CHRISTMAS PARTY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24440, 14 December 1944, Page 2

CHRISTMAS PARTY

AMERICAN VISITORS PRESENT

A real carnival spirit prevailed. at the Winter Garden last evening, when more than 300 guests attended the annual Christmas party of the Canterbury (N.Z.) Travel Club. The president, Sir Joseph Ward, presided, and specially welcomed Mr Sidney Greenbie, representative in New Zealand of the. United States Office of War Information, and Mrs Greenbie, who are paying a short visit to Christchurch. An. enjoyable concert programme was provided by Messrs Ernest Rogers and Robert Lake (vocal duets), Miss Helen Hodgins (songs),. Miss Rqmola Griffiths (violin solos and obbligatos), Mrs J. C. Cullman (accompaniments), and Mrs McConnell’s party of Maoris who provided poi and stick dances to Mrs McConnell’s accompaniments. Incidental music was played by Mrs Clarice Shaw. An outstanding feature was the singing of Christmas carols by a party of carollers in costume. Before supper was served gifts from a gaily lit Christmas tree were distributed by Lady Ward; The Mayor, Mr E. H. Andrews, was present, and offered Christmas wishes to the club and its visitors. '■ The guest speaker was Mr Greenbie, who gave a picture of life in America. The Americans, he'said, were people of great energy and great capacity, in constant motion always trying to build UP and improve their well-being. “We are a creative people,” he saidi ' “and have learnt something of the arts of leisure as well as the arts of manufacture.” Many visitors to America saw their fine cities and their broad highways but failed to see America as Americans saw it. Though the people seemed to be always moving and never at rest, underneath they had the same love of permanence and ease of life, the same love of beauty, culture, and the arts as the people of New Zealand. He felt that a real understanding of each other’s way of life was definitely necessary to the well-being of our countries, and definite information conveyed from nation to nation. considered necessary in war-time, was equally necessary in peace. Mr Greenbie spoke of the great change war had brought to America —16,000,000 people had changed their homes—--3,000,000 had moved to the western states alone to take up war jobs, and factories had sprung up where once had been open plain. The Mayoress, Miss E. Couzms, thanked Mr Greenbie for his excellent address, and Sir Joseph Ward thanked the performers and the entertainment and executive committees of the club, and especially Mrs A. J. Benzie, for successful organisation. ENGAGEMENTS The engagement is announced of Pilot Officer Morris Raymond (overseas), eldest son of Mr and Mrs F. F. Croft, “Ardmore,” Sefton, North Canterbury, to Miss Geraldine Marks. Norfolk. Virginia, U.S.A. Mr’ and Mrs J- W. M, Parsons. Eiffelton. Ashburton, announce the engagement of their eldest daughter, Marie Anne, to Thomas Burson. eldest son of the late Mr T. Nuttall and of Mrs Nuttall, 573 Hereford street.