ALL NEW ZEALAND

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 12

ALL NEW ZEALAND

UNIQUE FEAST IN AMERICA [From Cue Srnoui, Cokresro.nde.vt.] SAN FRANCISCO, November 30. A unique feast was served in San Francisco, California, every item of which, except the water, came from New Zealand, 6,200 miles away. This “Feast of Lncnllus ’’ was complete, even as those feasts of (ho Roman general who apent his wealth and declining years in sumptuous entertainments, for which ho combed the world to obtain titbits for his tables. That tho dainties came “on ice” did 11.1 t detract from their quality. Oysters, prime lamb, lobsters, cheese, butler, cream, fruits, whitebait, mint, orange ;nanmhde, biscuits, coffee, nuts, tobacco, all were products of New Zealand. A score and one sat down to the table as the guests of William (“Rill”) Browne Gray, bon-vivant, clubman, and naturalised Californian of forty years’ standing. The feast was served at tho exclusive Union League Club, and was the result of badinage, out of which there grew si feud that was only settled when “Bill ’ Gray, as ho is popularly known, carved tho Canterbury Plains prime lamb that had come all tho way from New Zealand. Three years ago Dr H. S. Bettis, a wellknown sheep-raiser, gave a. dinner to a group of friends including Hr Gray. Idaho lamb was tho “piece do resistance.” Mr Gray, to get a rise out of his host, ashed; “Do yon call that lamb? Why it looks like a squirrel compared to tamous lamb of my native New Zealand.” Frequent references to the taunt during the last three years boro fruit at the end of this November, friends of Gray ha' ing arranged to send the “ makin’s for the feast by steamship. Those who enjoyed the treat were Peter B. Kyno (the renowned American novelist and short-story writer), William Chatham, Robery D. M’Elroy, Martin I.idall, Elmer de Cap, C. E. do Camp, John P. Cleese, Philip Gordon, Charles G. Johnson, Louis Oneal, Mas Goldberg, Hugh M. Cockran, Dr H. S. Bettis, Samuel M. Fulton, P, G. Williams, Lewis Byingion, Albert A. Rhine, James T. Ryan, Colonel C. H. .Murphy, Clarence C. Wooster, and J. K.■ Wansbrough, all prominent in the public life of Western America. Peter B. Kyne acted as toast master. Tho menu 'bore on the cover page the words “ Tenakoa to Pakeha e to Maori (greetings to my white friends and the Maoris). The menu was as 'ollows; Foveaux straits oyster cocktails. Timaru sheep longues in aspic. Potago mahuta toheroa, Onehunga. Dunedin lobster gourmet. Roast Terauka South Canterbury prime lamb; Waitohi mint sauce. _ Nelson peas with Taranaki cutler. Hon. Takere-nuku kumaras. Nelson District fruit compote. Otago Central fruit tarts. Auckland orange marmalade; Akaroa walnuts. New Zealand coffee. . Taranaki butter, Waikato cheese, Waitohi croo*n New Zealand oiscuits. Cavendish pipe (Hawke’s Bay) tobacco. “ Kiora-Kiora-tatu.” Everyone voted the feast a pleat success, and a great advertisement for the tasty and most diverse products of faraway New Zealand, every item on the menu being done full justice to. Dr Bettiff was convinced that New Zealand’s lamb is not only larger in size but much superior to that of the Western United Stater.