"WEEK FOR THE EMPIRE."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 June 1923, Page 4

"WEEK FOR THE EMPIRE."

MEETING OF GENERAL COMMITTEE.

GOOD PROSPECTS REPORTED

The meeting of the general committee of tue above called tor last evening was only poorly attended. Those pres* ent were Messrs J. B. Murdoch (chairman), I. Giilanders, Strack, Warcup Woolhams, I. Bond, and L. O. Hooker (organiser;. Apologies were read from Messrs Uurdekin, 13. Bennett, Townsend, and Spragg. The secretary reported that he had, while in Wellington with the chairman, arranged for the free exhibition of an educational film, the property of the Government. . This Him would take about an hour to show. Mr. H. T. B. Drew, the Government Publicity Specialist, with whom the arrangement was made, stated that lie would himself come to Hawera with the film expert and take a certain amount of film depicting the Hawera Show. Arrangements had been made with Mr. Conroy with regard to the use of the picture theatre, and that gentleman had met the committee very generously. Some details still remained to be settled, but the use of the theatre was assured. Mr. Hooker, on behalf of himself and Mr. Strack, said that the Railway Department had furnished a schedule of tares, etc., which he suggested should be distributed by circular to all the schools concerned. This provided for special trains and fares at such an advantageous rate that adults accompany, ing the children could travel from New Plymouth to Hawera for 3s 3d return and from Wanganui for 3s 9d. The AVest Coast Refrigerating Company, it was reported, had granted the use of a portion of its large building for the purpose of supplying the children with refreshments. The chairman said that while in Wellington he had interviewed the Prime Minister and others in regard to reduced railway fares and freights and the opening of the Empire Week. The Prime Minister was heartily in sympathy with the whole thing, but he

! could not spare a Minister of the ! Crown to come to Havrera. He would, * however, authorise Mr. Brew to come i to Hawera to help all he could. I i The secretary reported that up to the present 80 entries had been received for the window dressing competition, and there were more to follow. There was no doubt about the success of .this branch. Wholesale houses were coming forward with special prizes, and the president of the ISew .Zealand Association of British Manufacturers had taken up the matter most enthusiastically. That association^ would donate a trophy valued at £5 os for the champion window in the window-dressing competition and the president himseif would come to Hawera for the occasion. The secretary stated that lie had not a report from the collectors, but so far there was just a little over £100 in hand. There was still some misunderstanding in regard to the effort, some people quite erroneously being under the impression that this wa s connected with the Winter Show. It was reported that the banks had decline^ to contribute to the fund. ! In reply to an inquiry- the secretary said that it was hard to say how many children could be expected, but provision would be made to feed un to five thousand. Mr. Wai-cup suggested that it wotild be a good thing to provide packages of sandwiches to hand to the teachers to distribute to the children on the train on the way home, especially in the case or those coming a loner distance. The question of a formal opening was discussed, and it was resolved to open the proceedings of the week on Monday evening, July 2. The programme for the opening was discussed and it was resolved to ask for a procession, leaving the arrangements to the Friendly Societies. Fire Brigade, and Band, it being hoped that the Boy Scouts, junior Fire Brigade, and other organisations would join in! It was suggested that a hall should be obtained and speeches made by leading visitors and others. ° Messrs Bennett, Snragg, Glanders, Struck, Townsend, and the chairman were appointed a committee to complete the. arrangements for the opening night in the 'way of programme etc. * ' It was resolved to endeavour to get the Eltham Pipe Band to come to Hawera for the occasion. 1 It was also resolved to communicate vVh the Hawera Band and the Orchestral Society with regard to music for the opening night, on the assumption , that a hall would be taken and adj dresses given. i 'The matter of issuing invitations to pnolic men in the province and elsewhere was left in the hands of the special committee.