SELLING KISSES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22478, 13 January 1943, Page 4

SELLING KISSES

Patriotic Venture Unsuccessful

SYDNEY, Dec. 23. After the experience of two of Sydney's prettiest mannequins selling kisses for charity it is not likely to become a popular or remunerative method of raising funds in Australia. Charity kisses were introduced as a novelty at the Royal Australian Air Force Comforts Fund Christmas Fair at the Town Hall. Five mannequins volunteered to sell kisses at 5/- each, but only two went to the “kissing post.” Advance publicity made three of them nervous and their courage failed them when newspapers published grave opinions from doctors that kissing had proved a source of transmission of infection. One doctor said that a girl might be kissed nightly by her boy friend and only contract a cold when he had one, but to be kissed by dozens of men over a short period might lead to all sorts of trouble. “If girls put on plenty of lipstick and give ‘dry’ kisses with pouted lips, the danger will not be so great,” he said. “I wouldn't mind kissing the girls if I was the first in line.”

With this cold comfort. Miss Joyce Field and Miss Mary Farmer went in trepidation to the Town Hall. They had at least expected to be in the spotlight on the stage, but a concert occupied the programme until 11 p.m. and the girls were shepherded into the foyer. Feeling that they had been pushed into the background, they nevertheless bravely faced up to their jobs. It may have been pique, the doctor’s warnings, or the jealous presence of their boy friends, but the venture was hardly successful. They offered cheeks instead of lips to buyers, because, as Miss Farmer said later: “There are kisses and kisses, but a 5 - job from somebody you don’t know from Adam can’t be more than just a peck on the cheek. Kissing strangers on the mouth is very risky.” An unsympathetic audience, however, had expected a real Hollywood touch and a crowd of women and children jeered at the “pecks.” “Go on, do it properly.” they chorused. “Ah, that’s no kiss. Give him his money back." Five soldiers threw in one shilling each and drew lots for the privilege of kissing Miss Field. Seeing the girls’ embarrassment, a man pushed through the crowd and handed them 10 -, and said. “There’s a kiss for each and you can count the kisses as taken.” After the girls had raised £2 in 50 minutes. Miss Field’s escort intervened and took them home.