“VICTORY FAIR”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 December 1940, Page 2

“VICTORY FAIR”

GAY SCENES AT BOTANICAL RESERVE LONG AND COLOURFUL PROCESSION GOOD RESULTS FOR SOLDIERS’ | COMFORTS One of the biggest and brightest pro 5 cessions seen in Nelson for many a da; 1 led the crowds to the Botanical Re ' serve on Saturday afternoon to a ga; > fair —the “Victory Fair.” —organised b; ■ the Nelson Rotary Club for gifts t > soldiers. As the band turned the cor ‘ rier into Milton street from Bridg 1 street watchers on Normandy bridg could still not see the end of the pro 7 cession. The funds, which are for th f purpose of purchasing farewell gifts fo 7 Nelson members of all the Armed Ser vices, will benefit to the extent of abou “ £450 7 Th -feather looked unpromising til 5 the afternoon when the sky cleared an • the afternoon was hot. The Botanica - Reserve was fresh and green afte - overnight rain and provided a beautifu s setting for the brightly coloured float and vehicles and the gaily decorate' B stalls and sideshows. There was a ver; - large crowd at the fair in the afternoo 5 and the attendance was good again i 1 the evening when the show was con " tinued. 5 The procession, in charge of th f Marshal, Traffic-Inspecto’- Stringei • left from Ivory’s corner r i v fended it ■ way to the Reserve via Hardy, Trafal B gar and Bridge streets, watched b; £ many interested spectators along th t way. The Regimental Band in fron was followed by the National Reserve decorated cycles, including an old-tim “penny-farthing,” school children, Con [ vent pupils, and College boys. A child’ : car. representing a snail, pedalled alon 5 in front of a huge gift parcel (Vinin > and Scott’s car), a beribboned true; , bearing a large model battleship (M.S i Motors), decorated motor-cycles, am - the Citizens’ Band. Applause greeted ; large and beautifully designed flora - float entered by Buxtons. The vehicl l was completely covered by pape l streamers and masses of paper flower in many colours, surmounted by a hug l basket containing two girls in old-fash 1 ioned frocks, with others around th i besket. Marching behind this artisti - creation came the Women’s Red Cros , Auxiliary Corps looking businesslike i: l their uniforms: then Gould and Tout’ E truck, with decorations and posters • The Sea Scouts made a good impressio: . with their lifeboat mounted on a bi r lorry, manned by a crew with oar 5 erect. Scouting activities were repre t sented by a camp scene with the sig nailers’ van trailing behind, and th ■ Wolf Cubs too had their camping seen : amidst the greenery. A prettily decora t ted coupe towed the Air Force Casualt; ; Unit, with nurses peeping out of th - windows, and Neale and Haddow’s • Montgomery’s and Harley’s had trad > displays. The City Council rubbish vai urged citizens to keep their city clear and the City Council also had a ver; fine garden float, with lawn, shrubs an< , flowers. “Musso’s Christmas Box” am [ a trade exhibit were provided by In L gram’s, and a well-finished “Hurricane { fighter plane was the product of New man’s Garage. It is claimed to be ex ( actly half the size of the original. Petrc . wagons preceded a humorous exhibi [ by the Waimea Electric Power Boarc r depicting old and new forms of cookini Two masculine looking housewive wrestled with an old-time stove, con | stantly using an extinguisher to quel the flames. The procession also includ j ed College girls in national costume j and ah “Army, navy and air force” dis [ play by Glasson’s. The judges of the procession consid | ered that the whole thing was excellen but as the entries were so varied ii , type it was difficult to say which wa ' the best. Three which stood out parti \ cularly were Buxtons, City Council an< Waimea Power Board. The “Hurri , cane” was also a clever display. OPENED BY MAYOR ’ The president of Rotary, Mr J. G . Ingram, called on the Mayor, Mr G. L Page, to open the fair. . The Mayor outlined the objects of thi ’ fair, the raising of funds to provid< gifts for soldiers. This was not catere< | for by the Patriotic Funds. The Rotar; Club had commenced the task of pro viding gifts, but had found it too big ai undertaking so they decided to make i a citizens’ effort and asked them‘to co operate in the fair. The soldiers de served the recognition of the citizens i He mentioned that there were 55 or ganisations, commercial and civic, tak ing part. ANIMATED SCENE ( It was an animated scene at the re , serve, where, inside a large square, dis ! plays of dancing and drill were given | stalls did a thriving business along th< southern side of the ground, and then | were lively goings-on among the side shows, with the showmen appealing t< the crowd in the best raucous showmar style. Incidental music was suppliec by the Regimental Band in the rotunda On the green, to the accompanimen of amplified music, the children o: Auckland Point, Central and Hampder street schools weaved in and out in £ folk dancing display, and a polished ex. hibition of physical training, gymnastics, and club swinging was given by s squad from Nelson College. A military display and rifle exercises by the National Reserve attracted attention. The pupils of Sacred Heart College carried cut a graceful drill display under the direction of Miss Betty Henderson, anc teams from the Girls’ College paraded in the national costumes of the allied countries, with their respective flags, The Norwegian team then performed a national dance. The stall-holders were: Jumble, Nelson West Townswomen’s Guild; flowers and produce. Nelson Horticultural Society; ferns, Fern Society; afternoon tea and friut salad, Nelson Townswomen’s Guild; baby competition. Miss J. Logan; buttonholes and copper trail, Post and Telegraph; soft drinks and ice cream, Ladies’ Swimming Club; cakes, wives of Rotarians; sweets, Nelson Girls’ Club. The St. John Ambulance Brigade also had a first aid tent. ' The sideshows were in charge of the following: “Hit Hitler,” Mr L. Squires; Doodle-em Buck,” Mr E. J. Champtaloup; darts, Mr C. Challies; skittles, Messrs H. S. Robertson and F. V. Powell; box ball, Messrs C. T. Webley and A. R. Kingsford; coconut shy, Mr A. S. G. Adam; nail-driving, Mr J. P. Shuley; “The Three Mugs,” Messrs F. J. Lock, V. B. Treacher, and C. Lipscombe; Hitler and Musso, Messrs J. A. Harley and A. H. Crawley; chocolate wheel, Mr G. Stiles; hoopla, Messrs W. A. Gibbs and K. Gay: weight-guessing, Mr L. T. Searell; lady selling flowers, Mr Chas. Hamilton. Miss J. Logan acted as secretary to the fair. EVENING ENTERTAINMENT Tho rain held off long enough in the evening not to interfere with the programme. The procession was seen out again in the evening, and the Regimental Band masquerading as women were very comical. A big crowd followed them to the reserve, and the fair did profitable business. With strings of coloured lights the grounds made a pretty scene. The marquee was packed for the concert by Miss Beatrice Aydon’s concert party with Mr Clarrie

Lee’s orchestra. Items were also given ; by the band. The Mock Court, conducted bv Messrs T. E. Maunsell, C. R. Fell and F. Mitchell, occasioned much amusement, and netted over £4O for the funds. COMPETITIONS The competitions resulted as follows: Baby competition! Gloria Stewart (6* months), 1; Marlene Joy Monk (7 weeks), 2; John Wilson (14 months) 3. Live sheep weight guessing: K. Max, Hope. Dressed sheep weight guessing: N. Kidson, Russell street, Nelson. Box chocolates: Nancy Harley, Nelson. Mystery parcel: Mr Cook, Public Works, Nelson. Dinner: Mrs A. E. Lawn, 233 Bridge street, Nelson. scwt coal: Mr Freeman. Waimea st.. Nelson. Tea set: Joan Hingston, Stoke. Cushion: No. 3561, Lucky One. Return boat ticket to Wellington: M. Moran, 197 Collingwood street, Nelson. Best decorated bicycle: K. Gregg’s group, “Get Hitler.” Fancy dress: “80-Peep.” Decorated motor cycles: L. Roper, “National Saving.” Christmas cake: Mrs O’Neill, Stoke.