PREPARING FOR CENTENNIAL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26211, 7 September 1950, Page 2

PREPARING FOR CENTENNIAL

WOMEN’S COMMITTEE MEETS

Two hundred pounds of icing sugar will be used to ice the nine-foot high cake, which will be cut and distributed on children’s day during the centennial celebration. This was reported at a meeting of the women s committee of the Centennial Association yesterday by Mrs R. L. Jacobsen. She said tne cake would be decorated with 100 candles, each dressed as a lady in a crinoline. The programme for children’s day, she continued, would include an aerial lolly scramble, a treasure hunt, music played by school bands, displays by clowns and acrobats, a marionette play or Punch and Judy show, and a Maypole dance. Mrs W. S. Mac Gibbon reported that as the women’s committee wished that a children’s centennial book should be published, a book of children’s stories set in the early days of Canterbury had been written by Mrs T. Waldie, of Waimate. The manuscript had received favourable comment from a well-known publisher, and if it were possible to arrange the necessary illustrations and the publisher could get the book printed within reasonable time, there was a possibility of its publication. That teachers of dancing could not cope with the demands of those wishing to learn the new centenary dance, the Charlotte Jane, and that the first issue of the music had been sold out was reported by Mrs T. A. Minson, who said that the dance had created a favourable impression when performed at the Royal Musical Society’s ball. The Timaru delegates reported that much useful preparatory work had been planned for centennial week in Timaru—from December 26, 1950, to January 4, 1951. A cafeteria would be conducted at the Y.W.C.A. rooms, a creche and play centre would be opened, shop window displays and bus trips were being arranged, and a ball would be held.

Mrs G. H. Watts, for the country hostessing committee, and Mrs F. Burrell, for the town hostessing committee. submitted reports. Mrs Bur*, rell said her committee was circular/ising organisations, asking them to help in staffing an information bureau in Cathedral square.

ADDRESS TO LUNCHEON MEETING

Some of the more spectacular events of the centennial celebrations and the preparatory work of organisation were described yesterday by Mr N. O. Steel, of the public relations office staff, when he addressed a wellattended luncheon meeting convened by the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women, and held in the M.E.D. demonstration room. He emphasised that persons of all ages and all interests were catered for in the programme, and that the success of the undertaking depended on the enthusiasm of the people of Canterbury. In one of the most important events, the procession, to be held on December 18, Mr Steel said, 60 vehicles and 24 bands would take part, and in the floral procession, to be held in February, as the highlight of floral week, 60 decoratad floats would be included. To help in the decoration of these floats, the Boy Scouts on the West Coast had undertaken to collect and forward to Christchurch 500 sacks of moss. When the floral procession reached Hagley Park, 300 girls and boys would take part in floral dancing, with five maypole dances, and many colourful country dances. Mr Steel touched brieflv on the pilgrimage over the Bridle Path, which he said was attracting great interest, the children’s day. the fireworks display, the Randolph ball, and the many conferences that would be held in Christchurch. Already, he said, the booking officer of the accommodation committee had booked accommodation for 25.000 persons who would be attending functions or conferences in Christchurch during the celebrations. "

Miss M. McLean (president of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women) presided at the meeting, and Miss K. Lovell-Smith thanked Mr Steel.