WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 968, 8 November 1910, Page 9

WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE.

LUNCHEON AT A SHOW. To come from the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show and to admit having failed to notice the provisions made by the Women's Christian Temperance Union for supplying people with luncheon and tea is to admit a lamentable shortsightedness, says a Christchurch paper. For the past twenty-five years the union's luncheon booth lias been ono of the conspicuous features of the annual exhibition. The idea of giving meals to people who do not care to go to places where alcoholic liquors are sold originated when the show grounds .were in Sydenham, and at that time the patronage extended to the union's luncheon booth was small, only being taken in the first year. Nowadays the union serves over 6000 people with a raidday meal. The popularity of its venture has increased by leaps and bounds, and now the march of progress has made it necessary that the marquee for years did excellent service should be replaced by a permanent building. Last year the rush of people to' the luncheon was almost' unmanageable, and a great deal of delay was caused by the lack of room. This defect has been remedied by the erection of a building costing .£7OO, which will accommodate over 450 people at luncheon. There will bo nino tables, each seating fifty persons, and great care has been taken jto provide ample epace to enable the waitresses to carry out their duties with as little difficulty as possible. A new pantry and a new kitchen have been erected, and these with tho old kitchen and pantry built by the Agricultural and-Pastoral Association are expected to provide • ample facilities for the preparation of the meals. The building'is of wood, and is a conspicuous object. The exterior in coloured cream set off with Indian red facings and a facade bearing the union's name in largo letters. The interior is fresh and clean, all the timber being dressed and oiled. Careful attention has been given to the ventilation, so that on hot days there will be a, cool draught of air running right through the. booth. In tho front the .accommodation at the counter is much greater than it has ever been before, both for the public and for the assistants. The new building is '66ft. wide and 105 ft. long, and it. has been erected a little nearer the produce shed than the site occupied by the old marquee. . -. Some idea of the magnitude of the, union's undertaking ■ can be gathered from tho fact that on people's day alone f>ooo persons are served with luncheon. The tea in the afternoon is attended by over a thousand people, and the counter is crowded throughout the day. In all .'3O oeople,give their services voluntarily to the union, and make it possible to give an. excellent luncheon at a low tariff. Twenty paid officials are employed in the kitchens and pantries. There are ninety waitresses in the dining-room and about twenty attend to the counters. Wore it not for the large amount of vol-1 untary assistance, obtained,/ tho union could not , do its work.. The profits accruing, from" the venture in the past have been used to augment the union's funds, but for some years now any money mado at the show will be used to pay for the new building. In one rule the union is very strict. It forbids any of its members to accept remuneration' for any services given .in connection with the booth, and so far it has never been at a loss for. assistance. . ,