QUEEN CARNIVAL.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15460, 13 December 1915, Page 9

QUEEN CARNIVAL.

INDUSTRIAL SECTION

A meeting of the timber, building, and furniture trades, was held on Saturday evening at the Art Gallery. Jheri; was ;m attendance of about two hundred, including prominent timber merchants, builders, and furniture manufacturers, as well as a large number of employees in the same industries. Mr V . (Jot*, who was voted to the chair, spoko of the urgent necessity oi those unable to j>ersonally join the Colours doing their utmost to .support their country in her hour of need, in other ways-. Itseemed to him that the residents oi Christchurch failed to recognise the seriousness of the situation. Nobody parsing through the streets of the eitv that evening would think that a tremendous ttruggle. involving our very i.'sL.tfntp ns a unit ot the Hritish Empire. was in progress. And it !>ehove.'l its to sot our house in order and rally to the support of those of our nearest and dearest who were risking their lives on the battlefield. The Queen Carnival afforded a splendid opportunity jor those in the industrial section oi the community to demonstrate their appreciation oi the gallant-conduct- of the troops. He hoped that as a result of the meeting a strong representative committee would Uc -ct up.

Mr Rankin moved tliat a donation ot £'2 each be contributed by those present. This motiou not being seconded, was withdrawn. Mr H. .1. Otley moved that a committee be set up. The motion was carried unariimonsiy. Mr (loss intimated to the meeting that the whole of the money collected would go to the. fund without dcan;:tion, the employ err, undertaking to deflay ail the expenses. The following committee w.e. elected:—Chairman, Mr (>o^>: secretary, Mr F. A. Moodv: treasurer, Mr E. . Waller : tommittce. Hon. -J. Harr, Messrs Ballinger. \V. H. Simmonds, K. Otley. W. Mansell, -I. A. Scaift, •I. M. Lynch. J. Greig, A. K. England. R. Scott. H. .J. Nightingale. G. Martin, E. Stocks, and W. U'alker. with power to add to their number. Mr Donaldson intimated that the Lyiteltrui Regatta Committee had offered spare free for any side-shows at Lyttelton on New Year's Day. Mr Hallinger moved, iind Mr Black seconded, that the offer be accepted. The motion was carried. Various suggestions for raising funds were referred to the executive. Mr SuotJ stated that the Builders' Hoonis would Im> available for committee meetings. It was decided to meet again on the. following Saturday, when the executive would give a report.

friendly societies. A meeting of delegates from the various Lodges in Canterbury, convened by the Fricndlv Societies' Conference, was held in the Druids' Hall. Worcester street, on Saturday evening, to consider the advisability of nominating a Friendly Societies Queen at tho forthcoming Patriotic Carnival. Uro. J. W . JJaty, 1...A.0.D., presided, and explained the objects of tho meeting. Hro. G. T. TSatley, secretary Mistletoe Lodge, (. .A.0.1)., from whom the proposal emanated, outlined the scheme that his Lodge had in view in asking the Friendly Societies to consider the question of nominating a separate Queon, and suggested various wavs bv which funds could be raised for" that purpose. Hro. A. S. "Winter, City of Christchurch Lodge, M.l*.. 1.00. F., said that his -Lodge did not favour a Friendly Societies' section at this stage, as a large, number bf the members of Friendly Societies had already attached themselves to other sections, and he moved: —'"That this meeting of delegates do not approve of the proposal that Friendly Societies should form a separate section in the forthcoming Carnival" Hro. A. J>. Hlassall, Rechabites, seconded the motion, as he felt quite sure that members of Friendly Societies would he assisting in other sections in the Carnival. After a general discussion tho motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried. 31 for and i) against.

QUEEN CARNIVAL. TO THE EDITOR OT "THE rRES3.'° Sir, —The section of the Queen Carnival that has decided to raise money by means of direct contribution arc, to my mind, making a big mistake, and will certainly fail to realise anything like the success attnincd by their section in the Carnival held in Auckland recently. In the Northern city, the Wholesalers and Retailers (who were run as two separate sections) wore the life and soul of the Carnival, and by their, generous giving and whole-hearted cooperation with the other sections, were largely instrumental in bringing about the splendid result attained there. When the idea of a Queen Carnival was first mooted in Auckland, Mrs Grundy (of Waitcniata) threw up lier hands in righteous indignation to think that money was to be raised for our heroes by such means. The Carnival committees up there persisted in their efforts, however, with what glorious result is known to everybody. It seems to me, Sir, thai Mrs Grundy has a very near relation in Canterbury. During my work in connexion with the Auckland Queen Carnival. J found that all "the other sections were largely dependent on both the Wholesalers and Retailers for much of the paraphernalia, etc., necessary to make ,their efforts complete, and titer got what they wanted, free, gratis, and for nothing. Here. I take it, all these things will have to be bought and paid for, and somebodv will make a profit. Another point. Sir: I have lately had a few talks with some of the employees, who by reason of their occupation. come under the ''direct, contribution" heading. The maiority of them tell me that, although they havo decided (for obvious reasons) to toe tho line that has been drawn for them, in their hearts they are against the idea, because it savours of something which is noi exactly voluntary. At a meeting of tho Wholesalers' and ' Retailers' section held- recently, a certain gentleman (well-meanino;. no doubt) is reported to have said tnat our soldiers were worthy of something better than "painted Punch and Judy shows," or something like that. Now, I am sure that I, or anybody else, would tako more money in half an hour with a "Punch and Judy show" than I would standing about nil day with a collection box and no other attraction. The point is. Sir. we nro out to make money for a great and worthv cause, and every honest method of ntonev-eotting should be mad? "so | of. This Carnival has got to appeal to i the multitude, and suitable methods must be used in order to raaW the appeal as strong as possible. iT am certain you will get more moniSr for vour Patriotic Funds by the ; jiisiial popular Carnival methods, where the public sonic return tor their outlav. than you will by the "direct contribution"* process. . jAs to whether it is right for ius to go about mafficking in such tinjes as these I replv. Sir. that we are Bihtish, and Britishers do not wear their lkearts on their slecves—^ Y ° U, rmELrrEß.