OKAIAWA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8133, 1 December 1904, Page 2

OKAIAWA.

I "ALL NATIONS BAZAAR." ' Wednesday, 30th November, was a redletter day for Okaiawa township and district. The whole place was en fete on the occasion of the opening of the All Nations Bazaar. About twelve months ago the ladies undertook, provided a sum of money was advanced to them by the Hall Committee on which to work, to make a special effort to clear off the debt on the hall. This sum was forthcoming, and they immediately set to work to prepare for a great sale of work. They have been working one day a week ever since, and the good results of their handiwork are proved ' by the great display of goods, plain and fancy, now made in the hall. A flutter of gay Hags indicates the building in which the bazaar is to be held, and punctually at 2.30, the hall being nearly filled, Mr T. L. Joll, Chairman of Committee,' welcomed Mr Felix McGuire, and. after giving a short resume of the work promised and carried out by the ladies, asked him to declare the bazaar open. i Mr McGuire, who was received with I cheers, said he had to thank the com mittee for the honor they had done him in inviting him to come to open the I bazaar. His hearers all knew, that the . object of the bazaar was to clear off the debt on the hall, and that the ladies, [ with characteristic energy, had been work , ing for a long time with that object in [ view. The object was a good one, and he made an earnest appeal to all the men ' to assist the ladies to the best of their . ability. Whatever the ladies take in hand. he said, they do thoroughly. He would like the people of Stratford, of Eltham. ' of Hawera, of Manaia, to come and see " tne work that had been done. It was an * object lesson to all. tie asked all pre- ' sent to carry a hearty vote of thanks 'to ' the committee, and then called for three * cheers for the ladies, which were given | lustily. He immediately declared t!r; 1 bazaar open, and hoped and trusted that * it would be carried to a successful issue. ' Mr McGuire concluded amidst loud ap1 planse. As the visitor enters the hall the first ■ tiling that strikes the eye is a large * and handsome inscription, "Rule Britannia," * nia," showing that while all nations are 1 represented Britain stands first. The at- * tendants at the stalls and the energetic 1 roving sellers of goods of all kinds, whose 1 business it is to hunt up likely purchasers, | are mostly dressed in costumes represent | ing the various nations— here a Scotch ' lassie, there an English girl, and again a. swarthy gipsy and a Spanish vivandiere. In the centre of the stall is a sweets t stall, where Mrs Chivers supplies the L wants principally of the little ones who i have come to spend their pennies. At one side of the doorway is the magic fisht pond, over which Mrs Moffatt presides. b and where you can always make sure of - a catch, and do not need to fish the livet long day and get no sport. Here and » at the bran tub, looked after by Miss 1 Seymour, are attractions mostly for the r children. On the other side of the doori way is a gipsy tent, in which sits Mrs r Benton. ready to read mystic signs of the - past, the present, and the future for all - who cross her palm. Above the door is l a fine piece of work, at patchwork quilt r made by Miss Betts, containing 179 pieces i of different colored stuffs, each with a I name on it. This will be drawn for by . lot amongst those whose names appear. $ You pass along the fancy goods stalls, t where Misses Oughton (2), Scott. Hunger, - and Mrs Jones are ready to draw your - cash in return for their pretty wares - then to the plain work stall, presided 3 over by Mesclames Bremer and Tiplady. ; a chance for those in search of useful - goods. Coming down the other side you find a stall stacked with carved work of . all descriptions in charge of Misses Johnson and Gibson, and next the produce j stall, where you can buy vegetables and . poultry, and where is on view a tray of l baked goods kindly sent from the local j bakery and a very handsome wedding . cake— an opportunity for one of Okaiawa's , Wayward bachelors. The ladies who rove I round the room waylaying, visitors are j Misses Bremer (2), Johnson (2), Crocker and Hunger. At the end of the hall is a j post office, where on payment of a small , fee you can get a letter delivered to any . part of the room and to anyone you ; please to address. 5 This completes the display of the hall. . The stalls are all gaily decorated, and . hung with flags representing all couni tries, the work of an energetic committee I of ladies. The hard work of putting . up the stalls was done by the men.' Pass- . ing through behind the stage, you rome i into the refreshment room, where a busy \, corps of ladies under the superintendence ■ of Mrs Joll attend to the wants of the - inner man. | On Wednesday afternoon good business I was done, and the committee expressed > *.«em«elves satisfied with results. In the t evening a programme of music was given, i and it was confidently expecteS that the > takings would be considerably in advance i of the afternoon's total. . ; Mr A. O. Buchler, the hon. secretary, t is responsible for the general arrangement t and has devoted a, lot of time and trouble , to the work. All the members of the committee have done good work. \ _ mgmmmmmmjmmmmmmm i Even a small soul can love in return; i only a great soul bates not in return.— Ivan P*nin.