PRESENTS GIVEN TO SOLDIERS' CHILDREN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19258, 20 December 1930, Page 11

PRESENTS GIVEN TO SOLDIERS' CHILDREN.

Father Christmas made his annual visit to the Jeliicoe Hall this afternoon. Every Christmas the R.S.A. remembers the children of the dead soldiers, and provides for them the gifts that otherwise many of them would not receive. In the decorated hall was a large Christmas tree that bore a wide variety of gifts, while the surplus of presents that the tree could not accommodate were heaped on tables that flanked it on either side. In front of the tree sat Father Christmas, with a ready and sympathetic ear for all requests and a liberal hand lor gratifying them. The handing out of the presents was a considerable business, and occupied some time. But provision had been made on so generous a scale that after the last of the children had trooped through, there were still toys left. Out*side on the lawn there were sports, in which the children contended for large, numbers of prizes. Tiny tots entered into the sports with zeal and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. Officials of the R.S.A. were assisted in entertaining the children by the following members of the Ladies Auxiliary : Afternoon tea: Mesdames Bishop, Kelly, M’Kenzie and Powell, Misses Cuthbert (2), Rogers. Biss and Jones. Christmas tree: Mesdames G. A. Hayden, Lloyd, \V. E. Leadlev, Orchard and Wilcox. Ice cream: Mesdames Holmes. Hoiderness, Smith, Fleck and Miss Fleck.