HAPPY CHILDREN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 12 November 1928, Page 5

HAPPY CHILDREN

GALA ON SATURDAY AT BOTANICAL WLSIiHVIi CHILDREN FROM LARGE. ARK A To see the gathering of happy children at tho Botanical reserve on Saturday was to realise how fortunate Nelson is in possessing such surroundings for her young people at play. The Children's (Jala Committee have utilised one beautiful corner in Nelson, the Botanical Reserve, for an annual gathering which must, he looked forward to eagerly each year by school children in and around the city. Excited train and bus loads of hoys ami girls began to arrive in Nelson during the morning in charge of their teachers and I hey were first entertained by a visit, to Mr Fred. Jones's miniature "'Coney Park." A midday meal was arranged with tin; committee's usual efficiency and when several hundreds of hungry mouths had been attended to their owners were once more prepared to continue the day's entertainment.

The' programme proper started with a procession which left Coney Park at 1.30 o'clock headed by the Combined Schools Fife and Drum hand. The drum major with his enormous head created much amusement. The Citizens' Band, the Highland Pipe Baud, and the 12th Regiment Band headed the procession from different points. The marshalling was carried out by "Mr F. \V. ITuggins. All the various schools carried signs giving their names and many of them brightened the procession by being in fancy dress. Several town and country schools contributed items in costume to the programme, and the peri'oiiraers were all specially dressed for the occasion. Scattered throughout the procession were a number of children, mostly tiny tots in pretty fancy costumes representing butterflies, fairys, Irish colleens, etc. Several "Kingsford-Smiths" were in evidence Southern Cross and all. Decorated tricycles and other special displays by the children, were included. Several Nelson business firms took advantage of the opportunity to include decorated display vehicles in the procession and they made the turn out all the more imposing. When the long si ream of children had at last arrived at the Botanical Reserve they made a gay and happy picture against a leafy background. The hill on two sides of the ground make a natural amphitheatre and it was quickly filled by onlookers and children not figuring in the afternoon programme. Those, in, fancy costume made splashes of colour against their more soberly dressed companions. Those who were not disposed to hill climbing grouped themselves around the large oval enclosure which had been reserved for staging the various events. There was no dearth of music for each band in turn took a spell in the stand and played marches and other lively tunes. The young folk were still further delighted when a group of real cowboys arrived (the band at present appearing in the Regent Theatre). Two clowns also added to tho amusement with their comical antics.

The. open air entertainment then commenced and the items from the various schools were interspersed by displays put on by members of the Y.M.C.A. unci others. Songs in costume, English folk dancing, tumbling and drill displays, and a maypole dance were some of the schoolchiklren's contributions and judging by their faces those who took part were enjoying themselves as much as anyone on the ground. A group of young ladies gave a display of wand drill. Various acrobatic feats were demonstrated by a selected Y.M.C.A. team and a still larger group of them built up a series of human pyramids which looked very effective.

Scottish dancing to the pipes figured in the programme and a number of wee Highland lassies showed their cleverness on the, specially prepared platform, An exhibition of clever stepi-dandng by little Miss Tregidga was loudly applauded.

The entertainment finished shortly after 4 o'clock but. the energetic committee members were not yet finished. They had once again to provide a meal for the hungry multitude of country children before sending them to their trains and liases. These visitors to Nelson had perhaps the most exciting time of all for many of them saw "wonders" during the day that they had not imagined before in their short lives. Everything went off without, a hitch and by 6 o'clock the last contented group were on their way home with dreams of another gala day next year.

The wants of the grown-up visitors to the Reserve were catered for by a wellrun afternoon tea stall under the trees and during the whole afternoon there were seldom any empty seats. Owing to the state of the weather early on Saturday some of the Richmond school pupils who were to have appeared in the programme could not make the trip and their item was consequently not put on. Other absentees were the Canvastown. and Motueka school-children. Owing to a misunderstood telephone message it was understood at both those places that the gala was not being held owing to (he state of the weather. Later in the day it was found impossible to make the necessary transport arrangements. The committee wish to thank the City Council for the valuable assistance given in putting flags agross the street and erecting a dancing platform at the Botanical Reserve.

A motion picture of the gala was taken, by Mr Hill of Wellington, and will be screened in Nelson shortly.