A “NEW ZEALAND DINNER.”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18431, 15 March 1922, Page 7

A “NEW ZEALAND DINNER.”

HIGH COMMISSIONER AT THE PARTY. CHEERS FOR DOMINION CHILDREN. (From Otago Daily Times’ Own Correspondent). LONDON. Jan. 10. Of the £260 contributed by New Zealand school children and raised in the North Island through the sale ■of black fleeces in aid of the Church Army funds, £a-has been allocated to the Friends of the Wounded Department, £lO to that department which provides a night’s lodging for the benefit of prisoners’ families a small sum to Ihe department which looks after the motherless children of ex-service men, and the remainder has been used to provide Christmas' dinners for poor children. "New Zealand Dinners,” as they are called, have already been given in Birmingham, Hull, Birkenhead, and Kenning Town, and if the children of those places enjoyed’their festivities as much as the children of Southwark last week, the boys and girls of New Zealand may have the satisfaction of knowing that their small gifts have brought joy 'to the hearts of many little ones whose lot is not so pleasant as theirs. If one erosses London Bridge and continues towards the south for half a mile one comes to 'the church of St. George the Martyr. Just behind the ctiurch there feltiii'f-Jir/y be found some ruins of Marshalsea Prison, and those who know their Dickens well will remember thai Little Dorritt was a child of he pris‘‘hat she once slept in the vestry of St. George the Martyr church with the burial register for a pillow, that she was baptised in the church and was also married there . It was Marshalsca Prison, too, that Dicken's father served a term for debt, while Little Charles boarded in Lant street nearby, and earned a living by washing bottles for a local chemist.

In the parish of St. George to-day there are 10,000 belonging to working-class families, and In these times of unemployment there are many suffering from want. A mission ably managed by a sister of the Church Army, and under the auspices of the parish church, -is a great centre of attraction for the poor children. The mission hall is' the headquarters of the Infant Welfare Organisation in that district, and there the Girl Guides meet once a week, the Girls’ Friendly Society, and a number of other children’’ organisations, while Sunday School and an evening service are' held on the Sunday. All the mission meetings are held in a long room, once a shop, whose wooden walls, painted, white, have not known the painter’s brush for many years. Still, it is comfortable, and has a great stove in the middle, which keeps the room warm In these winter nights. It was here that the “New Zealand Dinner was held, and 100 children chosen from the most necessitous families of the district, and each one known personally to the sister In charge sat down 'to what was proahly the best meal they had had since the luxurious days of the war. No one was poor then. Walls were decorated with gailycoloured paper festoons, and the tables and their tablecloths and simple decorations, and an ample supply of paper serviettes. Children ranged in age from six to fourteen, and all were clojhed In their Sunday best. Tne menu consisted of beef, butter beans, cabbage, and potatoes; for the sweets there was stewed fruit and custard and then tame buns’ imd oranges and bonbons. Plates were heaped high, and every child had as many helpings as he wished lor, but it was evident mat capacity quickly conquered appetite, as is usual among these children who are not used to faring sumptuously every day. sir James Allen, wiio camo with nis daughter, was received by ‘the «icar and Mr C. Bakendale., wlio represented the Church Army Board. He talked to some of the children individually, and at the end of the first course made a little speech to the guests, who were constrained to silence with ,the aid of a scout’s whistle The vicar nrst introduced sir James Allen and explained thai ne came from New Zealand, wjtsj children' had provided the funds for the Christmas dinner. ”1 do come from New Zealand,” said the High Commissioner, “but the dinner that has been provided for you to-day has been provided oy tne Chuych Army, though the funds have come from New Zealand. Now the Church Army is for fighting. What Is going to fight?” Loud and clear came the Answer from several of the guests, “The Devil!” Selecting a stalwart lad, Sir James mounted him on a chair and asked mm to qall three cheers for 'the children of New Zealand. There was a wonderful response, and the rafters or tne old building rang.

Sir James then told how there were in the land “right away below” —as one boy explained the locality of the dominion—Drown people and white people, and black sheep and white sheep. From the wool of some of these black sheep had come apart of the money that had paid tor their Christmas dinner. And the Maori boys and girls as well as the white children had also contributed. And then ne called for three cheers for the Church Army, for the vicar, for the sister, and the 100little voices gave pack real Britisli cheers. , “I hope you will all enjoy your Christmas dinner,” continued Sir James, “L shall write out to the Prime Minister or New Zealand and he will tell the white and the brown children there how you have appreciated tneir girt. I hope you understand that though we live at the other side of the world we owe allegiance to tne same King. I want you to grow up Joyal to the King, for it is loyalty to the King which holds us all together in that one Empire to which we are all proud to belong. ” At this a lad jumped up on a chair, and called for three chairs fo'f Sir James Allen. Then ■came the fruit and the custard, and the buns, ■ i the oranges, .and after that blind man’s buff, “A-hunting we will go,” and musical chairs.