WHAKATANE IN RAGS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 54, 25 August 1939, Page 5

WHAKATANE IN RAGS

HARDUP f BALL A SUCCESS AMBULANCE FUND BENEFITS At a cursory glance it seemed that the gaols had emptied themselves into Whakatane, or that stark poverty stalked the fair land, but by propping the eyes open with a coupie of covering the head with a hood of black velvet, warning the crowd to smile for the dicky bird and thus getting them fairly in focus, it was seen that the affair was just tile Hard-Up Ball. Whakatane folk for once forgot their worries over the Coast road and unconfined joy with some vim, pretending that once again they were poor when they gathered at the Winter Show Hall on Tuesday night and helped the ambulance fund along. Once again Whak&t&ne led Auckland, this tinle by Staging an orderly Hard-Up liaii. Some credit, perhaps j went to Herb who made an imposing policeman and gave one quite a turn on occasions. We were of course reared as gentlefolk, so that it was comparatively easy the sight of the stalwart figure in blue, complete with baton } to reach for and hurriedly don the icy mask of self-control which is the fourida. tion of the British character.

The fact, too, that the committee did not sell beer may have had something to do "with the matter. Be that as it may, the crowd enjoyed themselves in a sensible wav. No

pies were thrown f nor was anyone struck down with a surreptitious saveloy; things were just nice and hotcha without going the full liideodeodo way. There were 150 or so hard.up costumes on the floor, and a Jot of ingenuity had gone to their creation. The Hard-Up Council was topically funny. There "were just four of them Councillors Rasp-Barry Strong.arm, Cunning-Alex and Old Bill and they bore a banner with the strange device "Our Hard-Up Council—East Coast Road, Aerodrome, Drainage, Domain—Let's work in 'Armony.' A hard-up married couple wandered the bride wistful .in cheese | cloth and her victim apparently stranglingly conscious of a needle-j sharp wing collar. A raffish looking parson on a bike also lurked behind a forest of jet black whiskers. Two depression twins contrived to look winsome in sacking hoods, while the l oldest inhabitant peered out from behind white whiskers and dark glas. j ses like a startled faun. There were more patched pants on view than bavc been seen out of Holland since Abe] Tasman said '"Guten Morgcn" to the locals, and the gents in, sack cloth were legion. Walter from Tan catua, was a particularly fine effort, and so was Johnny. They looked so poor that one spoke in condescending tones to them.

There was a full assortment of battered lydies, and the committee members in fevvers and elastic sided boots (and .what function is complete without at- least one elastic sided boot?) were convincingly impoverished. A thought must go out to the paper lady who, like Clem, entine, "boxes wore for soxes"" and also to the mavor who had he looked in a mirror; would have given himself six months for vagrancy in spite of his own sincere plea for another chance. Mrs Cucksey and Mrs Armstrong had the knotty job of sorting out the prize winners, who were rewarded with garlands of vegetables, some not altogether in the best uf order, and, for the best a horse and trap—a Avooden horse and a mouse trap. Thte victims were: Lady, Miss Burt; men Mr J. Wilson; pail, Mrs H. Gibson (Waihi), Mr B. Cot--treil; Messrs J. Stone, M. Armstrong, A. Webb. .The Mayor, Mr B. S. Bslrry, presented the prizes. He congratulated Mrs Hayter and all the other members of the committee for their successful effort j and thanked all for turning out. There w r as a yell jf laughter when he said that if any on e was disappointed they could have their money back in, the form of a free ride in the ambulance whe o it arrived, the method of qualifying being by standing in front of a motor car, or, if they preferred it in front of a charging sheep. He thanked the Old Boys Football Club for a dona. : on of £2 2s, an 3 announced the takings at the ball would probably complete the amount required for the ambulance. Sale of tickets, the tnki +V}-> pie and a tarpaulin muster made the takings ori, the «h«vif *180. With fo r <i hoped tba* t'v bnM •*•?!» v.— -i

about £120, i ut final figures are not yd known. The excellent music was played 4 ! by Ted Haydrn's band the Caledonian Society Pipers, and Glen Hay,, den's/ band. Ladies in costume included Me% dames Hayter, Jarrett, H. J. G. Mulholland, V. Allen ? Norman, T. K. Pollock Hardujj golfer, Xuden Matthews, Victorian scrimgown, I. Vitali, B. Cot. trell. Misses W. Thatcher Three Years Old; w. Bush, sack; D. Moore black „ 9 soup .strainer cloth; J. Patterson, sack and scraps; T. Moore, sack and tea towel trimmings; C. Marsh, ''Mrs Paypah-Mills"; S. Wilson "Gerf' 1. Willis; J. Garland "Liz": N. Bar l'owman, patches; D. Cucksey sack and flour bag; V. Foley 7 scraps; C. Alderton: J Watson rags: P. Burt fair dinkum hard-up ensemble; M,. Patterson, sack and rope; "J. Bryant; J. Forebs; I. Corbett; G. Rand; M. Waltford; M. Harris, patches; .L Latham. (

Those in evening dress included! Mesdames G. Webster, floral satin: J. Colebrook, black velvet; C. W. Clark, black georgette "and lace; G. Gr cy t brown georgette and lace; i'. Hatton } green embossed satin; Bert Sharp, black and clover taffeta; If. R. Jackson, white triple ninon, blue taffeta coatee; W. Tennant, black georgette; F. R. Brown, burgundy 'crepe''and lace; S. N. green embossed georgette; V. L. Walker blue floral georgette; C Wright, navy blue lace; L. G. Bennett, blue ninon; H. B. Wollett (Lake Rotjoma) turquoise taffetaj E.-M. Ball, figured georgette; H.E. Cucksey,, navy blue georgette gold trimmings: A. Cruise, red and white satin; Latham f balck and white satHi; R. Chad wick; W. C. Wright; J. Stone; A. Shaw, navy and white marocain; Marsh. Misses jVI. Barrowman, cream velvet, matching bolero; M. Curran, clover satin ? white cape; B. Todman blue spotted net over satin; J. Goile organdie; N. Woolliams, sequined black net; N. Goldsmith f floral georgette; M. Goldsmith, black lace; D. Hoey, black moire taffeta; D. Kendall, pink lace over taffeta; G. Shaw red tafFetar R. Rendall, green floral taffeta; B. Carter; G." ButwelL cherry satin.