RED CROSS PICTURES.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 20 March 1917, Page 5

RED CROSS PICTURES.

SELLING THE PIG. Owing to the generosity of Mr. A. C. Nicholls, the picture entertainment in the Three Stars Theatre was wholly in aid of the Red Cross funds. The programme was a good one, and there was a packed house to witness it. The most interesting feature of the evening was the selling of a small pig by auction. Those two warrior Siamese twins in Red Cross work, Messrs S. Peyton and L. B. H. De Labour, mounted the platform during the interval, one carrying a piece of rolled paper in lieu of an auctioneer’s hammer, and the other had a we e pig under ,his arm First Mr. Peyton publicly thanked the Taihape. Hibernian Society for giving their annual sports day up to Red Cross work, and for practically, running the whole show for them. They could not thank the Hibernians too much for the good work they had put/ln. Meanwhile Mr. De Labour stood by exhibiting the pig. Mr. Peyton thanked th e ladies for supplying the refreshment and for the tireless labour in attending to the needs of hungry visitors. He mentioned Mrs. Wrightson and Mrs. Mercer, but, he said, other ladies were also entitled to thanks. He particularly thanked Mr. Nicholls for giving th e theatre and the picture entertainment up for helping on the Red Cross Fund, and he called ! for three cheers for Mr. Nicholls, which the large audience heartily responded to. Then Mr. Peyton introduced the Red Cross Pig, kindly donated by Mr! Gilchrist, of Ohutu. He said the pig was for sale and it would be knocked down to the highest bidder (perhaps). He asked for bids to be made briskly, because they wanted to go on with th e pictures. No sooner had he invited bids than £5 came from J. F. Slludholme then followed £5 from J. R. Cunninghame, D. Wilkie, R. W, Smith, M.P., T. Elliott Wilson, £2 2s from A. R. James G. Wheeler, Harry Belk, Messrs Collinson and Gifford,- and H. O’Callaghan. Then j the briskness flagged and the auction- | eer demanded another squeak to let ! the people know it was a real good squeaker like -himself. Mr. De Labour gave the pig the wink, and a good hearty squeak started the bidding going again. Guineas came quickly from Sep Reid, Miss Hekenni, Jimmy Pine, Ted McLaughlan. Messrs Gardiner and Co., J. Gilchrist, E. W. Spooner, Jack Collins, Mrs. W. Roach. C. McI Donell and J- Anderson. There was I another brief lull in which the auc- | tioneer used his best persuasiveness, | but it took another squeak from the pig to get things going, and a volley I of ten shillings 'came along from Mr. ! McColl, W. J, Kuhtze, Mr. Transom, | Mr. Parker, ahd Fitzherbert. After ! another squealk five shillings was bid !by Messrs Timbs, Sellars, Ongley, Ryan, Kelsd, Bonner, Foster, and Dawes. The* auctioneer then notified that he would take sixpenny bids, and Mr. Munro bid'2/6, Wong Kee 3/, and Wong Nam !/.<- Mr. Peyton asked for the pig’s very best squeak, and as he seemed to think Mr. D e Labour wasn’t doing his duty, he gave the pig a stir up himself, hut.the pig had exhausted his squeaks, and the auctioneer the people’s pockets, so as a last effort to get the last dime he put the squeakless pig up for keeps. This immediately brought a bid. from Teddy McLaugh lan of another £l, and as no improvement on this wa§ forthcoming. Teddy became the purchaser c'f the valuable little animal, for.it had added to the Red Cross funds no less than £75 In those few A very enjoyable evening ended with “God Save the King.” ' |