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Miss New Zealand of 1949 was Mary Woodward of Taranaki. The contest was a fundraiser for a memorial to New Zealanders who served in the air force during the Second World War. Though the event differed substantially from modern beauty contests, this film contains similar elements: the drawn-out announcement of the winner, her beaming smile and barely stifled tears and the suppressed disappointment of the losers.
Using this item
Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: Weekly Review 408. National Film Unit, 1949
Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.