ORPHANS' DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 301, 20 December 1928, Page 8

ORPHANS' DAY.

LAUGHTER AND JOLLITY.

900 CHILDREN ENTERTAINED.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS AS HOSTS.

Eight hundred orphan children, and not a gloomy face among them! The Auckland Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association make this spectacle possible once a year as Christmas—the Feast of the Child—draws near. "Orphans' Day," 1928, dawned this morning, when all the little inmates of orphanages and boarding-out homes in the city and suburbs opened their eyes in anticipation of glorious hours of jollity and fun, a hectic whirlwind of delight at Luna Park, pink lemonade and all sorts of good things for lunch, an excursion on the Waitemata Harbour, a concert in the Town Hall, more pink lemonado and choice things for tea, and finally a Christmas present.

And this came true to-day, when about 200 commercial travellers threw their order books aside and set about the arduous business of entertaining their young guests. One hundred motor cars and four big motor buses were at the disposal of the association, and these were running about from eight o'clock, conveying the children to Luna Park. The management of that establishment, following its usual custom, threw everything open to the children, who went wild with excitement as they passed from thrill to thrill. After a morning at the park the children were motored to the Town Hall for lunch, the long procession of cars, headed by a band on a motor lorry, excited much interest. Happiness shone from every little face.

Arrived at the Town Hall, the children were entertained by a most benignant Santa Claus, who moved about among the various groups encouraging them to sing hymns and songs. Then lunch! The tables were set in the supper room, effectively decorated with flags, flowers and streamers. Sandwiches, cakes, jelly, ice cream and fruit were items on the bill of fare.

After lunch the children were motored to the ferry wharves, and the harbour excursion started, to the accompaniment of much screaming and shouting. On their return a capital programme of musical and humorous items was provided in the Town Hall, members of the "Midnight Frolics" Company and the pupils of Miss Beresford and Mr. Carte Lloyd being among the performers. The great moment of a great day arrived when, after tea, each child was handed a gift, at once a plaything and a memento of a long-to-be-remembered occasion. When "the dustman" creeps into the orphanages of Auckland to-night he won't use as much of his sleep sand as usual.