CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25248, 29 July 1947, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION

BASIS OF INVITATION LIST

DISCUSSION BY CITY COUNCIL

“There was bound to be some heartburning about that matter,” said the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) at the Christchurch City Council meeting last evening when Cr. J. L. Hay asked on what basis invitations had been issued for the civic reception to Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery. Cr. Hay said the chairmen of important local bodies like the Harbour Board, the Tramway Board, and the Drainage Board had not been invited. He realised there were difficulties because of limitation of space, but it did seem a pity that these men were not invited. Mr Andrews said it had been decided to issue no invitations except to local members of Parliament. “We simply couldn’t invite all the civic list because we couldn’t accommodate them.” he added. “If we had invited some and not others we would have been in trouble. We bad to draw the line once we started. We couldn’t so outside the local bodies. We had dozens of telephone rings and written requests for special invitations, but w? had to refuse them.” Cr. A. R. Guthrey raised the question of councillors and their wives sitting on the official platform at receptions. He said he had heard scarcely anything of Lord Montgomery’s speech, and he suggested that certain people on the civic list be allowed to sit in the front seats of the hall at future receptions. Mr Andrews: I would be very glad to do that. I did not hear very much of him.

“This was a civic reception,” added Mr Andrews. “Certain people in high places had to be reminded of that.” Cr. M. E. Lyons said the council should congratulate the Mayor on the whole conduct of Field-Marshal Montgomery’s visit. There were difficulties in organising the programme, which had tn be changed as circumstances altered, but the result was something eminently satisfactory in which the neoole of the city could som** pride. Councillors applauded Cr. Lyons’s