CHRISTMAS FAIR.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20476, 30 November 1934, Page 10

CHRISTMAS FAIR.

Successful Effort for Funds. RUGBY STREET CHURCH. Father Christmas, with all his promise of surprises, happiness and jollification, was welcomed to the city yesterday afternoon, when he arrived at the Rugby Street Methodist Schoolroom, where the Christmas Fair organised on behalf of the Methodist Church Trust Fund was held. In the evening the children gathered about him in the gaiety of fancy dress and heard the ageold story of rewards which come to good little girls and boys. From every point of view the fair was a success. Evidence of hard work and generosity was shown in the well-stocked stalls and the well-thought-out decorative scheme. The Rev W. Rowe, in opening the fair in the afternoon, complimented those responsible for the tasteful decorations and all who had assisted in the organisation. The total expenditure would not be over £2, he said, and it was hoped to raise about £IOO. This effort would be helped considerably by the generosity of Mr and Mrs Frank Thompson, who had promised to subsidise the takings by 5s in the £. Mr Rowe referred to the many attractions of the fair: The gas-cooking demonstration provided with the assistance of the Christchurch Gas Company, the side shows, shooting gallery, the mock court to be held in the evening with Mr C. E. Jones as presiding judge, and the children’s fancy dress parade with prizes for decorated prams, gocarts, bicycles, tricycles and for the best boy’s and girl’s fancy dress. Father Christmas arrived in his traditional red and white and the fair was declared open. In addition to the tempting array on the stalls there were two line drawings of the schoolroom and the church, remarkably well done by Miss Joan Lawry, and they asked to be covered, the schoolroom with coppers and the church with silver. On the stage was a big Christmas tree illuminated and decorated with toys and balloons. The stalls were in charge of the following:—Christmas tree, Mrs A. A. Mitchell and Sunday School teachers; bookstall, Mrs C. Mikkelsen; Christmas presents stall, Mesdames F. Thompson, Nicholson, Colthart, Hindle and Rowe; plainwork stall, Mesdames Forsyth, Best and Wood; cake stall, Mesdames Donald, W. Banks, Cock and Wilson; delicatessen, Mesdames Coleby, Brett and Edwards: sweets and icecream stall. Misses Thompson and Gerrard. Mrs P. Leßrun and Bible class members; general stall, Mesdames Nicholson, Colthart and Lepper; drinks and mystery parcels. Messrs P. Leßrun, S. Roberts and Bible class members; shooting gallery and fishpond; Messrs Leßrun, Barrel! and Mikkelsen; tea rooms, Mesdames Bedwell, Andrews, Buxton, Vallance, Whitelaw, Sincock, Marshall, Robertson, Gibbard and Hincksman. During the afternoon, Mrs M. M’Leod presented to the conveners of the Maori stall the prize for the most attractive exhibition. Tn turn they presented it to Mrs Frank Thompson.