VIOLET DAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3160, 11 August 1917, Page 8

VIOLET DAY

SPRING SUNSHINE AND CHEERFUL GIVING FINE RED CROSS EFFORT OVER £1600 PAID IN "Violet Day"' in Wellington will bo a.'i event tn dato other-things frr.m for ninny folic in Wellington. Thanks to a' beneficent Providence the iveathe-- was perfect. A bright spring sun shed its refulgence from a. cloudless sky, making people feel that there was still a good deal left in life. Touches of spring wero everywhere, and above and before all the sweet, haunting perfume of violets in the air made most people "loosen up," and the result was an ontirely successful money-raising effort i'or the Bed Cross. No flower is so welcome in tho sick chamber—none is so charmingly charged with the concentrated sweetness of life. So "Violet Day"-the first held in Wellington—appealed to everyone, and there was none who did not either give or work. The Campaign Blossoms Out. At an early hour stalls were fitted up at every vantage point where the crowds are usually thickest, and as soon as people began to stream down lown to work the busy bees began their onslaught. Tho ladies generally are to bo very heartily congratulated on tho fine ! shows they mado at the street corners. In many cases they were quite works of floral art,' which attracted peoplo as> exhibits, and so brought grist to the mill. In many instances men let their ordinary businesses stand down in order to "do their bit" for tho Red Cross, and that "bit" was dbno with notable energy, which meant results. In that direction there was perhaps no more devoted or .spirited workers than those from tho membership of the Commercial Travellers' Club. Indeed these men show such resource, elan, and commercial bonhomie that it is difficult to to compute the value of their services to such fi movement as "Violet Day." The "commercials" stick at nothing. At the Bank of Now Zealand they established tho "Cafe do Stand Up," which was really a real coffee stall, extended in capacity by a. canvas enclosure, where tea, coffee, sandwiches, and hot pies were dispensed to all who would buy. Next door there was a little fish-market, showing a fine display of schnappers fresh from tho Strait, and oysters galore. At 1.30 p.m. tho "travellers," who never relaxed, sold some very special baskets of violets, each ono in memory of a New Zealand hero.t Ono commercial man bought no fewer than five of these at a cost of about JC2S, and declared his intention of sending them 'to the parents of the men. so memorialised as a small token of "Violet Day" in AVellington, which all will concede was a 1 sweet thought. "Eddie's" Effort. Another notable effort was that made by tho clover and hard-working members of Messrs. J. and N. Tait's "Very Good Eddie" Company, who attracted more attention in the afternoon than anyono deemed possible, thanks to tho arrangements made by Mr. Scott Colville and Mr. Harold Bowden. Tho arrangements wero made in conjunction witli Mr. Barry Lupino, the brilliant comedian, and once he and his merry party took charge of things at Brandon-Street there was always "something doing." Mr. Lupino had brought along the full strength of the company, and all worked with a right good will for tho causo. Mr. Lupino, with a big gramophone horn, mado the announcements, and in between cracked jokes about anything and everything. The ladies and gentlemen, accommodated on a decorated motor-lorry, 6ang songs and choruses; Mr. Bristowe recited a harrowing tragedy of the sea, and a very decent reading of "Tho Moon Hath Raised Her Lamp Above," but the accompaniment provided by the electric cars was much too loud. Tlien Mr. Lupino took a transfer to another lorry, and here said a choice selection of millinery at varying prices. One hat—a dream of violets displayed star-like on a crown of creamy straw-brought £WJ It was knocked down to Mr. Page (of tho Grand Hotel), who had no uso for it. so it was sold a»ain for .£5. When the hats and "kowp?cs" were sold, Mr. Lupino auctioned iiox-holdcrs tickets for "Very Good Eddie," cushions, a rug (from a passing motor), and anything he could lay his hand on. When his voice was spent Mr. Arthur Jacobs (who is always so ready to assist) and Mr. Frank Greeno (tho matinee idol) took a hand. In tho meantime the perspiring pack of humanity suffered the tortures of canned sardines, but martyr-like they would not havo missed tho scene were tho conditions over so much more awful. Mr. Lupino was assisted by Miss Lillian 'fucker, Miss Favetto -Perry, Miss Nan laylor, Mr. John Beck, Mr. Prank Greene, and other members of the company, who worked iust as enthusiastically as the best of them. Miss Terry was particularly good with the landing net.

Some Attractive Displays. Bows, and plants, and flowers were sold at the Boulcott Street corner. Violets, which ran out of stock everywhere by. noon, had to Tso replaced with narcissi, of which there was fortunately an abundance. Some stalls sold shrubs and decorative foliage, wattle, daphne sprays, etc Others selected/ bunched narcissi and gay anemones; others fancy work, pin-cushions, handbags, boudoir fixings, and others again sweets, home and fac-tory-made, and as in early every case the goods were given, tho profits were on a net basis. Two little ladies appear about the streets as violet geisha in attendance upon a Prettily-dccovatcd rickshaw, pulled by .»■ youthful rramor. In another case, a violet handcart, loaded with flowers, was handled by M» (et of young ladies, prettily costumed in the colour of tho day. The Maori Effort. Tho Maori parti,' from Porirua and Otaki, organised by Mrs. Elder, gave a very attractive show. They played their part on a big motor-lorry, which was encanopied in fern and palm-leaves, under whose aromatic shade Maori maidens and more mature ivahines disposed themselves with careless grace. The gems of tho party, however, were a quartet of very handsome Maori boys, and one tiny lot, who was addressed as "the rrinresfl." and certainly .looked the part. Led by the plump little "Princess," the boys did a very pretty poi dance, which t.hey enlivened with a Maori song. The party was Tinder rho wing ot Lieutenant-Colonel A. M. Samuel frecentlv back from the front), who made a little speech at.each stop-ping-place, to tell 'the nubile of the loyalty and devotion of the Nat'.yM. They made a collection after each little entertainment, and materialised quite a lot of cash. The favourite device to catch the coin of those who traversed the streets in lorries and motor-cars, were landing-nets nf violet-coloured stuff at the ond or loiik bamboo poles, which enabled the oacer collectors to soarnh under the verandahs, and even into doorways In not the offerings of the more oasnful. V <rroup of lady workers took compete charge of the Grand Hotel vestibule for the day. and also appropriated Ih" entrances lo more than one riinn in the city. And tie best of it ,ra- that everyone accepted whatever was done in the best spirit. The writer only witawJ '«» »«!« ,i,at (lid not accord with that, spirit. Th it was the determination of a mo'crenr driver to bo through Hie jrowdwlieh wn= a dense pnrt-.n Brandon Street, whilst ltd. Lup.no was auctionin" the hats. The act caused a good deal inr.onvanieneo and annoyance, and 'Mr. laipjno, with ready wit, cnid- "Make wav. ladies T'ld jrentlemM, and 'let' the gentleman through!" The accent on the penultimate word earned a world of meaning as the chauffeur went through Ihe crowd. There was a little hooting as the car .'t l ength cleared the crowd. The Ereneh 'Red Cross "-as represented by a .<"'oup of quaintly-costumed ladies in poTSe-bnnnels. lined with muslin ruffles. The arch of (he decorative framework was surmounted by a chanticleer of the gayest plumage. Durin.2 the day the Bed Cross lunch-,

j con and tea rooms did a very lively trade, adding considerably to the day's receipts. The Result—Over £1600. t Tho mouoy boxes began to be turned in to the counting-houso at Harcourt's building boforo 1 pyin., and thereafter a staff of nine men was busily engaged counting tho thousands of pennies, halfpennies, threepences, etc., and coins of higher domination. Tho count was concluded at ,10.30 p.m. exactly. The box containing tho most money contained tho sum of ,£45 odd. This lady's box was cmntied four times. j.ae iotal collected—apart from tho commercial travellers' collection—was 33TT37 10s. Cd. 'Vfie commercial travellers' rough total, obtained at 10 o'clock last evening, was • »£SOO. That makes the grand total doposited in tho Bank of New South Wales last flight A'lG37 10s. Gd. lt~is understood that there are still a few stray collection boxes to come in from some of the outlying suburbs. RED CROSS DAY AT LOWER HUTT. A meeting of residents of Lower Hutt was held in the local Council Chambers on Thursday evening, and presided over by the Mayor, Mr. H. Baldwin, to take the preliminary steps towardß raisin" funds for the Bed Cross Society on "Our Day" in October. Tho members of the ...alt Women's Patriotic. Guild were present, and the president, Mrs. M'Caw, outlined the guild's suggestions for raising money, which were as follow:—A pictui;e_benefit, monster produce sale, war curio exhibition, surprise packets, mock court, children's competitions, etc. Mr. Bajdivin undertook to form a men's committee to arrange, if possible, for a picture benefit, and to also circularise tho district, requesting donations. Mr. j. Kerr offered to print the circulars free. s?r. C. E. Levien suggested the organised canvass of the whole district. Mr. W. NicTio'lson was elected treasurer of the fund.