BALL, BUT NO DANCING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2130, 20 May 1920, Page 1

BALL, BUT NO DANCING.

CHRISTCHURCH ENTERTAINS THE PRINCE. (From “The Press.’’) It was fortunate that the Ball Comittec had put a limit on the issue of tickets; it was unfortunate that the limit imposed bore no degree of co-relation to the other factors involved. According to orders the guests approached the Cashel Street door to gain entrance. Those who arrived when the door opened found that only one passage through' available, but that didn't matter so much at the beginning. It became a highly important consideration later. There were over 3,000 people attending, and the bulk of these appeared within an hour of the time set down tor the arrival of the Prince, that is, between eight and nine pan. It was then that the single entrance scheme failed dismally. Hundreds and hundreds of ticket-holders surged round the iron gate which, every pow and then would open a l’e\v indies to allow ah other small batch to enter. Meanwhile myriads of taxis and cars j were discharging their passengers on the roadway to swell furl her the straggling throng, through which the taxis themselves, had to plough their way to reach the calmer waters at Cambridge Terrace. Whatever success the traffic arrangements for vehicles may have achieved was not shared by the entrance arrangements for the guests. Nor was it altogether a haven of rest when one actually succeeded in forcing an entrance. The ballroopi was undoubtedly immense, but it was more than swamped by the multitude present. The cloak rooms, refreshment booths, and suppor-roonl were all grossly overtaxed during the earlier stages of the ball, and particularly —and this was a permanent trouble —the exits, entrances, and passage-ways leading from one department to another. One had to

squirm and screw 7 and resist coun-ter-currents of people in order to get anywhere. Bv nine o’clock the hall, to the nak?d eye,' appeared T’-Hl. Every seat on the raised platforms surrounding the dancing floor was occupied, even to the ledges, and the

floor ilself was packed with restless people. The canopied and decorated box for the orchestra stood out like some lonely island in a ocean, in looking round that vast assembly, one could not but marvel at the diversity represented, especially anion" 1 the men. All sections of the community seemed to be there, and the representation covered all ages; elderly clergymen and bay bank clerks, thoughtful professors and light-headed youths, seriousminded business men or Labour thinkers, and specialists in mental vacuity. Mu I all had this to I heir credit, and it was a very line tiling, that despite the many persona! inconveniences and discomforts in-, volved, they were determined to “do their bit” in doing honour to their Royal visitor. A tew minutes before the arrival of the Prince a bugle bias) brought silence, and it was announced by a 1 elear-voieed official that the Prince would descend from the balcony by the central steps, would traverse (he ballroom from one end to the. other to reach the Royal enclosure, and would then, standing in front of that enclosure, shake hands with everybody present if the guests: would pass in orderly procession before him. Accordingly a more or less adequate passage-way through (ho crowd was cleaved, and then a cheer was heard from without. It was tiie arrival of the Prince, and a moment later his Royal Highness, followed by his retinue, appeared on the balcony. The Prince descended the stops and stood to attention, as did all present, while-the National Anthem was played. Accompanied by the Mayor and Mayoress he passed through the hall, and look his station at the Royal dais. The notion of shaking hands with that vast assembly was appalling, but the Prince set to work like a hero. The guests filed before him rapidly, but he never missed one, and was: keenly observant of each individual. Frequently he stopped to say a word or two to a be-medalled soldier. The process of shaking hands lasted well over an hour, but the Prince gave no impression that the task to him was dreary. Quite the contrary, for the Prince throughout maintained a marvellous freslmes sand geniality. Bach and every recipient of the Royal hand-shake received also the impression that the pleasure- was mutual.

The passage of the guests past the Prince was still . in operation when the music started, and the first few dances were quite nominal affairs. There were too many on the floor to make it possible to do much more than walk around. When the hand-shaking came to an end, a space was cleared in front of the

Royal dais, ami the “Official Set” opened, Lancers, danced to Regimental airs.

Even with the over-crowding the hall was a brilliant success. The floor, when found possible to use it, was surprisingly good, in view of its hasty construction; the decorations, already described, gained a new brilliance by the' lighting effects provided, and the supper arrangements appeared to be adequate.