ANOTHER PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 158, 6 July 1937, Page 10

ANOTHER PARTY.

SAVOY DINNER-DANCE.

MR. SAVAGE ENTERTAINED.

NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY. (By NELLK M. SCANLAN.) (Special.—By £!r Mail.) LONDON, June 18. It was the New Zealand Society's turn, this time, to give a party, and it took the form of a dinner, reception, cabaret and dance at the Savoy. The guest of honour was the Prime Minister, the Jtt. Hon. M. J. Savage, and other important guests were the New Zealand cricket team. The High Commissioner, Mr. W. J. Jordan, and Airs. Jordan received the guests, and afforded New Zealauders living in London an opportunity of meeting their new Prime Minister. It would be difficult to say whether there were more resident New Zealanders present, or visitors from the Dominion, but together they numbered mauy hundreds. I believe there were many more who wished to come, but the lists had to be closed. If there is one virtue New Zealanders retain in excess, when it comes to a party,- it is punctuality. No matter what time they are invited for, they are always ahead of time; even at private parties. Last week, at the reception at the Mayfair, though the invitation said 4 p.m.. there were 53 people waiting to get in at 3.30. It certainly shows an appreciative spirit. At the Savoy dinner they were no less punctual, and the Embankment was crowded with cars and taxis well before eight o'clock.

Surge of Voices. Members of the New Zealand Society aeted as hosts, one at each table, where they had gathered a group of friends, and even the lusty efforts of the orchestra., which included several «n----necessary brass instruments, could not silence the surge of voices, during the meal. I still look forward to the day when orchestras will not be included in the competition, for competition it certainly becomes. Soft music to nil in the gaps in conversation is all very well, but among Xew Zealanders at any rate there are no gaps in the conversation. It is a matter of overlapping instead. How they talk! There is so much to say, and so short a time to say it all, so it seems. Most of us have been suffering from minor throat afflictions as a result of trying to talk above the orchestras in this multiplicity of parties which, for the past weeks, seem to have filled o.ir days. However, the orchestra came off second best, and nothing was left unsaid on its account. After the dinner, at which Mr. Jordan proposed the Royal toasts and then toasted Mr. Savage, who replied, we wandered out into the warm summer night along the Embankment, or loitered in the lobbies, until the dining room had been cleared and made ready for the dance and cabaret. Back we "went, ■soon after 11, and after a preliminary dance the singers, comedians and fancy skaters did their turn, and at midnight the dance really began. One thing I will say for the New Zealanders, they are the best turnedout crowd of all the Dominions. No tiaras, of course, but some of the loveliest dresses I have seen, and many healthy, handsome men, good-looking matrons and extremely pretty girls. I always feel a • thrill of pride" When I attend one of these gatherings, for, as a young nation with individual characteristics, We can hold our own with allcomers. That does not imply conceit. But we have primary qualities of good health and physique and we are adaptable.