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Press, Volume L, Issue 15014, 8 July 1914, Page 5

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In the Oddfellows' Hall oh Monday evening there was a good attendance at. the Mutual.:, Improvement Sdciety to hear a lecture upon "Impressions of .London," by Mr A. J. Heigbway, .of Chrisfchurch. Mr Gardiner, tho president of the Society, acted as chairman! The lecturer outlined some phases of life ih.the East End,, including accounts, of. the "deadrbeat" and the free shelters, as well as. incidents connected with the distribution of soup tickets by Sal ration Army oßk&rs. Contrasts of Coronation time and particulars of the methods of securing the great Coronation "filih," which enabled millions of peoplo to "see" tho Coronation,, were followed by a description of some-of the . wonders of "Dockland." Thereafter tho lecturer gave some indication of the romance of London sewers and mentioned that in tho Fleet sewer could be seen the wall and rings to which, when the sewer was. a river, vessels were tied up to discharge their cargoes into the Holborn warehouses which were all burnt down by the great fire -of 16G6« a ai } ot her case the Effra stream, up which Raleigh had been rowed tq vis . lfc Q ue en Elizabeth, had been turned into a sewer which, at its mouth, could accommodate, a coach and four.. In the concluding portion of the lecture short sketches. were given of some of the leading British statesThe lecture was listened to very attentively hy the one hundred and j

twenty people present, and a vote of thanks accorded the lecturer.

The revival of the Mutual Improvement Society this year has been followed by very great success, and the attendances at the fortnightly meetings have been consistently good, the "one hundred" frequently being exceeded. The Society, \in fact, is flourishing so well that the Rangiora kindred association has been moved to issue a challenge to a debate in order to decide the auestion of superiority. This contest will eventuate shortly, and will be the subject of keen interest.