New Zealand Women In Sydney Raising Funds For Soldiers’ Comforts

Southland Times, Issue 23989, 2 December 1939, Page 13

New Zealand Women In Sydney Raising Funds For Soldiers’ Comforts

SYDNEY, November 21. Miss Phyllis Keurnish, who is the honorary secretary of the New Zealand Younger Set, told me that they made nearly £l4 from their sweets stall at the Karitane Noah’s Ark fete of which I told you a few weeks ago. This goes toward the upkeep of a cot at the hospital. The New Zealand Association has been very busy raising funds for soldiers’ comforts. Mrs O’Leary held a bridge party at her home in Elizabeth Bay, and the club’s first korero (gettogether) last Thursday night was a great success. It was held at the New Dungowan in Martin Place, which is a particularly attractive room. Mrs J. W. A. Prentice was in a whirl on Friday when I was speaking to her, as she said her telephone had been “running hot” all morning with numbers of callers congratulating her on the success of the concert she had organized at the Chatswood Town Hall the night before. It was to aid the Returned Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Imperial League of Australia, Roseville subbranch. Chatswood is the largest suburb on the North Shore. Even if I told you the names of the artists, jt would still be difficult to realize their real quality, but the programme advertised an “all-star celebrity concert and that tells its own true story. You will be delighted to know that seven of the performers were New Zealanders. Mrs Prentice and her orchestra of 18 girls (she calls them girls) played selections on the stage, which was artistically arranged as a lounge room with large bowls of flowers in the lovely pastel shades, and later went downstairs to accompany some of the artists. The accompanist, a very popular one,

is Mrs Walker, who was the Miss Zell a Norris who played at the Albion picture theatre in Invercargill before talkies came. Mr Albert Russell, from Auckland, was compere and kept the huge audience entertained with his usual good, humour and community singing. He always is in great demand in Sydney, and was for several years a popular announcer, but now manages the Radio Advertising Department of Goldbergs. Mr Ernest McKinley sang some splendid Maori compositions. He is the only white man I have heard who sings them with the same feeling as do the Maoris. Mrs J. Garrett, whom you will remember better as Mrs Prentice’s sister, Miss Elsie Black, was the flautist.

CHILDREN HELP At the concert, Mrs Garrett’s two children were delighted when they found they, too, could help. Joan, who is 14, sold sweets to the audience and then the conjurer called for a lad to come on to the stage to assist with one of his tricks, and Bill, aged 10, offered his services. Mrs Prentice is teaching Bill the violin and he is a very apt pupil. Mr and Mrs Garrett have the Cumberland Golf Course at Parramatta. Dr Malcolm Sargent, the noted conductor, returned to London by flyingboat during the week and Mr John Brownlee is on his way to America to join the Metropolitan Opera Company. We still have another well-known Australian singer in Sydney, Mr Peter Dawson, who has been singing in leading theatres and over the air, while on a visit to his brother. The English actress, Miss Marie Burke, has been doing splendid work here for the Red Cross, besides rehearsing for “Yes, My Darling Daughter” to be played at the Minerva theatre soon. Miss Burke arranged the programme for the concert at the Town TTall on Friday, in association with the Australian Broadcasting Commission and the commercial stations, who supplied comperes for the artists. The “house full” sign was outside the hall at eight o’clock, but there was one lonely seat not filled until about nine. The Governor-General did not arrive in Sydney from the country in time to attend with Lady Gowrie for the

opening number. Lady Gowrie brought a large party from Admiralty House, and she wore a lovely gown of midnight blue crepe suede, with silver thread embroideries at the waist, and a bolero composed of rows and rows of tiny fringes. Lord and Lady Wakehurst also brought a large party from Government House. Lady Wakehurst chose a graceful gown of cherry red and green floral sheer. The Hon. Henrietta Loder wore a cream chiffon frock with a bolero of fuchsia taffeta. The Lord Mayor was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress who wore a mauve orchid on her black net and taffeta frock. Miss Burke, who was directing the programme from behind the scenes, wore a beautiful frock of white chiffon designed with a draped corsage; tucked into the sash were three huge red roses thus carrying out the colour scheme of the Red Cross Society. The comperes wore red or white carnations in their buttonholes. '

A huge illuminated red cross was suspended above the platform and red and white flowers were banked along the steps to the organ and dais. White frocks seemed to be popular again for this concert, but some very lovely floral chiffon gowns with wide skirts also were worn. I saw one of the younger marrieds in lovely white stiffened lace with the bodice cut off the shoulders and a very pretty compliment was paid her by a friend when he said: “You look like a breath of fresh air.” He was evidently feeling the heat. Certainly white frocks look cool.

It is thought that over £l5OO will be raised from this concert.

The Comedy Harmonists who joined Jim Davidson and his A.B.C. Dance Band and the Wientraubs from Princes, with very bright pieces, have just completed a successful farewell season at the Sidney Town Hall, and have announced that they have transferred all their interests, and made certain investments here. Their decision to make their headquarters here is not directly due to the war, as they had applied for Australian citizenship before it began and have been travelling on British papers since 1935. It is their intention to go to New Zealand and then on to America, to fulfil engagements there. The Mills Brothers, four men and a guitar, who are world-famous variety artists, have a delightful sense of rhythm and their imitative ability is remarkable. These clever artists are appearing at the Tivoli Theatre with George Wallace, the well-known Australian stage and movie star. Mr Roland Foster will be remembered by those who have competed in musical competitions in New Zealand. He is to marry Miss Thelma Houston, who is a singer, in December, and they plan to spend their honeymoon in New Zealand.

LORD MAYOR BACK FROM N.Z.

The Lord Mayor, Sir Norman Nock, returned from New Zealand during the week with stories of his fishing at Rotorua. He said the trout were as bi" as king fish and that he nearly caught three very large ones. He must be a real fisherman. Sir Norman attended the opening of the Centenary Exhibition at Wellington and described it as the finest he had seen. From the pictures I have seen of the Southland display I think there must be some very fine work done at the Exhibition. At the beginning of the year, I heard many New Zealanders stating their intention of going across to visit relations during the centenary celebrations, but fewer seem now to be going. Perhaps we will hear in the New Year that they have again altered their plans. At present there are too many rumours about to make some feel perfectly happy about making the trip. Captain Patrick and Mrs PatYick, of the Patrick Steamship Company, have just returned from a world tour, and they said that when they visited Sir Harry Lauder, they found him occupying only a small comer of Lauder Hall with the rest of the big residence given over to 33 invalids. Spectators at the tennis matches between Victoria and New South Wales teams were intensely interested in the Davis Cup. One woman suggested it would make a lovely jardiniere. Mr Bryan Fuller, president of the New South Wales Lawn Tennis Association, received the guests at the luncheon to inter-state players at the club house at Rushcutter Bay. Sir Henry Braddon and Lady Braddon were there. Lady Braddon chose a long frock of black and white georgette with a large black and white hat. After the luncheon she went down to see all the matches; she has not missed one for 20 years. On Saturday she was joined by her daughter, Mrs John Arnott. The women players seem to. favour the white frock with flared skirt to the knees; few shorts were worn.

Lady Wakehurst, knowing that Sir Henry Braddon is always “on the wing” showed most gracious appreciation of his attention in escorting her round the work displayed by the Crippled. Children Society at their exhibition this week. Sir Henry is the president and both Lady Wakehurst and he, spent much time admiring the work, among which was the noteworthy illustration of a story, drawn by a little girl who had the use of only two fingers. Bird drawings by a boy of 18 who had held the pencil between his teeth were admirably done and greatly admired.

—THE CHATTERBOX.