Up Early This Morning Preparing For Market

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 2

Up Early This Morning Preparing For Market

While most of Christchurch was still asleep this morning, women from all parts of North Canterbury were hard at work preparing food for the market and stall run by the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society.

Many drove into the city in the early hours from as far away as Hamner, Banks Peninsula, and Springfield bringing farm produce and meat to be cut, parcelled and priced. Husbands were marshalled into service to cut the huge carcasses and by first light at 5.30 a.m. work was in progress.

The market, held la the Canterbury Horticultural Society’s Hall and the stall in Oathedral square opened after 8 a.m. this morning. Goods have been accumulating at the centre for weeks, but the final rush of sorting and pricing went smoothly yesterday. About 30 Red Cross members were packing produce and goods for the 11 stalls at the market and for the Square stall when “The Press” called.

Mrs T. C. Mating, who is organising the market, had journeyed from Hamner Springs and spent the early morning pricing goods in the shops. She stayed overnight in Christchurch and is starting before the first shift at the Horticultural Hall this morning. About 50 women are manning the market In shifts today. This year a delicatessen stall has been added, and each stall is running a raffle. Stall In Square Over the years the stall in Cathedral square has developed Into a “very good money maker.” This year Mrs J. B. Hay Is responsible for its smooth running.

Mrs Hay lives at Pigeon Bay and has also stayed several nights in the city. She considers the long journey and the hard work involved well worth while. About 30 town and country members will be on hand to help at the stall. Last evening a fleet of cars and trucks transported the goods from the centre’s hall to the Horticultural Hall. Members’ husbands and men from various city businesses supplied the manpower to set up the stalls and carry the heavy crates. Street Collection The market has been run annually for almost 10 years and has expanded and improved each year. The

Junor Red Cross stall is a feature of the market and is always laden. Equally dedicated to the

Red Cross cause are the hundreds of collectors who are manning street corners in the city and suburbs. The city headquarters at Trinity Hall opened at 7.30 a.m. and the work of counting will go on until 9 p.m. with boxes being received from the suburbs. Street appeal and market day is a gathering together in combined effort of city, suburban, and country Red Cross members. Not the least of the work done—so much unseen by the public—is the making of that all important cup of tea for thirsty workers from 5.30 in the morning until late in the evening. Reserve V.A.D.’s, many elderly—keep kettles on the boil all day long.

The picture shows Mrs Mating and Mrs R. I. Brake, president of the centre, weighing fruit