PADDY'S MARKET

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 5

PADDY'S MARKET

IN AID OF "OUR DAY" APPEAL . AND BLIND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS „ ;A bright spring morning favoured the inception of Wellington's latest campaign in aid of the patriotic funds. By eleven o'clock a large crowd had gathered in the Town Hall for the opening (by Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool) of Paddy's Market. 'The hall presented a gay. and bustling appearance, and the pleasaut scent of spring mowers pervaded the whole place. Outside, the Trentluun Band played lively strains to woo the ear of the public, and draw other citizens to swell the concourse within. The Mayor, Mr. J. I>. Luke, C.M.G., expressed his pleasure at' Her Excellency's having consented to open the market. The appeal now made was part of one that extended' throughout the United Kingdom and the British Dominions. During the month of October one day was being set apart for the raising of funds, to continue the aid that the public was lending tho work of the-Bed Cross; and' Paddy's. Market represented something of the effort that Wellington would make. Through it, as a special feature, he hoped thati. the city would securo a considerable addition to the funds that. "Our Day" would 1 produce. While the' market continued, he .trusted that, the people of Wellington would visit it freely, and come prepared to buy generously from* the stalls. In conclusion, he dosired to express the high esteem in which their :Excellencies the Governor-General and. the Countess were held for the interest they had taken .in all the work done to assist the carrying on of the war in which wo and our noble Allies were engaged. . (Applause.) . Invited by His Worship to declare the market open, Her Excellency did so, and said that she was very glad to associate ■ herself with the people of Wellington in such an 'undertaking.■ The idea of Paddy's Market, she understood, had originated in Glasgow, and not in Ireland. It had been'customary at such a fair iot the head of each family to take home a fairing for evory 'member. If all wlic visited the market kept this custom in mind there could be no doubt as to the result. She wished the market every success.- (Applause.) A wonderfully varied collection of goods of every possible kind "graced" the stalls, which had heen\ placed underneath the galleries and in front of tho stage of the i big chamber, while evprywhere flags and' brignuy-coloured draperies added brightness to the scene. In the centre was Miss Una Carter's sweet stall, from which de-licious-looking sweets of no fewer than eighty varieties could be purchased, special provision being made for soldiers abroad, in the way of tins of varying sizes sewn up ready for posting. Undoubtedly one of the most interesting of tho stalls, to an investigating and curious mind,' was "Christie's, (vulgarly known as tho second-hand stall), on. which was to bo found a marvellously, catholic collection of goods, including "antique" jewellery, cradles, pofambulatorß, pictures, tablo appointments, sewing machines, boots and shoes, hath tubs, bicycles, and innumerablo articles of uso or ornament. The second-hand clothing stall- was another on which was. to he seen articles of very good value indeed, many of the garments never having been worn at all. Overcoats, suits, evening and day-wear dresses, blouses, etc., wero only some of the things which formed tK'e stock, and it was not surprising that, ths stall attracted many people. Bun in connection with this stall was ono for books and magazines, for which thero was a good demand. The fiowors and pot plants stalls wero massed with blooms, tho flowers _ having been sent from many of tho surrounding districts, and a particularly interesting and well- . arranged stall was tho Industrial Association's, which covered a very wide field in tho courso of its display, including not only local productions, such as High-' lander milk, 6oaps, tins of coffee and milk, toys, schoolboy satchels, etc., but cates, sweets, and ice-creams. It was a thoroughly representative and' useful stall../ The meat stall, which was supplied by all the AVellington butchers, did a simply roaring trade dufting, tho whole of the time, and was undoubtedly ono of the best money-makers there. Tho commercial travellers' stall for homemade cake-s had a wondcrfuly fine display, many, of them being real works of art with their decorations of iced flowers, rose-piping, and national emblems, in which those of Ireland took a, decidedly prominent place. Thero wero. twenty-seven junior entries for ilio cako prize, and forty-eight senior entries, which were ftjr sale, with quantities of.other cakes. Tho shilling.stall, wfth its splendid assortment of children's garments, novelties, and articles both useful and ornamental, attracted many buyers. OC much interest, to which at t.h'e same time was attached a certain amount of pathos, was a-Bed Cross flag, the first' lo bo mounted at Suvla Bay, torn and tattered at the edges by tho passing of "Jack .Tohwj'ons." Tj'io produce staM, the "Chnrloy's Aunt" stall, the blaok cat stall, all made a.'brave show, and did good business. One that took a littlo looking for was TTio fish market, placed in tho courtyard of the Town Hall, tho way to which Was indicated by a gigantic figure in a div-ing-suit, all complete, and one or two sailors, who inquired of passers-by whether they had yet been to the fish market. This stall had been most attractively got up, with draperies of red, blue, and white, and ail awning overhead, while the attendants were picturosnno.lv attired to represent fisherwomen,

A rustic fountain had been cleverly contrived, and at. night-time, lit up with ciectrio liglit, was most ell'ective. Tin's had all been done by Iho sailors, who had also had a great deal to do with Iho decorations of tho main hall. Smoked and fresh iisli, oysters l'rouv Auckland and Stewart Island, were- thero is pleuiiTnl supplies. The tearoom, at which morning and afternoon tea wero supplied, as welt as a inffiSay lunch from twelve to two, was placed' underneath the gallery, and was in flie hands of tho Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. lAxke) and' Mrs. Barltrop, who were assisted by members of tho Citizens' Service League. The Icaruoms wero open last evening, and wiff be again all day to-day, up to nine o'clock. The following is a list, of the principal stalls and stallholders:— Commercial Travellers' Stall: Cakes and Jam.—Mrs. Wright (in charge), Mesilamcs Arndt, Hcnnah, Keith, Carlton, Jeft'eroy, lnglis, licid, Howell, A\ »- son, Macdonald, Phelps, Whitcombc, Bi:ii::c'aamp, Davis, Misses Grange,. Dor- *■;. Shelton, Wilt. Meat Stall-Messrs. Woolland (3), Misses Woolland (2), Miss Grey, Mrs. Stone.

Second-hand Clothing-Mrs. 11. Rose (in charge), Mesdames Stceman, Tait, and Morley, Messrs. Myers, Lowe, Duncan, Davidson, Alcorn, Brandon, Miles, and Coleman. Refreshment Stall-Mrs. J. -P. Luke and Mrs. Barltrop (in charge), and fra members of tile Citizens' Service League. Hot Pies and Coffee, Charley's Aunt Club—Mesdames Aitken, Jacobson, Cavill, Brownjohn, Ballard, Cording, Wallace, Baudinet, Misses Atack, Petherick, Mesdames Smith, Porter, Clapshaw, Kane, Houlder, Jackson, Miss llynn, Mrs. Wilson.

General' 'Stall, Industrial Association. —Mesdames Evans, Partridge, M'Lay, Mainland, Watkins, Norwood, Slade, and Miss Keid (in charge), with i'i assistants. Shilling rind Variety Stall, St. John Ambulance Brigade—Mesdames Preston, Salek, William, C. Gaby, Oilman, Astler, Misses Peat and Efeson. Second-hand Stall—Mesdames Wilfovcl, Pearce, W. Nathan, and 51. Myers, assisted by Mrs. Gibbon. Mesdames Lees, Milsom, Geriidis. and Miss Stace. • Flowers, Fruit, and Pot. Plants—Mrs. W. H. Cox (in charge), Mesdames Cowing, Heruploii, Johnson, Sutherland, Brown, Sea-well, Misses Paul, Carr, "Wilson; Aitken. Sweets.—Miss Carler (in charge), Misses Lewis, Helliwell, Hayes, Ward, Power, Maimvaring, Gilshnan, Mesdames Lewis, Carter, Castle, Wilson, and Partington, and six children. Produce.. AV.CT.U.-Mesdames Cummins, AVright, D. C. Nett, Boxall, Mounter, and Houider.' ' Jumblo (No. 1), Sentoun Bed' Cross Workers—Misses Price, Atkins, Scott, Williams, and Townsond, Mrs. Dlafceley, Messrs. Stevens, Barrett, Christie, and Sievers. Jumblo (No. 2)-Gas Company employees. • • Fish Market, Ladies' Auxiliary Navy League-Mrs. Hall-Thompson (in charge), Mesdames W. Luke, Williams, Baxton, Smith, Misses Laurenson, Gorton, and Hothenburg. _~.. Cut Flower Stall.-Miss D Willis, Misses M'Donald, J. Smith, V. Smith, Brown, Barratt, Fuller, Baudmct. Peanuts, the Spinsters' Chib: bran, tubs and hidden treasure, Mrs. Gibbons (in charge); dairy produce; Miramar Red Cross Guild; Black Cat stall, Miss Ward,

• There was a very large attendance o£ the public at Paddy's Market last evening, ond excellent results were secured by the stall-holders. One of the great attractions provided for the evening wasn. series of half-hour entertainments arranged by the Charley's Aunt Club, and held in the Concert Chamber, the first one commencing at 8 o'clock. Tho programmes were well chosen and attracted large audiences. Contributing to the first one wore the following—Overture, lur-i nff's string orchestra; song, Miss Hichardson; humorous recitation, Miss E. Carte;, song, Mr. Sigurd Lestrup. Mr. lau Stanhope's quartet party also contributed much appreciated items. For the second entertainment a charming Japanese fantasy was given, called "The Mirror, tho characters ]>eing taken as follow :- Miurft (a young tea gardener), Mr. rheodore Hill; Ohano (his wite), Miss I'anny Kutner; Toyo (a wise old man), Constance Theel. An American one-act play; "The Real .Q-," was the entertainment nrovided for the third session, tho characters hein? taken by Mr C Bentley Russell (the Doctor), Mr. Paul Latham (the Detective), and Mr. Norman Aitken (the Thief). All three entertainments were of a bright and varied character, and were much enioyed by the audiences. Mr. Turner's string orchestra supplied incidental music.