SPOILING A CARNIVAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 230, 29 September 1931, Page 10

SPOILING A CARNIVAL

ANNOYANCE OF OFFICIAL. TAIL INSTEAD OF HEAD. An unfortunate incident occurred at the first procession of a recent carnival week at Portheawl, Glamorganshire, Wales, and resulted in Mr. Russell Mabley, chairman of the Portheawl Urban District Council, leaving the procession after it had started. Mr. Mabley was annoyed by the treatment that he and Mrs. Mabley received. They should have been at the head of the procession, but instead they found themselves at the tail. After crowning the queen, Mr. and Mrs. Mabley returned to their motor car with the intention of leading the procession through the town to Nottage and Newton for further carnival ceremonies, but the procession started without them and their motor car was tacked on behind trade vehicles. At Nottage Mr. Mabley complained to the officials of the slight which he felt had been offered to his office and to the town. An effort was then made to head off the procession before it reached Newton by a detour through country lanes, but it failed, and at Newton traffic congestion prevented their motor car from taking its allotted place on the village green. The police were powerless to do anything, so Mr. Mabley withdrew from the procession, and ordered his chauffeur to drive home and strip the motor car of its decorations. M What made it so unpardonable,” said a committee man, “was that, apart from Mr. Mabley being chairman of the Portheawl Urban District Council, he is also president of the carnival committee. * f