"SPORT DAY"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 11

"SPORT DAY"

CHRISTMAS GIFT FUND COLLECTION

BIG EFFORT FOR SOLDIERS

OYER £1500 IN HAND

Tho sports bodies of Wellington cobperatcd yesterday in a big effort to collect money for the Christmas Gift tfiWl, and favoured with the fine (bright weather, tho occasion was not- , ably successful from all points of view. •AH the principal sports bodies had arranged attractive stalls :m points of vantage about tho city; whilst each headquarters sent its scouting parties far and wide to seek the nimble shilling. As tho sun shono clear and .warm the public was in an amiable inood, and the money rolled in quite as freely as was expected. Tho backhone of the effort was a "surprise packet" scheme. Tho public are always ready to invest when thero is a chance i of _ getting something for the fleeting ' shilling. Many pf tho prizes given away represented admission tickets to ihe sports to-day and tho right to paritakeof afternoon tea on some suburban 'bowling green. "Pot hunters" were greatly disappointed when thoy drew •these tickets. People, however, should read such tickets carefully, as, for all cno knows, thero may be a written instruction oh the ticket directing the owner to a more valuable prize—a |triflo such as a section of land, or a £10 'War Bond. This advico is tendered seriously. A-great deal of labour had been expended on somp of the stalls, and the result was a larger share of tnc public's ' attention and the public's cash. The iWellington Rugby Union's stall was Situated at the tramway terminus in • Conrtenay Place, whero a lively staff Wade frequent raids on the tramcars, and oven rodo a part of the way along the track in order to induco the travelling public to invest, even if it were 6nly to secure tho accident insurance policy. During one little trip a car "pulled up rather suddenly, causing ipeople,to jerk forward uncomfortably.' •"There you are," said the seller of 'surprise-packet tickets, "that might have pitched you through tho window and sawn your head off—better take a iicke't, if it's only for tho' accident insurance policy I" Many saw thei force of the argument, and invested. The Rugby Union's stall was almost exclusively devoted to the sale of'toys, .■which magnetised the children so thoroughly that parents had quite a task getting them away from the show. At the Bank of New Zealand corner an Lower Cuba Street, the Amateur (Athletic Association had firmly established itself. It specialised in vegetables, meat,, flowers, and cakes. Tho "soccer" football people had a stall in (Bouloott Street (near Manners Street), and did a lively trade throughout tho Hay in fruit, flowers, and vegetables. . The. Wellington Tennis Association put its shingle up stylishly in' Mercer Street, opposite Cooper's Building. •There was here an effort at decorative embellishment. The stall was garlanded from end to end by chains of paper, cunningly linked, in the light and dark blue colours of the association, whilst at tho Willis Street end of . .tho booth was a design worked out in tennis rackets. Cakes were a specialty at this stall—iced cakes, walnut cakes, jam sandwiches, plain and fruit .cakes—all good and reasonably-priced. .The Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Swimming. Association established itself at the G.P.0., and on Lambton Quay (at the junotion of Woodward Street). Flowers, sweets, and cakes .were sold at the G.P.0., and to add ifche spice of variety, children's clothes iwero .exhibited alongside plates of sausages and quarters of beef; ' ■"■'' Bowsers are Cor should be) always ''well up." Their stall at tho Bank 'of New Zealand Corner in Customhouse Quay waß really a village market place! _ All the clubs wero interested, and vied with one another in raking in the "root of all. evil." What Ithe bowlers did not ' sell was not worth mentioning. The goodß ranged from peanuts and home-made tomato sauce to furniture and cabbages. Bowl!ers in their flannels helped the ladies ,!to some purposo during the afternoon. Where Kelburn Avenue debouches ' tipon Lambton Quay the ! Wellington Cricket Association took up its pitch, and had really a great innings throughout the long, snnny day. A feature of this stall was the model of a cricket match in progress, each player being represented by an extremely pink and shameless "kewpie." The exhibition •was the admiration of all the ladies and fchildren who passed along the .Quay. The Wellington Racing Club was to ihavo run a stall, but they scratched jtwenty-four hours before starting time »—all bets off. The golfers had their stall outside Kirkcaldie and Stains's. There was ynany a wary "approach" on the part

of the public, but 110 "foozling", was permitted, and good "drives" wero scored throughout tho day. Tho officials wero in activo evidenco throughout tho day, Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald loaning his motor-car for tho Work of supervision. Good work was done at Harcourt's Rooms throughout the day hy a staff of mon, who wero delivering tho presents to lucky winners. Tho appeal will ho continued to-day, when a big soldiers' athletic sports meeting will be held on the Basin Reservo, whilst every sports body will do its level best to swell tho total. Cash Takings £1510. ' The total cash takings yesterday amounted to £1510 2s. Id.