INTERESTED WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 3

INTERESTED WOMEN

Many At Dig For Victory Exhibition

Tbe Wellington Town Hall was not large enough to hold the crowd that was present at the official opening of the Dig for Victory exhibition yesterday. Large numbers were women. There were splendidly arranged displays on nutrition which forcefully told their own story of the importance. of correct diet in building a healthy nation. Ideal meal requirements were shown for children of all ages, stressing the importance of the protective foods, milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread. The nutrition section of the Department of Health, by presenting comparisons, was able to show simply the wrong and the right way of eating. A poor lunch consisting of a soft drink, scones, white bread, biscuits and sweets, contained little else but heat and energy producing agents, while a good lunch, supplied the minerals and vitamins necessary for healthy living. Faults in the New Zealand diet showed the very great difference there was between what people do eat and what they should eat. Other things in which women visitors were particularly interested were the display of preserved fruit and vegetables, the dehydrated foods, as supplied to servicemen overseas, the line display of vegetables grown by gardening groups of the W.W.S.A. in and around Wellington and the decorated flower section, where women' exhibitors this year had excelled themselves. All kinds of lovely flowers were combined here to produce a wealth of beauty and colour. The children’s decorative class showed artistically arranged baskets and sprays. Decorative baskets and plates of vegetables were another novelty. Curley kale proved to be a good foundation for display and in its crisp greenness, nestled beans, tomatoes, carrots, red peppers, beetroot and potatoes, topped off and flanked by lettuces, celery, cauliflowers, silver beet, green peas and other vegetables. Flowers were arranged in tiers before and behind the stage, z the richly toned summer blooms arousing much admiration. One of the gladiolus blue riband winners, was appropriately named “Miss New Zealand” and a pupil of Northland School won the champion bloom award for gladioli in the school section-

The president of tbe Wellington Horticultural Society, Mrs. Knox Gilmer, had been sent a “vegetable corsage,” with specific instructions to wear it for the opening. It. came from ‘‘Three Enthusiastic Gardeners” as the card- showed, and contained 11 varieties of fresh vegetables, all tiny. There were carrots, an onion, parsley,, crab apples, butter beans, french beans, tomatoes, blackberries, small purple grapes, passionfruit, and a. flower of corn, the whole surmounted by a red rose. After the opening, the official party, including the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser and Mrs. Fraser, was entertained by the committee at afternoon tea. The women members of the party received lovely floral sprays.