RECORD IN LUNCHEONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19101, 20 August 1925, Page 10

RECORD IN LUNCHEONS.

BIG MASONIC GATHERING. [ EIGHT ■ THOUSAND PRESENT. LONDON. Aug. 8. Eight thousand Masons, wearing regalia, attended tho world's biggest luncheon, which was held at Olympia to-day. Thero'wero 1300 waitresses and 5£ miles of tables, which were .decorated with red carnations, ; ' The Grand Master of tho Grand Lodge of England, the Duko of Connaught, presided, and read a congratulatory messago from the King. Lord Ampthill, the Pro-Grand Master, Sir-Lionel Halsey, tho Deputy-Grand Master, the Duko of York, Provincial Grand Master, Prince Arthur, and.'Viscount Lascelles, were present. The object of the luncheon was to facilitate tho raising of £1,000,000 to build a London headquarters of English Freemasonry as a memorial to Freemasons killed in tho war. The guests subscribed £150,000, and paid £20,000 for their tickets ioftho" luncheon. Tho contributions, wi& premises from Homo and abroad, now total £826,000, of which London lodges contributed £417,000. The catering included 30001b. of salmon, 1500 chickens, 600 legs of lamb, 3000 bottles of champagne. and 250 gallons of ico cream. - A 'director, mounted in a sort of con-nirig-tower, high in tho roof of the Olympia, controlled Lyon's army corps of waitresses, nicknamed " Nippys," through an amazing operating mechanism, which flashed his orders to every corner of tho hall. Tho V Nippys," perfectly drilled, carried in the courses in single file, with the precision of Guards.