“MISS NEW ZEALAND” WELCOMED HOME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18470, 23 May 1928, Page 8

“MISS NEW ZEALAND” WELCOMED HOME.

WILL PLAY LEAD IN LOCAL PRODUCTION. (Special to the “ Star ”) AUCKLAND, May 23. “Miss New Zealand'’ (Miss Dale Austen) received an enthusiastic welcome when she returned to Auckland by the Aorangi last Sunday. Next day she appeared personally at the Strand Theatre with her two-reel Met.ro-Goldwvn-Mayer production, “Miss New Zealand in Movieland.” Miss Dale Austen has achieved a greater success in Hollywood than any other winner of the British Empire screen contests. After difficult tests

she was offered a contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and worked in “The Actress” (Norma Shearer), “Detectives” (George Arthur and Karl Dane), “Diamond Handcuffs” (Eleanor Boardman and Conrad Nagel) and “Polly Preferred” (Marion Davies). Her crowning achievement was the offer of second feminine lead in Tim M’Coy’s production “The Bushranger,” an Australian story. Yesterday Mr Henry Hayward, chairman of Fuller-Hay ward Theatres, received the following cable from Metro-Gold^pyn-Mayer: “Miss Dale Austen has upheld the highest traditions of New Zealand by reaching the world’s screen in creditable accomplishments.’’ Owing to difficulties connected with the British quota for residential immigrants, “Miss New Zealand” could only stay a limited period in America. Mr Hayward, however, recalled her to play the lead in Rudall Hayward’s New Zealand drama “The Bush Cinderella.”