The Fiji Times had published an article on August 23, 1998, about how the Hibiscus festival had thrilled the hearts of the people since its inception in 1956, thanks to the effort of the Suva Junior Chamber of Commerce. The article stated the festival committee, led by president John Butler, should be commended for its hard work and efforts that had become a major revenue earning and was the much anticipated event of the city. Back then, names such as Hicks, Clarke, Munif, Bish, Fenn, Wendt, Wilson, Gajadhar, Vunibola, Dunn, Sabharwal, White, Penchala, Gucaki, Ah Yuk, Curtis, Higgins, Pickering, Hoefflich, Whiteside, and Bukchup graced the judges’ bench.
Events such as the wheelbarrow race from the Government Buildings to the Town Hall during the day, entertaining music from the Fiji Military Forces outside the Town Hall, an eight o’clock procession to the Town Hall which began from the market, and a colourfully decorated town were then the highlights of the two-day festival. With free admission, hundreds were unable to get into the Town Hall for the final Hibiscus judging on Friday night, December 14. In addition to awarding points on physical beauty and personality, entrants were individually engaged in conversation behind the curtain by all the judges and marks given on conversational ability.
The climax of the event was the crowing of the first ever Miss Hibiscus by the Governor’s wife, Lady Garvey, in the fully packed Town Hall. That was the day 18-year-old Lieblin.
