OVER 1000 GUESTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26747, 16 April 1948, Page 2

OVER 1000 GUESTS

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS’ MEETING Members from as far as Auckland and Waihi in the north to Riverton in the south answered the roll call when over 1000 women celebrated the twenty-first birthday of the League of Mothers in the Town Hall last evening.

Mrs P. H. Jones, the provincial president, in a brief review of the growth of the league in Dunedin, told how it came to be founded by Lady Alice Fergusson in March, 1927, with the assistance of Mrs Merrington and the heads of various women’s organisations in the city. The first Dominion president was the late Mrs Charles North. About eight women who attended that inaugural meeting were present at the twenty-first birthday celebrations. Messages from Lady Alice Fergusson, Lady Freyberg, two radiograms, and greetings from all over New Zealand were read by Mrs J. Davidson. Mrs H. H. Cornish, the Dominion president, and Mrs M. Spencer, Dominion secretary, outlined the objects of the league, after which a birthday cake with 21 candles was lit by the presidents of the different branches, the first being lit by Mrs K. Macgregor, a past provincial president. The cake was cut by Mrs Jones, who was presented with a sheaf of flowers by Mrs E. Aslin. Those on the stage, which was arranged with mauve and gold flowers in a wide border along the front, were Mesdames D. C. Cameron, H. H. Cornish, M, Spencer, P. H. Jones, E. Aslin, L. D. Mclver, J. Davidson, A. McDonald ' and K. McGregor. Items were:—Songs by Mrs Irvine; a piano solo by Mrs O. Campbell; a square dance by eight suitably clad “ rustics ” to the accompaniment of a vocalist singing “ Phil the Fluter’s Ball,” and the gem of the evening, a kitchen percussion band. This amusing item was given by some 30 “ bandswomen ” with every conceivable kitchen article used as a musical instrument, assisted by tin whistles and a piano. Head-dresses of colanders, strainers, graters, carrots and many ingenious combinations added to the culinary tone.