NIGHT OF THE PARTY!

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 681, 5 June 1929, Page 1

NIGHT OF THE PARTY!

CHURCH VESTRY AS MEN’S JLOUNGE CHOIR ROBES DEFILED A story of unseemly conduct at a dance is reported by the custodian of an Auckland church hall. On a recent evening a certain football club hired the hall for a “small private dance’* to be given by the ‘Ladies’ Social and Dance Club.” Having had previous experience of a “private dance club” in another quarter of the town, the custodian took the precaution of locking the women’s vestry door, from which access is gained to the hall. The men’s vestry door, being faul*.y, could not be locked. The custodian j therefore fortified it from the inside by jamming a chair under the handle and -Headed the outside with a long-backed seat. The dance attracted about SO persons, some of whom had got in by Paying at the door. In the case of this hall this is not allowed by the building inspector, a fact that is made Perfectly clear to dance promoters. All went well until late in the evening, when some of the men became thirsty. Having made several visits of inspection and finding the dance apparently being carried out Properly, the custodian retired to his quarters for the last hour, and only appeared at closing time —midnight. It was then that he discovered the roen’s vestry had been broken into by the removal of the barricading. “The vestry looked as though it had been ra isacked,” the caretaker said. “The choristers* cassocks and surplices were strewn everywhere and the floor was in an unsightly and revolting condition. “I found nine beer bottles, several of which were wrapped up •n the robes. My wife has since had to wash some of the surplices. . A door leading to a property ad Joining the hall had been unbolted, an p * fou nd more bi ttles outside.” Running down the street the official "as in time to accost a knot of young W k° uad attended the dance, they knew nothing of the occurrence hut, under pressure, admitted the unction had been conducted under the auspices of a football club. On the following day a representa tlVe of the occupants of a nearby block of flats wanted to know who Were the persons drinking and roister--IQK on the previous evening. He w ould inform the police if there were a ny more of it.

A day or two later a young woman Phoned the minister: “I am speaking Jor the Ladies’ Dance and Social lub. We liked your hall so much and could we hire ” “Most certainly NOT.” ,