"OUR DAY" EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2921, 6 November 1916, Page 6

"OUR DAY" EFFORT

GRAND TOTAL NEARLY £6000 : i SATURDAY'S DOINGS GALA AT KILBIRNIE The money for tho "Our Day" Bed Cross effort continues to mount up steadily. When tho treasurer (Mr. Jas. M'lntosh) and his staff of tellers were loft to grapple with a mountain of small coin at midnight on Friday, the grand total amounted to just over £'1000, but thero was, the treasurer estimated, about another £500 in view. How accurate was the treasurer's estimate was seen at 3 a.m., when the amount deposited in tho Bank of Australasia had reached the sum of £4571 10s. 6d. Of that amount £2682 13s. 3d. was collected in Wellington City on Friday, which is ono of tho best day's work ever done in Wellington, and a credit to all concerned in the 'movement. Donations by Post. In addition to the above grand total banked up till early on Saturday morning, donations amounting to £443 14s. Del. were received by' post on Saturday morning. Those were as follow:-• .£ ss. d. Hutcheson, Wilson and C 0.... 10 0 0 Mrs. Wilberfoss 10 0 Mr. and Mrs. S. Eichelbaum... 2 2 0 Max Eichelbaum (S. Oppenheimer and Co.) 10 10 0 Mrs. A. E. lvelsey 3 0 0 Anonymous 0 10 0 St. Hilda's Church, Island Bay 3 7 7 Miramar 1 Golf Club 10 10 0 A. Sutton 110 Mrs. S. E. Beale 2 0 0 Mrs. Comins 10 0 (i. Stanley Chisholm 0 10 6 Mrs. F. Bevin ' 0 10 0 Mrs. S. J.' Wilson 0 5 0 J. D. Anderson 10 0 Mrs. M'Kellar 0 2 6 Mrs. R. Tingoy 0 5 0 llev. Cyril H. Harvey 1 0 0 Mr. and Mrs. Lawrenco 0 10 ,0 J. and J. W. Mason 0 5 0 Anonymous 0 2 '0 Miss Eileen Bridge and Miss Allen 0 9 0 D. B. Esther Escher 21 0 0 Inglewood Ladies' Patriotic League 261 0 2' Francis Holmes 5 0 0 l'atca and District Patriotlo League 100 0 0 Mr. and Mrs. Max Oppenlieim 5 0 0 £442 14 9 Tho grand total of these figures, which are subject to bank check, reaches a sum of £5436 16s. 3d. To that sum' are to be added the returns from tho sports carnival at Kilbirnie on Saturday afternoon and the collection made throughout Kilbirnie, Roseneath, and Hataitai, and tho proceeds of the concert given by the n.c.o.'s of the Twenty-fourth Reinforcements and the Savago Club on Saturday evening at the Town Hall. The big hall was quite full', so the return should be a very handsome one. Eastbourne also has yet to make a return of the effert made by tho ladies of that district on

Saturday. Tho sum total of these amounts should bring tho grand total up to £6000. "THE DAY" AT KILBIRNIE • A PRAISEWORTHY EFFORT. Throvgliout Saturday a lively assault was made on the pockets of residents of Kilbirnie, Hataicai, and Rosoneath by a well-organised committee, wlio had a host of willing workers to assist them in their endeavour to "do their bit" for tho Red Cross. With com-

mendable enterprise ninny of the over-tlie-hill workers camo to town, and jingled theifboxes under tho noses .of tho public once more, with encouraging effect, whilst iti the district the "Guy Fawkes" joko served the boys as a medium to extract loose cash for tGe uoblo object in view. The effort culminated in a children's sports gala at Kilbirnie Park, which presented all tho gala features oC a county fair. The eastern edge of the expausivc sward was transformed for tho nonce iiito a. busy market, where one could purchase almost anything in reason. There wero stalls for tho dis-

posal of sweets, soft drinks, afternoon tea, vegetables, fish (and live crayfish fresh from the Bay), fancy goods, seedlings, "hoop-la," etc., etc. • Tho band of tho Patriotic Socioty discoursed music in tho middle distance, whilst down the middle of the sward tho eager children ran races under the supervision ,of a committee of experienced fathers, carefully selected as being the most likely, to bo tolerant with the youngsters. Whilst dozens were thus engaged, three hard-working, uncomplaining donkeys did sturdy work, carting loads of shrieking humanity up and down tho gfeen at so much a head. In the evening tho fan of tile fair culminated in the burning of an effigy of the Kaiser—before wliose vast gun-powder plot the threatened little business of Guy Fawkes pales into insignificance—on the' apex of an immense Tioniiro, which lit up the scene splendidly. It was unfor- i tnnate that rain fell in light showers throughout the day, but it did not damp tho ardour of tho workers 0110 jot. The Mayor (Mr. J. I'. Luke) and Councillor George Frost (chairman of the Reserves Committee) were at the carnival in tho afternoon. During the evening two lively concerts were given in tho ICilbirnie Hall under the direction of the volatile Mr. Wallace, who is always to the fore in over-tlie-hill patriotic functions. The committee were busy yesterday counting the money, when it was found that the total proceeds amounted to the respectable sum of £195. There are still a few boxes to come to liand, which may bring up the total to round figures.

MILITARY CONCERT 'AND UNIQUE TRENCH REVUE. In the evening the big Red Cross attraction in town was the military concert and trench rem given in tho Town Hall by the N.C.O.'s of the Twenty-fourth Reinforcements and tlio. Savage Club. Though the weather -was 1 still gloomy and rain fell softly at in- ] tervals, the big hall was well filled when His Excellency the Governor and tho Countess of Liverpool took thoir seats at 8 p.m. Tho concert was unique, inasmuch as every item from first to last was given by performers _ in khaki, either by those who are in camp or others who would, liko to bo. The first

part was contributed: by the N.C.O.'s of the Twenty-fourth Reinforcements, who soon made it quite clear that they havo somo •unusually good talent in

their ranks. Indeed thero was not a performer who would not find a placo in tho programmes of high-class concerts at any time. Consequently tho entertainment was most enjoyable. Tho Savage Club's orchestra, under Lieut. H. A. M'Comish, played the march from "Aida" (Verdi) as an overture. Corporals Hanna and Joll sang that fine old duet, "Battle Eve," but gave a better account of themselves in tho encore duet, "Watchman, What of the Night?" Corporal Necs has a nice musical baritone voice of even quality, giving pleasure in a spirited reading of Trotore's picturesque song, "Toreador, Hold," and Wallace's "Son o' Mine" (from tho "Froebooter" cycle). Cor-

poral Fonton, bright, gonin], and ver.v much at homo at tho piano, ivas very amusing in tho comic monologue, "My Novolle," and "Dad's Carpentering." Liout. A. Oakey, a fine bass singer, with an ingratiating personality, found immediate favour in "A Chip of tlio Old Block," and had to sing as an encore "The Sergeant of tho Lino." Corporal Hanna sang "Friend o' Mine" expressively, and "Tho Road to the Sea" as an encore. Tho "Twenty-fourth Quartet" struck just the right tonal balance in "Tho Dear Little Shamrock," which enthused tho audience, and Corporal Joll, a fine light baritone, got a fino ring into the jingo song, "King Charles." A picturesque novelty that was much appreciated was Capt. Potter's firc-club swinging oshibition, a elever performance with flaming torches, executed with tlio house lights out. Corporal Dingle made an affective accompanist. The second half of the programme was the clover trench rcvuo by tho members of tho Wellington Savage Club, which was so successful on "Ladies' Night" a few weeks ago. This was written by Colonel F. J. Courtney, of Wellington, and stage-managed by Mr. A. W. Newton. The programme was tho same, with tho exception of tho comic number, "Sergeant Michael Cassidy, 7.0.," comically sung by Savago W. B. Kenny. Songs, mostly with choruses, wero sung by Savages Albert Russell, C. W. Moore, E. J. Hill, C. L. Green, and C. W. Mooro; Savage Norman Aitken repeated "Spotty," and Savage J. W. Carr was again excellent in his impersonation of Sir James Carroll addressing tlio New Zealand soldiers in tho trenches in France. Savage Frank Thomas was tho accompanist, and Mr. Ronald Lyon the secretary.

"The returns so far," said Mr. D. M'Lareu to a Dominion representative last'evening, "exceed £6000 from Wellington city and suburbs. When all the other campaign centres in tho Wellington military district have sent in tlier returns, it is expected that tho grand total will excecd tho £10,000 which wo set ourselves to raise."