Irish Fair

Hutt News, Volume 13, Issue 24, 22 November 1939, Page 5

Irish Fair

The beautiful grounds of ''Waitui," the home of Mrs. F. W. Bews, were the rendezvous of a large crowd on Saturday afternoon last, -when a "Ballycarriigloon" fair was held for the St. Paul's Church chancel fund. A happy and informal afteritoon was spent in the delightful surroundings, all the stalls were well patronised and good entries were received for the competitions. Mrs. Sprott, who was introduced by the Rev. W. E. W. Hurst as a daughter of Erin, fittingly declared the fair open in humorous vein. Though it was 60 years since she left Ireland, said Mrs. Sprott, she had only visited that country for an odd week or two during visits to that side of the world, and though born in Ireland, the ballycarrigloon fair was her first experience of an Irish fair. She felt she should be bearing home a pig as a trophy, of the fair, also a bottle of "stuff," as it was known in Ireland. Mrs. Sprott referred to the remarkable contradictions of the Irish temperament, not only its humor and gaiety, but also its underlying pathos. Wishing the fair all the success it deserved, Mrs. Sprott declared it open. She was presented by Jocelyn White with a lovely bouquet of deep crimson roses and maidenhair fern. Mrs. H. E. K. Fry received an artistic bouquet of tiny gold roses, pale yellow irises and maidenhair fern. Judges of* the various competitions also received bouquets. Mr. S. G. Walker proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs. Sprott for her graciousness in opening the fair, and Mr. G. L. Judd seconded the motion. Mr. Hurst warmly thanked Mrs. Bews for lending her delightful grounds for the occasion. Giant old English trees, willows, shrubs and tree ferns provided a lovely background for the stalls, with their patriotic decorations of emerald green offset with orange. in charge also wore dashes of orange. On the wide lawn the various games and sideshows were keenly contested, while beneath the shade of the wide verandahs afternoon tea was served on small tables, the gay covers carrying out the colour scheme of emerald and orange. They were centred with deep golden iceland poppies and a bevy of "colleens" who waited at the tables with their capes of red satin and sashes and headdresses of red, green and yellow ,contributed charm and reality to the scene. Nature, too, added lovely splashes of colour, for red rhododendrons and azaleas of a particularly vivid hue flowered profusely. The stalls were: —Cake stall, Misses Barbara Dixon, Zita Murch, Ncla Robinson and Edith Eason; mystery parcels, Misses Lois' Taylor and Olive Leary; needlework, Mesdames D.. Wedekind and Kincaid; ice creams, Mesdames R. Rankin and R. Morice; afternoon tea, Misses Nora Treseder, Laura Hicks, M. Pegler, M. Paulhi, J. Armstrong, A. Corlett, J. Stunnell, J. Langdon, J. Mackley, J. Dysaght, N. Commetti, H. Craven, J. Trewern, and V. Wright; oddments and books, Miss B. Olphert; treasure island, Mr. G. Hindmarsh; rifle range, Mr. M. Morice. Mrs. W. Olphert and Mrs. P. Marshall, who were the judges of the fancy dresses, awarded the following prizes:—"Colleens": Joan McGhie 1, Daphne Menzies and Linley Wainscott 2. General class: Joan Menzies ("Bopeep') 1, C. Swift ("Rose") '1. The judge of the cooking competitions, Mr. IC. J. Stuart, awarded prizes as follows:—Scones Mrs. F. M. Bews I, Miss M. Money L\ Mrs. Watson 3. Small cakes: Dorothy Duthie 1, Mrs. R. Dews 2, Nancy Cooper 3. Sponge sandwiches: Miss J. Stunnell 1, Mrs. G. L. Judd 2, Mrs. R. Bews 3. Mrs. J. E. F. Vogel and Mrs. J. F. Zohrab, who judged the baby show, gave their decision as follows:—Under six months: Baby Morgan. Under one year: Pauline Gilbert and Mary Stuart. Other prizes were awarded to Glennes Roberts, John Malin, John Lacey, Ruth McGhie, Terry Puketapu, and June Stuart. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, M.P., for Hutt, and Mrs. Nash were present. The responsible committee comprised: The Rev. W. E. W. Hurst, chairman; Mr. S. G. Walker, secretary; Mr. G. L. Judd, treasurer; Mesdames R. Rankin, G. L. Judd, andf White, Messrs. G. Stewart, M. Morice and B. Miller.