RED CROSS GOODS SOLD

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 124, 18 February 1921, Page 5

RED CROSS GOODS SOLD

LIVELY SCENE AT THE TOWN HALL

“What’s on—a mother's meeting?” said- an inquirer at tlie main entrance to the Town Hall yesterday afternoon on seeing some hundreds of women seeking admission. If the questioner had walked round the corner into Wakefield Street he would have seen just as many women leaving the big building, every one of them laden with 'brown paper parcels of varying 'dimensions. The cause of all the activity was a sale of Red Cross goods from the hospitals and hospital ships, which had been returned to New Zealand for disposal. The goods comprised sheets, blankets, pillow-slips, pyjama coats, dressing-gowns, nightingales. rugs, etc—all good, serviceable stuff, most of which had been through the wash. The sale was conducted by the ladies of the Red Cross Society, under the direction of the Mayoress (.Mrs. Luke), Mrs. Walter Nathan, and Miss Sybil Nathan (hon. secretary), and they had the busiest day of their lives. During the forenoon representatives of the hospitals (public and private) and charitable institutions were given preference, and made good use of their time, for Urn Red Cross Society had fixed prices that could not but be deemed reasonable. For instance, dressing-gowns (of blanketing) were being retailed at 10s., woollen rugs at 17s. 6d., and sheets and pillow-slips at prices a third of what would have to be paid for them in the ordinary way. The institutions, which as a. rule buy in the cheapest market, thought tho opportunity so good that between them they bought up the whole of the sheets and pillow-slips. After luncheon the general public was admitted in batches. The crowd was such that a queue had to be formed. Within the big hall two-thirds of the floor area was partitioned. off for the goods, a counter stretched :• cross from door to door, and on enumerating then requirements the buyers were served as quickly as tho Red Cross ladies could sort, out the articles ffom the mounds behind them. Ml was a most animated scene, and such was the demand that by 5 p.m. practically the whole of the poods had' been cleared. Mr T. Munt acted as cashier. He reports that tho takings amounted, to £lO3l. The proceeds will be paid m the funds of the Red Cross Society.