A FORETASTE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 126, 29 May 1915, Page 6

A FORETASTE

PRE-CARNIVAL DAYS ANIMATED SCENES IN CITY STREETS MANY WORKERS IN A GOOD CAUSE. • Main streets.of the city were the scene of exceptional animation and colour today, commencing with the enthusiasm aroused by the recruits marching on their way to the Reinforcements Camp, and continuing with processions and individual efforts of the supporters of the different Carnival Queen candidates. THE TINY TOTS SCHOOL CHILDREN'S DISPLAY. The Labour Department arranged a novel procession, when it assembled some hundreds of children from Berhampore, Island Bay, and Karaka Bay Schools, and detachments of children from other schools. They were all marshalled into line in . Marion-street, Messrs. J. W. Collins (of the Labour Department) and Mr. D. M'Laren getting things in order. The great? majority of tho children were dressed as nurses (as to the girls), and wounded soldiers (as to the boys), but there were distributed among them little ones in various fancy dresses, such as Belgian refugees, Chinese mandarins, Japanese Geishas, and Italian peasants. AVhile the object of the whole affair was pathetic and / a serious note, too, was imparted to it by the diminutive nurses, and their wounded charges, yet the humorous side of the procession waa kept ever uppermost. At the head of the column marched the band, consist ing of a drum, a dilapidated circular baes trumpet, a trombone out of order, and other weird instruments. Tho bandsmen were all in quaint make-up, and created a deal of amusement by their antics. The Grand Turk in scarlet fez and purple robe came after, with a convict in "canaries" made up to represent the Kaiser, and pushing a barrow full of children. He bore a 'label on his back indicating that he was "working out the indemnity." The prizes offered for competition, namely, two model cot« tages and a collection of "Meccano" articles, were borne on decorated motorlorries, and tickets were sold en route. Motor-cars, full pf tiny nurses, were followed by "wounded" warriors borne on stretchers. Children actively and with great zest skimmed the crowds looking on of any /spare coppere, and it was worth _ far more thaai a penny to see their joy when that coin rattled into their fast-filling boxes. More nurses and more warriors followed ' in motor-cycle side-cars. The children's procession, taken as a whole or in detail, was a huge success, and from the way in. which it was conducted ahould result in a heavy harvest of coppers. Other collectors were out, however, going over the same ground as the children covered, and in Willis-street an adult procession going the opposite way was met with. Everything was taken in good part and the public, on the whole, appeared to be very geneiwis, considering , the many calls made npon the people of late, both public and private.