PUNIHO CLUB'S BALL

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1930, Page 9

PUNIHO CLUB'S BALL

BRILLIANT SCENE AT OKATO. One would have been pardoned for thinking as he gazed upon the scene of splendour that some magic wand had. been called into play to transform Hempton Hall, Okato, into a fairy bower in which King Carnival and his host of attendant satellites made merry until well into the early hours of the morning. A magic wand had certainly been used, but it was that of the enterprise and enthusiasm of the Puniho Social Club, which lias certainly at its first attempt risen to heights that have seldom been reached in any part of the province. It was an ambitious undertaking for a social club which previously had confined its operations to a small country school room to launch out with the "Bohemian Ball” and engage the largest hall on the coast, but results proved that their optimism was more than justified. Over 1000 assembled from Considerably over 1009 assembled from as far away as Opunake on the one side and Stratford on the other, New Plymouth alone supplying a quota of over 300. The crowd came expecting great 'things in the way of decorations, lighting and novel effects, and they were not disappointed. All that was promised was provided and more. The lighting was on a scale that has never before been attempted in the country district. A feature was its variation of colour and shade changing from brilliancy to softness in a twinkling. Flood lights of various colours from the walls, relieved by vari-colour-ed bulbs embowered in streamers from the ceiling, gave effects that had to bo witnessed to. be realised, and will long be remembered. A pleasing feature was the manner in which dancers entered into the carnival atmosphere, about 150 couples appearing in fancy dress. They covered a wide range from the original and comic to the beautiful. The floor was like glass, and the strains of the music dispensed by Coburn’s Big Six compelled the dancers to take the ! floor. What mattered it that there was such a crowd that from the stage it looked like on-, dense mass, and circumnavigation was almost impossible. That only added to the carnival atmosphere which was accentuated by the ten masters of ceremonies garbed in gold and cardinal costumes—Messrs. M. Payne (principal), E. B. Cooke, A. Archer, Saxton Cooke, AV. Willans, M. Take, C. Nelson, S. Payne, A. Bennie and R. McLean. Mr. M. Payne set Carnival afoot by announcing that there would be no introductions and that ladies were on an equal footing with men. Among those present were Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths, Mayor of New Plymouth, and Mrs. Griffiths, Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., and Mrs/ Wilkinson, and the Revs. Adams and’ Sinclair. Apologies were received frof Mr S- G. Smith, M.P., and Mrs. Smith,' Mr. W. J. Polson,, M.P., and Mrs. Polson. The fudging of the fancy .dresses, an unenviable task, was undertaken by Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths, and they made their awards as follow: Most striking lady’s costume, Miss Mary Edward (Queen of the Harem); men’s "Indian,” Harold Jo-’ce. Most original: Ladies’, Mrs. R. G.’Marsh, "Telephone”; men’s, Tomai, “Ruination.” Comic: Lady, “Golliwog,” Miss Myrtle Luxton; men’s, “All of a Twister,” J. Hooper. Best pair: "Interrogation,” Miss Cooper and Mr. J. Micklcsen. Specials: Miss M. Brown, “Chinese Clown”; Mrs. Salesman and partner, “Two Little Girls in Blue”; Miss Stella Brough, “Spainsh Lady”; H. Elwin. “Father Christmas.”