ONSLOW CHURCH BAZAAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 2

ONSLOW CHURCH BAZAAR.

OPENED BY HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR. The financial well-being of churches and institutions connected with places of worship of all sects and creeds owes much to that interesting form, of business entertainment; that, is either, known as a “bazaar” or “sale of work.” It is by such means the Presbyterians of the Onslow borough, hope to assist in the liquidation of the debts on the churches at Khandallah and Crofton, and to that end a bazaar, being held in St. John’s schoolroom, Dixon street, was opened yesterday afternoon. In the absence of the Rev Gibson Smith and Dr Gibb, the Rev Mr Rennie, of Wadestown, after offering up prayer, said it devolved on him to ask his Worship the Mayor (Mr J. G. W. Aitken) to perform the opening ceremony. His Worship said it gave him great pleasure to he present, and to open the bazaar. Ho realised the very groat difficulties those in cut-up sections laboured under, compared with those situated otherwise. It was, however, no uncommon thing in New Zealand to see churches grouped together as in the case of the Onslow borough churches. Ho knew of the difficulties they had faced bravely in the past—they wore men and women of purpose, men and women of faith, and men and women who had put their shoulders to the wheel, where others might have sat down and moaned over the situation. Realising, as ho did, the great difficulties they were surmounting, it gave him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to do what little ho could to help them in the matter. He had been asked to take a peep in, and have a look round, and ho must say that it looked remarkably well, and the bazaar and sale of work 1 did the greatest credit to all those concerned.' The ladies must have worked very hard with their heads and fingers to produce the articles that were for sale. He hoped that when to-night came they would have the money, and the articles would ho somebody else’s. Ho believed that in church matters the ladies did all the hard work—and the men took all the credit, but ho believed in giving credit where credit was due, and the ladies of Onslow certainly deserved the greatest credit. He had very much pleasure in declaring the bazaar open. - The stalls contain an excellent display of plain and fancy needlework, a lavish assortment of pot plants, ferns, flowers, and vegetables, besides which there is , a toy-shop, nick-nack stone, and ■ a commodious each very complete. The following are stall-holders: — Plain work—Mesdames Richardson, Hay, Currie, and Meadowcroft; fancyknitted work—Mesdames Mansfield, Scott, Heighten, and Daniel; nicknacks and books—Mesdames Rice, Taft, and McKerrow; lollies, jams, and jellies—Mrs Cameron, Misses Larkin, Harris, and Sadie Richardson; vegetables, ferns, and flowers—Mesdames Clark and Hard, Misses 0. Richardson, H. Mackay; tea-rooms, Mesdames Nairn, Murray, Brown, Misses Hay, L. Archibald. Clark, Richardson, Mackay; doll stall —Wadestown Junior Cuild, Mrs Ferguson, and Misses Taft, and Battersby; fish ponds—Khandallah boys and Miss Mackay. The decoration and erection of stalls was executed by gentlemen from Wadestown, and the advertising and financial arrangements were in the hands of the Khandallah gentlemen. , The musfca’ arrangements ana in the hands of Mr and Mrs Patterson, and Misses Firth, Mansfield, and Hay. Mrs Meadowcroft conducts a nail-driving competition, and the hat-trimming competition is in charge of Mrs Mansfield. | The attractions of the! bazaar wore enhanced last evening by a Christy minstrel performance and a magic-lan-tern display. The bazaar will remain open this afternoon and evening.