Leaving for Camp.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 5 October 1918, Page 2

Leaving for Camp.

■ : » : . BI,G FAREWELL GATHERING. Everybody's Theatre was packed on Thursday evening when the (Levin Pa- . trioiic Society had arranged a valedictory function in honour of the reservists who leave next week for camp. Most of these are married men and ! they constitute tlie largest draft that liars yet left Lovt.n at one time. The proceedings were happily conceived and I carried out with the utmost harmony I and generally were of tike most success- ! ful character. A pleasing feature was j the big attendance of departing reser- [ vists who were greetedi wit!h enthusiasm by tho large audiience. v The Mayor presided and under his guidance the programme ran its appointed course without hitcfh or intermission. The arrangements were chiefly in MrB.R. Gardener's hands and as usual in such a case every detail was foreseen and.• provided for. Mr W. 'Hughes was responsible for the musical part of the evening's activities which enhanced iihfe' pleasure of tlhose present. The stage was tastefully arranged and decorated • hy Mrs B. It. Gardener. •Mies I. Pink opened the programme, with nicely played pianoforte overture. Mr D. P. Porteous contributed "The Yeoman's Wedding'' and ''The Bedouin Love Song" as an encore, with customary effect. Mrs 'It. H. -Billons was .heard to advantage in "Melisande in tine Wood," with "When They Come Home" as an encore. Tlhlen followed a short address by tiher Mayor. Mr Blenkhorn said it wasfit- ' ting ■ that such an occaision. should .bb seized to m ake ..some public expression , of our admiration and -appreciation., of tlie efforts of our armies and thcee c of oiir Allies. Their deeds had thrilled the hearts of all. In larger centres tlh© .victories' had been celebrated and Minis-" tens of the Crown and leadl'ng citizens had dilated upon the effect of those victories!. He did not propose to do < that, but would say Ithat from all in tho community there had been perceptibly lifted during tflie past few days -a great burden oif doubt and anxiety (applause) and where one saw gloomy and despondent faces werevnow smiles 'and oonfi- • dence. All wer.e sure that the end . every thinking maul thought lie could . see "would materialise at no far ddstant date. That the end was not yet, (however, was brought home to them 'by the fact that tliey had thart, night to farewell 18 or 20 oitizens—the 'largest number yet sent away in one party from this small centre. Some difficulty had been experienced in obtaining till© men's names, but the Mayor said they had got an official 'list.which they found was even now incomplete. _He read the names of those going onto' camp this month. It had ibeen tlhie custom, he said, to present all men going away with some token of regards from ; the ladiqs of Levin, and this took tho form of u Cardigan jacket—a very-ser-viceable article in vieWjOfi the servooa - tlhiey wero going on. He invited the reservists present to come to the ptotform. Those present were 'Messrs PJnk, Broadbenfi, Tong, Butt, -GoUis, Nichol- ■ son, .Claude MoLeavey, W. Belli, J. . Thomson, and Ingram. To the accompaniment of loud appla. » use, the Mayoress then presented each man with a parcel containing a Cardigan : jacket; expressing tlh© pleasure it gave lier to do so on behalf of the la- • dies of Levin, and wishing the depart- . ling reservists' a quick and safe return, i The singing of "Thoy are Jolly Good i Fellows," and three cheers marked who j conclusion of the presentation. -Mrs A. J. Hunt, a n©ivoom«r to Jjo- , vin, and one whose vocal talent is a : , | weloonio acquisition to local resources, .sang "'ln Your Deal' Eyes,"' l > with fine effect, and as an enoore_ 'ren- ,•■,.„•■ derod "Somtwltere a Voice is Calling.''Mr K. A'itken has rarely been in better .. form and his elocutionary-efforts "WilI lie's Education" andv , "Napoleon's I Tomb" greatly pleased the audience. ' Tlhle final item was a duet "Maying," . . ' by Mr and Mux W. Hughes, sung with . notable sympathy and effect and warm- - • lv encored, the second number being "Fancy. Waft Me."- ■ Then camo the reading of a,: report . on the Patriotic Society's work by Mr" C. S. ReedweJl, the lion, secretary, iihp . Mayor explaining that it was .submit- - ted at this gathering in onler that as many -people as possible might hear it and "have an opportunity of > criticising tllre Society's wojk. ..Criticism was invited and the speaker preferred!; that it be done openly'rather than through anonymous 'letters to the paper. (Tli*» full report will be published in our next; issue). The Mayor moved the adoption of tlhle report. He said the outstanding features were the splendid work of the ladies at the Bed Cross Shop, and the fact that only £28 had been spenit en, ' working, expenses - in three: years, teasthan 1 per cent, which showed! how I carefully the funds were administered.. • While the Conhnittee did not shirk . ' from its. responsibility, the 'members ' were qu'ito willing to stand aside for '. i . anyone eflse who dqsired-'ty) tb® work and if anyone had ambition in fihiat direction lie would 'he welcomed. ' with open arms. 1 Mr W. Hughes seconded the motion. He reoa;lled th© fact that the Society • | was started .'just after tlie : - war com- :" menced and a Queen Carnival- was .en- • ' teiied dnto with great enthusiasm. But . . , a committee of about a hundred then • I had! dwindled down no\v to. about; half j u dosjen persons. Those people howl ever, were stickers and if they had not . been thore would havo beeai- no patrjoticsocidty. Tliey 'lwd had some criticism and) the speaker mentioned a converea- _ . tion lie hadiwth oue oomplainant .who assetted that the secretary got a "good fat screw" out of the funds and tiliat - i i the ladies were "doing pretty, well' out .i ; of the Patriotic Shop.'V But when he , , was invited to the offioe to go through • tilie books the critic declined to go and admitted" that his allegations were-mere'' .. rumours. - Mr Hughes saidi the Society welcomed fair criticism hut resented unjust and unfounded assertions of the • nature referred to. Anyone, was welcome to take the place of any member oif the committee, but whoever did ,so. ?:' ' would have to 'be prepared to sti-cik' to ■ tihe work till the end of the war—hap- ; ; pily now'much nearer. The motion was carried without dissent. The Rev. Bawden Harris mb® to pro--pose a vote of thanks and, confidence in the committee. He believed they had done their work faithfully audi well" and as for-what people said, he recommended to their notice an ancient proverb: "They say—What do they isay? I>et them say." * "•Mr J. W. Gibson seconded tilito mo-. | tjon, which was carried by acclamation. , The Mayor said their ithanfes were , due to the proprietors of Everybody's Tlieatre. for. the nee of the lilall. They always niet the patriotic Society in a very liberal way andl were only receiving the hare cost of Jighting t|io' atro (apxilauiso). The prooeeding)s tlliten concluded bq the exhibitiqn of a picture, chosen' by management and entitled ''Miss George Washington," which was highly enjoyed tHie aiudience.