DATE OF COMPETITIONS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3549, 4 May 1939, Page 4

DATE OF COMPETITIONS

A CLASHING OF DATES QUEEN CARNIVAL ARRANGEMENTS When the question of fixing the date for the Cambridge Competitions Society’s 1939 festival came up for discussion at a meeting of the executive last evening, it was discovered that the Town Hall had already been booked by the organisers of the St. Peter’s Church Queen Carnival, for the coronation ceremony, which has been arranged to take place during the first week in October. This is the time at which the Competitions Society’s festivals have been held for the past sixteen years, and it was not considered desirable, for several reasons, to change the date. The president, Mr Edgar James, who was in the chair, said that he considered that it would be detrimental to the success of both organisations if their functions took place within a month of each other. Mr M. O’N. Franklin, secretary of the Queen Carnival organisation, who was present, said that it had been necessary for the Carnival arrangements to be approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs. This had been done, and it would be difficult to have them alterer at this stage. Mr Franklin however, offered to do all he could to have the date of the carnival advanced to August, and undertook to get into touch with the Internal Affairs Department immediately.

On the motion of the president, it was decided to adhere to the first week in October as the date for this year’s festival, providing the date of the Queen Carnival coronation ceremony could be altered. Failing this, it was decided that the festival should be held during the last week of September. Mr Franklin was thanked, on the motion of Mr W. Maberly, for his helpful attitude in the matter. Festival Arrangements Considerable discussion took place on the selection of adjudicators for the elocution section and also for the vocal and instrumental section. Decision in both cases was deferred, to enable further information t<? be obtained. A letter received from Mr A. G. Boyce, formerly president of the society and now resident in Auckland, indicating his willingness to act as official accompanist at the forthcoming festival was received with acclamation. Mr Boyce has acted in this capacity since the inception of the society. An offer to donate prize-money for two musical items was received from the Music Teachers’ Registration Board of New Zealand, a condition being that the items be limited to pupils of registered teachers. It was decided to thank the Board for its offer, but to explain that it was not possible to re-arrange the programme this year to include additional items. The offer would, however, be kept in mind for the future.

Those present at the meeting were: Mr Edgar James (president), Mesdames J. Ross, E. L. Hardy, W. Munroe, E. E. Taylor, C. H. Maisey,* and A. Holme; Misses G. L. Brann, Messrs M. O.’N. Franklin, W. Maberly, G. W. Vennell, E. B. Kemsley, M. Wilkinson, and the secretary, Miss I). M. Hubbard.