INFORMAL LUNCHEON

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22065, 11 September 1941, Page 4

INFORMAL LUNCHEON

Guests Did Not Linger

Over Table (F.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. The luheheon held in the Town Hall to honour or the recently returned naval party was informal in the extreme. For one thing there were iio speeches, the announcement of Which by the Mayor (Mr J. A. C. Allum) Was greeted with thunderous applause. But in addition it is hard to preserve an air of formality and hold a conversation with relatives in the gallery at the same time. The gUests of honour attd a number of citizens, officials and service representatives Were seated fit tables on the main floor of the hail, while next-of-kin, a term on which a liberal Interpretation was placed, were admitted to the circle and gallery. From the outset they followed the advice of the Mayor that they need not keep quiet. Children’s voices chorused their father’s names until they stood up ahd Waved. Infants were held over balconies at perilous angles to survey the scene below. Rolls and similar titbits were surreptitiously tossed up to outstretched hands. “What are they eating now? 1 ’ asked those behind to friends in the front row and a running commentary on every item of the three course lunch and appropriate lloUld refreshments Was maintained from all sides of the hall. Streamers wfere thrown ddwh and became mixed Up with the sbUp. Here and there sailors mysteriously appeared in the galleries, although the tables still held ample fare. Few of the naval party lingered over the meal but hastened outside to meet relatives. Within a few moments only the official party and two or three groups Of skilots were left In the hhll,