CHILDREN’S DISPLAY PROVED COLOURFUL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18901, 28 October 1929, Page 11

CHILDREN’S DISPLAY PROVED COLOURFUL

BLEAK WEATHER FOR OPENING OF ASHBURTON GALA ON SATURDAY . Bleak, overcast weather on Saturday militated against the children’s carnival held at the Ashburton Domain oval in connection with the annual gala. The chief disadvantage lay not so much with the attendance, which was excellent, but with the absence of the bright, sparkling effect that brilliant sunshine would have given to the various displays by the children. A pleasing feature was the large number of children in fancy costumes. The}* presented a colourful display, exhibiting almost every conceivable character and national costume. Prior to the commencement of the programme the children were marched to the Public Hospital so that the patients might not be altogether excluded from the entertainment. The action of the committee in arranging this was fully appreciated by the patients as well as the nursing staff. The proceedings commenced with the grand parade, which presented a pleasing feature, giving the public an opportunity of seeing the different costumes. The parade was carried out to the accompaniment of the Ashburton Silver Band, which played an enjoyable programme of music during the aftcrExhibitions of mass fancy dancing were given by the pupils of the Allenton and Borough Schools, showing that exceptional care had been, taken in the instruction of the pupils, who displayed unanimity in time and movement. The same effect was noticeable in the physical drill display by the boys of the Ashburton High School. The search for the Gala Lucky-dip Man provided much enjoyment to the children, who accosted men old and

young with the inquiry, “Are you the Lucky-dip Man?” , An exhibition of tight-rope walking bv Blondin provided a thrilling display, the performer going through his actions without showing any hesitancy in his movements. Several races, including girls’ skipping, juvenile tricycle, county schools’ -relay, and boys’ tyre races, were held. Ttoiicvus sideshows and stalls and a merry-go-round provided abundance of means by which the youthful—and the older—members of the community could fill the coffers of the Advance Ashburton Association, which organises the gala as a medium for raising funds for the prosecution of its work of beautifying the town. The following awards were made by the iudges of the parade (Mesdames S. 11. Sullivan, M. Knox and T. G. A. Harle) Best costume—Girl: Stella Bray (Eastern Princess); boy, Bruce Smallbone (Hussar). Most original costume—Girl: Muriel Tait (If Winter Comes); boy, lan Rollinson (Aulsebrook’s Biscuits). There were nine entries for the baby show and the judge (Miss I. Munro) awarded prizes as follow: Girls—Mrs Bagrie 1, Mrs E. Vincent 2. Boys—Mrs Jackson 1, Mrs Stills 2. The sports events resulted as follows : Tyre races (boys), seven and eight years old—Ray M’Quarters 1, Ron King 2; nine and ten years—Ron Melrose 1, Fred Hill 2; eleven years—Pat Hyde 1. J. Melrose 2; twelve years—Jack Bryant 1; Hugh John 2; thirteen and fourteen years—Verdun Digbv 1, Edgar Hill 2. Inter-schools’ relay race—Borough A (Doris Doherty, Ruby Spedding, Hector Harper and Bruce Craighead) 1, Wakanui (Betty Brand, Eileen Hy-; land, Alan Dalton and Pat Fear) 2, Borough B 3. Tricycle race, five to seven years— Bob Anderson 1, Dick Whiting 2, John Bell 3. Girls’ skipping race—Ruby Spedding I, Jessie Doherty and Patty Reeves, equal 2.