CHARITY KISSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25112, 31 December 1942, Page 6

CHARITY KISSES

GIRLS' EMBARRASSMENT (Air Mail) SYDNEY, Dec. 23. After the experience of two of Sydney's prettiest mannequins, selling kisses for charity is not likely «to become a popular or remunerative method of raising funds in Australia. Charity kisses were introduced as a novelty "at the Royal Australian Air Force Com forts Fund Christmas Fair at the Town Hall. Five mannequins volunteered to sell kisses at 5s each, but only two went to the " kissing post." Advance publicity made three of them nervous, and their courage failed them when newspapers published grave opinions from doctors that kissing had proved a source of transmission of infection. With this cold comfort. Miss Joyce Field and Miss Mary Farmer went in trepidation to the Town Hall. They had at least expected to be in the spotlight on the stage, but a concert occupied the programme until 11 p.m., and the girls were shepherded into the foyer. Feeling that they had been pushed into the background, they nevertheless bravely faced up to their jobs. It may have been pique, the doctors' warnings, or the jealous presence of their boy friends, but the venture was hardly successful. They offered cheeks ii stead of lips to buyers. An unsympathetic audience, however, had expected a real Hollywood touch, and a crowd of women and children jeered at the "pecks." Five soldiers, threw in Is each and drew lots for the privilege of kissing Miss Field. Seeing the girls' embarrassment, a man pushed through . the crowd and handed them 10s and said. "There's a kiss for each, and you can count the kisses as taken." After the girls had raised £2 in 50 minutes, Miss Field's escort intervened and took them home.