foe the remainder of the afternoon will be haka* and poi dances. At night there will be a grand concert in the park, when the result oi the campaign will be announced by the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson) at about a quarter past rfine. It is regretted that?* Miss Maisit Whittle, the City East queen Qgndidate, will be unable to take part in today’s floral fete. Miss Whittle contracted a severe attack of influents, with an unpleasantly high temperature, and her doctor has had to forbid

her getting up at pre«ient. Her com

mittee has arranged for a substitute to take her place in the decorated car in to-day’s fete. The doll donated by Mrs. Muir was won by Miss B. Lobb and Mr. M. Lobb.