OYSTER SUPPER FOR TROOPS

Southland Times, Issue 24181, 18 July 1940, Page 5

OYSTER SUPPER FOR TROOPS

SOUTHLANDERS LEND A HAND CHRISTCHURCH WELCOME CLUB Southland took a hatid in the entertainment of the men of the fighting forces at the Welcome Club, Christchurch, on Saturday, and a highly successful evening they made of it (says The Star-Sun). In far off Invercargill they have heard much about the Welcome Club in Christchurch and the fine work being done here in the way of providing meals, comfort and entertainment for soldiers, sailors and airmen on leave. They have been prepared to accept all they have heard concerning the activities of the club as being true, but to fully convince themselves that the organization was all that was claimed for it and also to identify themselves more closely with its work, they sent a delegation to Christchurch to see the club’s work in actual operation. The canny Southlanders were more than satisfied. They said so themselves. BOTH SIDES SATISFIED Nor was the satisfaction all on the one side. The men of the fighting forces attending the club on Saturday will always remember “Southland night” and the satisfactory repast that went with it. Six hundred dozen oysters comprised only one of the commissariat items that disappeared in a remarkably short space of time. Steak and kidney pie, mashed potatoes, custards, tarts, cakes and cream sponges by the dozen were other items on a menu that seemed as inexhaustible as it was delectable. Khaki-clad waves, or relays, attacked the heavily laden tables, one moving up to the “attack” as the other retired. For over two hours it went on, a wholly inspiring sight of healthy, vigorous young New Zealanders doing justice to the good gifts of food placed before I them. i OTHER ACTIVITIES ' The provision of such meals as this is, of course, only one phase of the work being done by the Welcome Club. It also provides the men with a Writing bureau, acts as a centre of information, I offers them the chance of making new I friendships and of cementing old ones. ■ Dancing and other - forms of entertain- | ment all come within the scope of its activity, and all these things were praised in the highest terms by members of the Southland delegation. This included the president of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council (Mr W Grieve), Mr A. Dir, of Invercargill, and Mrs Hargest, wife of Brigadier J. Hargest. The commandant of Burnham Camp, Colonel S. D. Mason, was also present. VISITORS WELCOMED The visitors were welcomed by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.), who was present with Mrs Macfarlane. The Mayor paid a tribute to the work done by the club and to the organizer, Mrs Kent-John-ston. He also referred to the invaluable help given by the people from towns I and districts outside Christchurch in maintaining an excellent standard of comfort for the troops. Mr Grieve expressed the gratitude of the people of Southland for the care shown by the club for the welfare of the men of their district. He also voiced the desire of the Southland Patriotic Society to identify itself as | closely as possible with the fine work being done by the club. Colonel Mason thanked the women of Southland for the generous efforts they had made to provide the men with such a splendid meal. Their work was | greatly appreciated, and he was sure | the men in camp at Burnham could not be better cared for when on leave than they were at the Welcome Club. SMILES OF CONTENTMENT The speeches were brief, as was fitting on such an occasion. The true test of the appreciation felt by the men for all that had been done for them was shown in their smiles of contentment indicating an inward satisfaction that all was well. The home front so far as New Zealand is concerned is still a long way from running short of provisions. Everyone present had plenty, and the spirit of the evening was typified by a duel between Lieutenant A. W. Wesney and the town clerk of Christchurch (Mr H. S. Feast), who went at it oyster for oyster until they declared an honourable draw. But “Southland night” at the Welcome Club was much more than an oyster-eating marathon. It was a convincing demonstration that no race in the world goes to war more cheerfully than the New Zealanders.