HUNGRY MOUTHS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24227, 20 February 1940, Page 8

HUNGRY MOUTHS

FEEDING 10,000 CHILDREN A HUGE UNDERTAKING PREPARING FOR THE “ DAY"* Twenty thousand bread rolls. 10,000 sugar buns. 10,000 hard-boiled eggs. 20.000 ounces of fruit cake—these are bflt a few of the things which will be eaten by the children at the centennial picnic at Wingatui to-day. and. it may be assumed, the healthy appetites of the youngsters, whetted by ekcitement at the arrival of their own “ Day;” will make short work of them. Once the meal hours arrive the food will disappear in a few minutes, but it took 250 helpers, working at high pressure, a whole day to prepare that food for the big event. • The scene in. the Concert Chamber and the supper room of the Town Hall yesterday almost beggars description as rolls were buttered and spread with Marmite or peanut butter, fruit cake cut,' and tomatoes., apples, biscuits ana chocolate unpacked, only to be put back into cartons and bags ready fof to-day’s lunch and afternoon tea From 9 o’clock in the morning untL after 5 in the afternoon the work went on. arid if to the casual onlooker confusion appeared to reign it was at ordered confusion of hurrying workers, packers and carters. /' The whole task of organising the picnic has been a tremendous one, but a glance into the Concert Chamber yesterday showed that the preparing of the food was by far the biggest individual part of the, work, and an undertaking that required precise and complete organisation to carry it through successfully. But those in charge, as well as the hundreds of assistants, made light of it. looking on it. no doubt, as a labour of love for the children, who > will, to-day reap the benefits of many hours of solids work. Huge Supplies of Food' The spreading of 20,000 rolls —10,000 with butter and 10,000 with Marmite or peanut butter—was the first task to be undertaken yesterday morning, and the 50 or so women who stood at the long tables in the supper room made short work of it. From there the rolls-were carried through into the Concert Chamber. where hundreds of girls, chiefly home science and' home economic students, carried out the packing of the card’bbard. cartons which will be distributed to the children at lunch time to-day. The cartons, themselves had to be made up and they wore then passed along a series of trestle tables, being.packed with food as they went along. Two rolls, an a tomato, an apple, four chocolate biscuits, a saveloy and a bar of chocolate went into each carton, which ! was ■’ then sealed down and packed into large boxes ready for , transport straight to Wingatui. ..... j"'-.-There was one . other thing—not an “ eatable ” —which went- into each carton. It was. a message.. printed .on a square of satin, reminding the children that, not only was it hoped February 20 would be a wonderful holiday for them, but also a day of thanksgiving for all that had been" achieved in New Zealand in the past 100 years. The little, banners should make interesting mementoes of a great Occasion. <' 7 ” l 'Realising that children soon get hungry-, the ; committee in charge of the 1 picnic has made ample provision for a second meal —afternoon tea. Earlv in the afternoon: When the luncheon cartons had been packed, paper bags were filled with good things, fruit, cake, chocolate, sugar buns, and biscuits, and all these were put into boxes ready for transportation to Wingatui. This was not quite such a big job as the packihg of the luncheon cartons, 1 but it. all took ..time, and: it was after 5 o’clock before- the W° r k was finished. v * ' V wfiling Helpers ’ _ . The 100 or so Home Science students, and the 200 Home'’ Economics students and Townswomen’s '; Guild members, who rallied round the committee and carried out the tremendous task of preparing to “ feed the 10,000,”. arg deserving of the highest praise,for their voluntary and' willing help. Working in .an ■ atmosphere which, to. say : the least, was far from restful, they looked happy and enthUsiastic ; as they toiled amid huge piles of rolls, tins pf-bis-cuits and cases of fruit. In charge of the whole “operation wais the Chief. Postmaster' ;.(Me iN. E., Mclsaac).. and Professor Strong, whose capable agement must have made the work easier for those engaged. A large gang of ■ menneeded no pressing into service to help with the heavier work of carrying packedffioxes of bags and cartons, and they. too. assisted willingly. Ahd’ if anyone put his; head inside the Concert Chamber,.for . moment just to have a.look round he was immediately seized and- giyen a task "* ■ ‘ , .7iT’C. r \i.~ VTvSV/' Arduous though yesterday’s -.-work must, have been, everyone in the hall seemed to enjoy it, and. knowing that their efforts would bring happiness to 10.000 children to-day. they bent their backs and toiled with'a will. Even though’the-food disappears into hungry mouths In much quicker time than it took to prepare it. few will say that it was not worthwhile.