ROTARY LUNCHEON

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1936, Page 17

ROTARY LUNCHEON

"HUSBANDS AttD WIVES"

It is not surprising that the Wellington Rotary Club's annual "husbands and wives" luncheon is such a popular function. It took place yesterday in the Jacobean room at Kirkcaldie and Stains, and the atmosphere was full 01 good cheer and gool fellowship. There were 141 people present. Long tables laden with appetising fare and decorated with ranunculi and irises were arranged .around the walls and down the centre of the room. Mr. Harry Anderson Xthe president) and Mrs. Anderson, Mr. J. M: A. Ilott (past president) and Mrs. Ilott, and Mr. Frank Campbell (past president) and Mrs. Campbell were seated at the official table on the far side of the room. Behind them on the %vall hung a Union Jack, the New Zealand ensign, the Rotary badge, and a photograph of Mr. W. Gray Young (a past president).

After luncheon the president welcomed the visiting Rotarians and the ladies, and the welcome chorus, led by Mr. W. H; Hindle, was sung with

great hartiness. Mr. Herbert Wood sang two delightful ballads, and the president extended birthday greetings to Mr.-Phil Myers, who was accompanied by his wife and nephew, Mr. Maurice Myers (Dunedin). Lots of amusement was caused by the "fines" imposed on members for various reasons, several of the "culprits" being charged with having forgotten to bring their wives. , . . Mrs. A. B. Gibbons made a brief speech about the work of the residential nurseries. It was .a work that was done very quietly, but being in great need of funds at present they were doing more talking and trying in a great variety of ways to raise £500 to enable them to carry on. She explained that the work was as much a. benefit to the fathers as to the mothers, as instead of the husband,! having to cope with the babies when their wives got ill they could sen'i them to the residential nursery to be cared for (at only a small fee if they could afford to pay at all) until the mother was able to look after them again. Doctors said that the mothers who had a contented mind, knowing their children were being properly looked after, got better much quicker.

Mr. Ilott outlined the programme for entertaining the delegates to the sixth annual Pacific Conference which would be held next M.arch in Wellington. It would undoubtedly be the biggest event in the history of Rotary in New Zealand, and the task of looking after 300" or 400 people (the delegates and their wives) would be a difficult one. Mr. Ilott appealed to the Wellington Rotarians to let the warmth of their welcome make up for the lack of the facilities that were available in larger cities. 'The ladies' committee appointed to be responsible for the entertainment of the women visitors includes Mesdames H. Anderson' (con|vener), F. Campbell, D. A. Ewen, J. M. A. Ilott, and W. Gray Young.