19 DECEMBER 1931, Page 19

"Spectator" Competitions

RULES AND CONDITIONS Entries must be typed or very clearly written on one side of the paper only. The llama and address, or pseudonym, of the competitor must be on each entry and not on a separate sheet. When a word limit is set words must be counted and the number given. No entries can be returned. Prizes tiny be divided at the discretion of the judge, or withheld if no entry reaches the required standard. The judge reserves tha right to print or quote from any entry. The judge's decision is final, and no correspondence can b3 enteral into on the subject of the award. Entries must be addressed to :—The Editor, the Spectator, 99 Gower Street.

London, W.C. 1, and be marked on the envelope Competition No. (—).

Competition No. 36 (Set by " Ducu.") A PRIZE of 12 2s. is offered for a new and original Christ- mas Carol, in not more than 25 lines of verse.

Entries must be received not later than Monday, December 21st, 1931. The result of this competition will appear in our issue of January 2nd, 1932.

Competition No. 37 (SET BY "CARD.") A PRIZE of 12 2s. is offered for the best entry of two suggestions for future competitions. Competitors should bear in mind that only a limited amount of space is available for the publication of winning entries and should devise their schemes accordingly.

Entries must be received not later than Monday, December 28th, 1931. The result of this competition will appear in our issue of January 9th, 1932.

The result of Competition No. 35 will appear in our next issue.

Limerick Competition No. 7 A PRIZE of 11 is. is offered each Week for a new and original English Limerick verse on some subject dealt with in the current number of the Spectator. The seventh of these competitions closes on Monday, December 28th. Entries should be marked on the envelope "Limerick No. 7."

The result of the fifth of these competitions will be announced in our next issue.

[It is requested that to facilitate the work of the judges, entries should, when possible, be submitted on postcards.] Report of Competition No. 34

(REPORT AND AWARD BY " DDGLI.")

A PRIZE of 22 2s. was offered for a list of the six living persons whom you would most like to welcome at your Christmas dinner. The prize was to be awarded, as far as possible, in accordance with the general vote of the competition.

This very popular competition revealed a great variety of wished-for guests, ranging from His Holiness the Pope to Miss Greta Garbo ; from Mr. Scala (why, unless in the hope of a return invitation to the 'Sign of the Sweepstake,' Soho?) to the writer of the "third leaders" in The Times.

The general verdict of the public is, however, unmis- takeable. The Prime Minister and Mr. G. Bernard Shaw tie at the top of the list, followed closely by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Mr. Charlie Chaplin comes next, at a certain dis- tance, with Mr. Stanley Baldwin and Mr. Gandhi equal, and only one vote behind him. The "runners up" arc Sir James Barrie, the Dean of St. Paul's, Signor Mussolini, Mr. Noel Coward, H.R.H. the Duchess of York and Dame Sybil Thorn- dyke, who are all within a close lap of the last three winners. In the large field the following are distinguished by a con- siderable following : Mr. Winston Churchill, Lady Astor, Sir Harry Lauder and the Very Rev. " Dick " Sheppard.

No fewer than nine competitors have given four of the six Winning names in their lists. The prize is divided between the two who have nominated the four names at the top of the general list, while the following seven competitors are Highly Commended : N. Nevin, Rev. F. G. Baring, " Avon," Miss Margaret Pattison, E. A. Nevin, F. Stephen Raisin, D. N. Dalglish. The prize-winners are : H. G. Proud, 10 Avondale Road, Sparkhied, Birmingham ; and F. 0. Wraith, Hill Crest, Stenson Road, Derby.

Result of Limerick Competition No. 4 The most popular subjects this week have been "Will Mr. MacDonald stand firm ? " (A Limerick line in itself !), dog racing at the Oval, and the Dean of Winchester's article on betting and gambling.

The prize of t1 1s. is awarded to Miss Pickworth, War Memorial Hospital, Hexham-on-Tyne, Northumberland, who sends the neatest of the comments on the second of these themes..

The following competitors are Highly Commended : L. R. H., Mrs. Deane, " Nosnikrap," W. Hill Reid (thank you—Editor and staff, Spectator!), Halj," " Kismet," J. H., R. W. Brownlee, " Grasshopper," and Miss M. Roia- mund Taylor.

THE WINNING LIMERICK.

No DOGS AT THE OVAL (page 721).

Though we grope in political fogs, And sink in industrial bogs, There's one indication Of hope for the nation-- The Oval's not gone to the dogs.

Some Highly Commended Entries :—

Spectator, November 28th (page 729).

An "Outline," a bookshelf defiler, To an " Omnibus " neighbour bragged, " I'll—er- - Outweigh even you!"

And the 'Bus answered, " True-- Id an Author ; you had a Compiler."

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dear Sir,—Just a line to explain 'Bout the food you provide for my brain.

The Letters you print., Are like sauce. plus the mint, Kind regards to your staff. I remain, W. Him, thou.

Spectator, (page 722).

The Government opened its term With a Mandate containing the germ Of Protection. Perhaps This may cause its collapse.

Will Mr. MacDonald stand firm

R. II,

Spectator (page 734

A man his godparents called " Giles " the printers re.christened as " Miles " t

"U" or an

may mean nothing to them, but Giles when called Miles finds it tiles. BALI.

J. If,