Citizens’ Lunch Club’s Christmas Festival

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7409, 17 December 1930, Page 6

Citizens’ Lunch Club’s Christmas Festival

FINAL GATHERING FOR THE YEAR The final gathering of tho Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club was held yesterday, when the retiring president (Mr. J. A. Grant) presided over a very large attendance. The meeting took the form of a Christmas festival and a collection was taken up for tho Mayor’s Christmas appeal fund. As a result the sum of £6 will bo handed over. The executive also decided to dispense with Christmas novelties, and by so doing a sum of approximately 30/- will be handed over to some form of charity. After honouring the loyal toast, Mr. AV. A. Waters proposed the toast of tho retiring officers. The club, bo stated, was one of the most remarkable of its kind in New Zealand, as it had no rules and had never had any trouble. On behalf of the club he thanked the president for his interest, and the assistant secretary (Mr. Ennis). He said his remarks would not be complete without mention of Mr. J. H. Stevens, who was part of tho club. It could almost be said that he was the club. (Applause.) In all the years the speaker had attended he had hardly ever known Mr. Stevens to be absent, or the club to be without. a speaker. Mr. J. H. Stevens, the life secretary, in replying, stated that one of the reasons why he was compelled to carry on with the work was that he had found men living within a stone’s throw of each other seldom meeting. His reward for the work was the gratitude expressed by tho members. Ono got a lot of love from work done gratuitously. He said that the loneliest man was the oue who absorbed himself in study. In all the biographies he had read this was borne out. He had tried to mix with everyone, and this, the Lunch Club, had been the means of his doing so. Mr. Grant proposed the toast, “Our Hosts," and made reference to the firm of Collinson and Cunningliame, Ltd., for the fine manner in which it had catered for the club during the year, and asked Mr. L. Collinson to convey to the staff tho club’s appreciation. Mr. D. Morrison proposed the toast of the press, stating that Palmerston North had in its local papers something to bo proud of. He made reforcnco to the assistance given by tho Manawatu Daily Times in particular when the club was formed.

The retiring president voiced his appreciation of the support extended to him during his year of office, and conveyed to the members seasonal greetings. Entertainment was provided by Mr. B. Pizzey, vocal solos; Mr. M. H. Oram, elocution; Mr. F. Largo (Christchurch), pianoforte solo.