GALA DAY TN CRESCENT

Southland Times, Issue 24165, 29 June 1940, Page 6

GALA DAY TN CRESCENT

£260 FOR PATRIOTIC FUND STOCK AND WOOLBROKERS’ EFFORT Between £260 and £270 was raised for the Patriotic Fund by the Invercargill Stock and Wool Brokers’ Association with a gala day in the Crescent yesterday afternoon and evening. The gala day was an unqualified success, and, going with a swing in both the afternoon and evening sessions, it well rewarded the efforts of the large band of helpers responsible for its organization.

Meat and produce of all kinds were given by farmers and others and this was sold at auction and at a stall. A pet lamb which was offered at auction was sold and put up again by the buyers many times and in the afternoon fetched a total of about £6O. In the evening it was again offered and brought about £35 more, finally being bought by Mr John Macdonald, manager of Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd., Invercargill, who gave the lamb back to the donors, Ray and Norman Marshall, of Rosedale. The gala began soon after 2 o’clock with a display by the Southland Boys’ High School Drum, Trumpet and Bugle Band under Lieutenant J. L. Napier. The boys, arrayed in their handsome uniforms, with bugles and trumpets brilliantly polished, made a brave showing. Assembling in the Crescent, they marched along Dee street to the Esk street intersection and back round the memorial, playing a spirited march and attracting the attention of the throng of shoppers in the heart of the city. Back in the Crescent, they played bugle, marches and a waltz and gave a display of counter marching which was notable for its perfectly-executed movements.

CARNIVAL SPIRIT A large crowd had assembled by this time in the Crescent, and, mounting a truck laden with produce, the vicepresident of the Stock and Wool Brokers’ Association (Mr H. R. Williams), called for three cheers for the band. The carnival spirit was apparent as the response was given with zest. After apologizing for the absence through illness of the president of the association (Mr G. M. Corbett), Mr Williams said that the stock and wool brokers had decided a month ago to assist to raise money for the patriotic funds and they had bought and were nowl raffling a motor-car. They had then decided to organize the gala day and as a result of the raffle and the gala it was hoped to raise £2500. To all the farmers and others who had sent in meat and other produce for the gala day he extended the association’s thanks.

The pet lamb was then lifted on to the truck and Mr H. Crawford (Southland Farmers’ Co-operative Association Ltd. began to auction it. A Shorthorn yearling bull offered by D. Murphy and Sons, Glencoe, was sold at £l3/13/- to Mr J. S. Anderson, Waimatuku, and a pony given by Mr W. J. A. McGregor was sold for £lO. PRODUCE AUCTIONED Messrs N. R. Brown (National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd.), F. Mclntyre (J. E. Watson and Company, Ltd.), G. Cochran and A. R. Simon (Dalgety and Company, Ltd.), took turns in auctioning produce . which included meat, potatoes, cabbages, oats, wheat, turnips, parsnips, barley, eggs, manure and other produce. The stall, which did a busy trade throughout the afternoon, was responsible for about £45. It was staffed by employese of Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd. In the evening with the usual large Friday night shopping crowds thronging the streets, an additional touch of colour was lent by the Caledonian Pipe Band, the Battalion Band and the Battalion Boys’ Band. The returned soldiers’ concert troupe in fancy dress toured the streets in a gaily decorated van and provided much amusement. They collected a substantial amount which was added to the funds raised during the day. Gratitude to the farmers who had given produce was afterwards expressed by the secretary of the Stock and Woolbrokers’ Association (Mr J. E. Cuthill). “We are very grateful 1 o the farmers,” said Mr Cuthill. “Their response to our appeal was more than generous.”