CATHOLIC BAZAAR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4692, 30 April 1924, Page 2

CATHOLIC BAZAAR.

A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. During Monday and Tuesday the scone at the Gaiety Theatre, Paeroa, was ar. animated one, occasioned by a grand bazaar and fancy fair promoted by the parishioner,s of St Mary s Roman Catholic Church, Much time and labour has been spent, especially by the womenfolk of the church, in making garments, cooking, and generally preparing to ensure that nothing was left undone to provide a heap of useful as well as pretty an.l dainty things to be offered to the public.

.In Monday evening the bazaar was opened by His Worship the Mayor (Mr W Marshall). In welcoming His Warship Father Dunphy expressed his high esteem for our worthy Mayor, whose breadth of vision, conspicuous ability, and public-spirited activity constituted him a Mayor a big city might bo proud of. Father Dunphy thanked him for his presence there that night, and for the measure of success that was thereby assured. His Worship thanked ’ Father Dunphy for his kind references to himself, but averred that he claimed nothing but recognition of the fact that iiis best endeavours were ever di ected to the rendering of faithful services to his fellow citizens. In the course of hi.s address His Worship emphasised the pleasure he found in being present at such function-, where the best side of human nature was levcaled. It was the foiuT-i bazaar for church purposes that ne had tiie pleasure of opening within the last 12 months. The various churches deserved credit, and elicited his admiration, for the .self-sacrificing efforts to maintain and improve their imtitutions. which were doing untol I to the community at large. Tt was his privilege as Mayor to be called upon to open these functions, and right heartily be fulfilled his duty He congratulated Father Dunphy and th? members of St. Mary’s congregation for the excellent improvements effected in connection with their church property—improvements that bore eloquent testimony to the generous zeal of the people and to the progress and high-spirited ideals of the people of Paeroa. He also complimented the stallholders and workers on their display of work' and attractive decorations, and wished them every success in extracting by camouflage the cash so well deserved and urgently needed. He then declare 1 the bazaar officially opened. An inspection of the various stalls revealed the fact that all classes an:l descriptions of things could be. purchased from vegetables and pot-plants to a bridal trousseau. The Stalls were prettily decorated and arranged, each one carrying out a separate colour scheme of its own, the whole under the shaded lights of electricity producing an attractive effect, truly bazaar-like. Unfortunately the weather on bot i days was rather against people venturing far away from their homes. Al) the same, a large number did brave the elements, and during the evenings, especially, the attendance was very good and brisk business was transacted in the various departments. As is usual at bazaars of this kind the army of people with various articles to raffle were very persistent tn their endeavours to entice the nimble sixpences from the public, and judging by the number of articles disposed of in this manner a conside’able sum must have been added to the total takings. The following were the stallholders : Plain and fancy work, Mesdames G. H. Taylor and W. Bain : juinbl?, Misses Taylor (2), Poland (3), Carthv (2), and Tierney; sweets, Mesdames M. C. Smith and Berlclsen, and Misses Gleeson, A. Hill, Treanor, and Me ■ Clinchy; luncheon and tea-rooms, Miss Dawbcr and Mrs Black, assisted by Mesdames Orr. McDougall, Carthv. Armour, and Miss A. Shaw; raffles, Miss M. Shaw.

On both evenings enjoyable music was rendered by Smith’s (Hikutaia) orchestra, and various competitions were held.

The function was brought to a close late la-t evening, and it is r.ndorst'ioil that a very satisfactory balance will be shown, "inch will be utilised in clearing off the debt on the churcn building.