“WHO IS MR BLANK?”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17571, 23 June 1925, Page 7

“WHO IS MR BLANK?”

DRAWING THE PRIZES. SUSPENSE AND FUN. “Who’s this fellow Blank?” inquired somebody while the draw was being made in the big art union last evening. Nobody stopped to explain who Blank was. They were too busy attending to the next number announced as the winner of a prize. The drawing of the prizes was an engrossing business, and while the first few lucky ones were being discovered it was an exciting one. But while people held their breath with expectancy in the Chamber of Commerce, the luckiest participator in the art union was somewhere in a theatre in the city calmly enjoying himself and probably giving not the slightest thought to the process that was fraught with such fortunate results lor him. A big crowd had assembled early. “Mr Smith will explain the draw,” said Mr Seav. Mr Smith did. He told them all about the red bag and the white bag and green bag and ♦ he other bags and everj'body was quite satisfied. That being settled, Mr Seay inquired if volunteers would come forward. Would they? It is a wonder they did not upset the table in their rush. There were a dozen of them jostling for position almost before the speaker had finished talking. The requisite six were speedily selected and the big draw beThe marbles were arranged on the board. “A. 273 55'’ announced Mr Harmon calmly. He was the only one who seemed calm at that moment. “A. 27155,” said Mr Smith diving back through the open doorway. “A. 27 155,” repeated a voice distantly from the other room. Then there was silence while everybody waited breathlessly. “Perhaps it’ll be a blank,” murmured somebody. But. it wasn’t. Mr Smith was back in a moment. The organisation was good and the identification of the ticket speedy. “The winning ticket,” he announced as he walked back into the room, “is held by Mr F. Sandford, 33S Durham Street.” The tension was broken by the round of applause that followed. Evervbody was glad that a Christchurch man had Who was Mr Sandford? Nobody knew. “Mr Sandford, is Mr Sandford present,” called an official. But the people craned their necks in vain. There was no answer to the call; nobody moved in response to it. There was an audible sigh of disappointment “Oh. well, we won't give it to him, said Mr Winsor, and the crowd laughed at the sally. Attention was devoted to drawing the second prize. The six former volunteers were still there eager to do duty again, but they were waved imperiously aside. “No,” said an official, “we'll have six ladies this time.” The ladies came forward, and they drew J. 47397. There was a moment’s silence. Then; “A blank,” said Mr Smith emerging from the investigation in the other room. “Oh,” said one of the girls, disappointed. but the audience thought it good fun and laughed. The girls tried again, this time with better luck, and prizewinner No. 2 was found. “Now, gentlemen, come on; shake it up,” said Mr Winsor when a!! was ready for the drawing of the third prize. The gentlemen did not need the admonition. They were on the job promptly. “B. 57249” was the ticket they drew. Another blank. “Blank,” said some wag, “who is Blank?” “Ray Blank.” raid somebody else, selecting a popular citizen. The joke was received with renewed laughter. That was the way it went on. Everybody enjoyed it greatly. There was not much variation. Blank still continued to be the reply to many of the draws, but slowly the winners were found. “Oh-h,” said one of the girls immediately after a draw. Everybody was all attention at once, to see what had occasioned the exclamation. “j ive tours. ’ said Mr Harman examining the marbles.” and—yes—D. the fourth letter. D. 44444.” That was the most remarkable draw cf the evening. It proved to be another blank. Later on, when all the big prizes had been drawn and onl>' the numerous small ones remained to be disposed of, there was not so much excitement and the crowd dwindled. But some there were who stuck to their task of pulling from the vari-coloured bags the marbles that meant good fortune to somebody. When it was well past midnight the work was still going forward, but those who remained to perform it were mostly the officials who had worked for the cause all through and who stayed at their posts to see carried to finality one of the most ambitious and most successful ventures ever undertaken b}" sports bodies in New Zealand.

WINNER'S HOME BESIEGED.

Mr Fred Sandford, the winner of tlie firstAprizc in the big art union, is “ out'’ to everyone to-day. I 1» till one o’clock this afternoon he lip/i had twenty-three visitors; seven wore motor-car salesmen, six were land agents, two were press photographers, and the remainder were friends who had called in to congratulate him on his good fortune. It was after the arrival of the third mot-or-car salesman that Mr Sandford decided to he ’’out.’' Mrs Sandford thinks that luck is not altogether the great thing it is made out. to be. “ It's simply awful,” she said this morning when speaking of the sudden influx of callers. *‘l haven't been able to settle down to work nil morning; they’re coming in hordes Still they're amusing. These motor salesmen come along and trv and convince me that their particular make of car is the best obtainable. Then they go quietly away, thin kin or thai everything settled, and that I’P talk "Mr .Sandford into buying a ur. But. I'm not struck on cars myself.” •‘Just a moment.” Mrs Sandford went on over the gate. “No, lie's not home; lie'll be away for the day. ” Oh. I'm representing ” ’* ‘Well, you had better call again : it was not J who won the £IOOO you know.” And yet another representative of goodness knows what beat a melancbolv retreat Irom 333. ”1 tell you this i;=> wondc-yfu!.” sai d Mrs Sandford, disgustedly. ” Thank the stars these art unions are Dot bold every day.’’

LIST OF WINNERS.

Following is a list of thz prize

winners who won down to as much as £2s: First prize, £ICOO —Mr F. Sandford, 335, Durham Street, Christchurch. No. A 27155Second prize, £SO0 —Mr James Aitchison, 2, Knox Street, Hamilton. No. C 27269. Third prize, £2O0 —Mr P. Maugher, 09, Manchester Street. No. AS7GS6. Fourth prize. £loo—Mr M. G. Hendry, Taupo. No. DSS2SS. Fifth prize, £loo— Mr C. 11. Cooper, Annat- No. El6lßo. Sixth prize, £loo—Mr N. Jameson, Auckland. No. C 43194. Seventh prize—Miss Agnes Young, Manaia, Taranaki. No. A 40365. Eighth prize—Sami in and F rankly n. Inglewood. No. F 27780. Ninth prize—J. T. Walton, Waikanae. No. K 23907Tenth prize—A. G. M'Naughton, 99, Tay Street, Invercargill. No. C 31025. Eleventh prize—H. Boxall, Great North Road, New Lynn. No. C 02235. Twelfth prize—T. L. Morrison, Wilkins Street. Waimate. »No- A 39569. Thirteenth prize—R. F. Sparrow, Box 3S, Takaka, Nelson. No. G 25528. Fourteenth prize—Mr Alpass, Kouim, Fahiatua. No. E6OS2S. Fifteenth prize—P. Hanley, Windsor, Oamaru. No. A 65546. Sixteenth prize—A. E- Bagnall, Omamuha, Auckland- No. D 62557. Seventeenth prize—Mrs G. Harrison. 32, Khyber Pass, Auckland. No. COS43S. Eighteenth prize, Elo322—Miss Lorna Scragg, Box 12, Patutahi, GisNineteeuth prize, K 59701 —Mrs A. Roe, p. 0., Aramoho, Wanganui. Twentieth prize. C33635—Mr A\ - Ballintine, Martin Road, Invercargill. Twentv-firsfc prize, As76o4—Miss Kingsland, 9, Silwcrth Street, Riccar Twentv-second prize, Js2S6l—Mrs F. Rihia. Winiatn, Taibape. Twenty-third prize, A24l<5 —J. FI. Harvey, Claremont. Twenty-fourth prize, Do9934—Mrs L. Harrison. Upper Hutt. Twenty-fifth prize, G66791—N0 name. Twenty-sixth prize, 08223 —H. E. Watts. Queen Street, Auckland. Twenty-seventh prize, D96SB—A. Harvey, Newton Street, Kaiti, Gis-Twenty-eighth prize. A58555—G. S. Common, butcher, Rolleston. Twenty-nineth prize, H 56701 —G. Woods, Marten. , Thirtieth prize, 873137—Mrs Louis Kerr, 50. Upland Road, Keiburn. Thirty-first prize, F7l3s4—Mr E. A Graham, Takapau. Hawke’s Bay. Thirty-second prize, CS4I6-L.J. E Butler, Roval Oak. Onehunga. Thirty-third prize, 811712—L. Howard, Matapiro, Fern Hill. Thirty-fourth prize, J 60210 —G White, Ohingaiti. Thirty-fifth prise. A3636o—Mr Dawson, 240, Durham Street, Christ church. Thirty-sixth prize, D62510—C. J. Brown, Bird wood Avenue, Parnell. '1 he names of the Canterbury residents winning less than £25 are: £lO each.— Mrs Windleburn, Gladstone House, Richmond: R. A- Anderson, Charteris Bay; J. 11. East, 37. Merivale Lane.. Christchurch; L. M. O'Sullivan, Central Booking Office, Christchurch; Miss A. S. Wright, 39, George Street, New Brighton; Miss Eva Hutton, Bangor, Hawkins: R. W. Clark. Bank of Australasia, Christchurch: Mrs F. i Crawford. 17, Thames Street, St Albans; Mr W. G. Mablv, Box 19, Mayfield; Tom Voice, Templeton; 11Coombs, Mount Pembcr, Snowdale, Oxford; J. A. Brown, Post Office Taxi Rank. £5 each—J. L. Ragg, Rolleston; J. Davie, Akaroa Street, Kaiapoi; Mrs H. M. Andrews, Box 107, Staveley; T. Line, 101, Simeon Street, Spreydon; W. Lester, c/o Kaiapoi Woollen Company, Christchurch; Mrs F. Roberts, The Spur. Clifton, Sumner; R. Ford, Templeton; Florence Wakalin, Winchmore, Ashburton; W- Hamilton, Woodgrove, North Canterbury; Alexander Marshall, Albion Hotel, Lyttelton; W. Fairclough, Addington; R. Clarke. 002, Colombo Street, Christchr.rch; C. Stanley. 2, Sea view Terrace, Lyttelton; J. Dennis. 7S, Ranfurly Street, St Albans; Hard Up Syndicate, 769, Colombo Street, Christchuich. Altogether the sum of £1570 of the. total prize money remains in Christchurch. Auckland Province, which embraces a very wide area, including Rotorua, Taupo, and the whole of the Auckland Peninsula, takes away £1135. The Wellington province takes out £425, the area in this case including Wanganui and the whole of tlie Wairarapa. The other amounts have been distributed as follows:—Otago £lB5, Taranaki £145, South Canterbury £l2O, Southland £lls. Nelson and Marlborotig’n, Poverty Bay and Hawke’s Bay £75 each, and the West Coast £35. These amounts do not include the sums v.-on by speculators whose names are not known. It is very probable that these tickets were sold in Christ church on street sale day, and in that case the Canterbury total of prize money would be slightly increased. That there was a very wide distribution of tickets is shown by the names of residences of the prize winners. There was practically no part of the Dominion untouched from the Auckland Peninsula to the Bluff. At any rate one of the prize winners comes from well up the Auckland Peninsula, while another address was in South Invercargill. It is evident that members of the Maori race have speculated fairly freely, as tlie following names will indicate: Mrs F. Rahia, Winiata, Taibape, winner of the twenty-second prize. Tcrei Rewi. Karioi, Main Trunk Line, winner of £lO. Mrs Marc Ilehu, Temuka, winner o: £lO. T. Kopae, Poro Poro, Whakatanz, winner of £5. Duke Rangi, Jerusalem, Wanganui River, winner of £5.