Sydney Responds To The Appeal By Its Lord Mayor

Southland Times, Issue 24001, 16 December 1939, Page 16

Sydney Responds To The Appeal By Its Lord Mayor

SYDNEY, December 5. It was with mixed feelings of pride and sorrow that I stood at the Town Hall on Friday with thousands who thronged the streets to see the hundreds of troops marching through the city. This was the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Day and the men showed their appreciation of what was being done for them by taking part in the effort. Many memories of the last war were brought back to those who watched the historical first A.I.F. colours and the crowd was on its toes when the bands were heard in the distance.

His Excellency the Governor, Lord Wakehurst, took the salute from the steps at the Town Hall, and there was a spirit of competition between the Army, Air Force and Navy personnel to look smartest. The Governor wore the service uniform, khaki with red, and the Lord Mayor, Sir Norman Nock, the ceremonial robes of his office. The crowd enjoys and is stirred deeply by such pageantry. Each unit looked splendid, and it would be hardly fair to mention any particular one. The members of the Second A.I.F. were marching in the new column of threes. They looked splendid with their sun-tanned faces, and I felt sad to think' that these strong six footers were so soon to go overseas to the holocaust of war.

It was the first time many of us had thought of the troops actually going overseas, since the Prime Minister a few days earlier, had made a statement that the Second A.I.F. would leave Australia early in the New Year. They looked very impressive in their new uniforms and I noticed the oxydised metal badges on hat and uniform. These will save cleaning. Appropriately, their band was playing “We’re Going To Hang the Washing On The Siegfried

Line.” For the Navy, the band played the new “Crown and Commonwealth”; this tune is very like "Hearts of Oak.” The Australian-made guns, gleaming with grim efficiency, were drawn by heavy tractors and the absence of horses in the march was most noticeable for they played a conspicuous and colourful part in the old days. I was told that it is only 18 months since horses were used and the men hated parting with their faithful friends. The old A.I.F. were marching like true troopers and their band played “The Conquerors.” OLD FLAG UNFURLED One very interesting point was that when the City of Sydney Unit passed by the saluting base, a flag was hoisted at the mast by the side of the Town Hall tower. I was told that this is the custom whenever this unit gives the salute. This flag was presented to the members of the first battalion to reach England in the last war. It is housed in St. Columbia’s Church, Woolhara. Sj many thousands of persons have not been seen in the city at one time since the centenary celebrations. Over at the stalls round the Town Hall, the Lady Mayoress, Lady Nock, and her many helpers had a busy and interesting time selling all the jams, preserves, small things suitable for Christmas gifts and flowers. Hoiisie Housie was popular too, and Miss Marie Burke was using her quick wit and entertaining the crowd as she tossed the dice for the fascinating Derby race game. Instead of her following of gallery girls which she had at the first night of “Yes My Darling Daughter” in which she played the part of the mother at the Minerva on Tuesday, she had the men in khaki. She looked so lovely and cool and her dark beauty suited the white silk suit, red belt, red shell necklace and large red ear rings she wore with a large white hat turned up all round. She kept the crowd interested and her stall must have taken lots of money. Then, on to the centre of the festivities up George street to the Post Office, nearer the bridge and harbour. Before I reached the Post Office I could hear laughter and the shouting of the stall holders “who’ll have a bob on the ham” and at the comer I saw a mass of people, and striped awnings sheltering stalls laden with good things to eat and wear. The stalls did not begin at the Post Office though, as the cenotaph has that place o’ pride. They stretched from Pitt street to Elizabeth street and around the corner. Those of you who know Sydney can realize what that means to busy Sydney for each of these streets has a tram line and the services were disorganized the whole day. I have never seen a bigger throng of people around any stalls before and I heard a Londoner say it was much bigger than Lord Mayor’s day in London. Can you imagine the whole of the Crescent round to Dee street packed with stalls, merry-go-rounds, housiehousie tents, a ferris wheel and a circus? The New Zealand Auxiliary Unit had a stall, but unfortunately it could not arrange the vzhare as it had first intended. PALE "MAORIS” I was terribly sorry to see that two women dressed as Maoris on a lorry had such white skins that they could not possibly look like Maoris. I am sure some of the Maori community residing in Sydney would willingly have offered their services had they been approached. It was not fair to the Maori race

to have these white women dressed in Maori costume as they were very unsuitable types to represent. Maoris. They were assisting with a chocolate wheel. TLe Chinese community had a colourful stall and the surf life-savers were busy with a chocolate wheel. Every time they wanted to draw the crowd’s attention they rang the shark bell. _ I should imagine it was quite appropriate as we all know there are many land sharks* A few of the stall holders I noticed were, Millions Club, Women’s Sports Club, All Broadcasting Stations (and Gladys Moncrieff was popular here; by the way, she completed 25 years on the stage that day and she said she sang to her largest audience that night as it was estimated 50,000 were present), Limbless Soldiers, Y.W.C.A., Salvation Army, R.S.P.C.A. and Returned Army Nursing Sisters, The commercial travellers were full of fun and were the only ones dressed in fancy costume. Remember the good work the commercial travellers did in the last war in Invercargill? There were loud speakers everywhere and it was most amusing to listen to the Krasy Kourt where the two famous comedians Jim Gerald (remember Mr Gallagher and Mr Sheehan) and George Wallace, spent nearly the whole day from nine in the morning until midnight acting as judges. HEAVY FINES The Mock Court was in the section allotted to the Motion Picture Industry and it was from this corner that the motion pictures were taken throughout the day. Pretty girls were the arresting “constables” carrying water pistols and nulla nullas. The fines ranged from 3d to £5 and these were cheerfully and promptly paid. The Lord Mayor was fined £5 or he could do time with his wife, for doing his job too well. He elected to do time alone so the fine was doubled. A well-known barrister was fined £2’ for “contempt of Court.” One of the chief officers in one of the camps was fined for not giving the troops wet canteens. The town clerk sold his £1 badge for £5O and a bar-maid in one of the leading hotels sold a £1 badge for £lOOO. What a shock she must have had, but what a joy to hand it over to such a worthy cause. Thousands and thousands of badges were sold ranging from 6d, 1/-, 5/-, and 10/- to £l. I was told 1500 hams had been given for prizes on the chocolate wheels. That meant that every time the wheel went round 60 people paid one shilling for a chance to win the ham. I saw one little boy win a three pound • tin of sweets with a three-penny ticket, to the delight of the crowd, which shouted and patted him on the back. They love to see children win. And so it was right throughout the whole hot summer’s day. In the evening the crowd was so dense the militia helped the police at the intersections. Three police were required across the road to control traffic. Jim Davidson’s A.B.C. dance band played for an hour and some of the crowd tried to dance but it was simply impossible. Photographs of favourite film stars were sold for sixpence each. The Red Cross is to have its street day the first Friday in February so that will give everyone a chance to get over the Christmas spending. I could not help noticing the Air League Cadets who were helping at the stalls. Years ago, and indeed until now I think, the Scouts did all this work. It is amazing how this air organization is growing in Sydney. However, the Girl Guides played a very important part in caring for hundreds of children throughout the day for sixpence a child. Mothers found this room in the new Prudential Building in Martin Place a happy playground in which to leave their children in perfect safety while they had fun at the Kamival and perhaps included Christmas shopping. The wish was expressed by many mothers that the nursery could be carried on throughout the holidays but for this occasion the room was given for the day. A day nursery in the city has been considered many times but the high rental for. rooms in a central position would be such a big item that the idea has. had to be abandoned. It is thought, that nearly £12,000 was raised at this grand “Kamival.” —THE CHATTERBOX.