COMFORTS' WEEK CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1916, Page 4

COMFORTS' WEEK CAMPAIGN.

A PROFITABLE DAY'S WORK. j MOCK COURT AND CANVASS. HUSSARS AND PIERROTS HELP. The Comforts' Week campaign coneluded on Saturday, after a most successful effort to raise funds for the welfare of Taranaki soldiers on active service. The weather was not as good as could have been wished, and no doubt its unpromising aspect caused many country people to stay away. Tlie proceedings were opened by a procession of Wanganui Hussars, /New Plymouth • Pierrots, and the "police" engaged in connection with the Mock Court. The Judge of the Mock Court (Mr. T. B. Slipper, of Wanganui), and the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. Allan Hogg, of Wanganui)., were escorted to tn» court in the Empire Theatre. This.- duty done, the various bodies started on their self-imposed task to, collect as much money as possible. TRADESPEOPLE ASSIST. '^ The presence of the Wanganui Hussars, a body of men who took an active part in raising £50,000 in Wanganui in the Battle of the Bullion, gave added vim to the campaign. Their striking uniforms were to be seen everywhere as the wearers persuaded, coaxed, and coerced the people to give for the cause. The efforts of the Hussars were ably seconded by the Pierrots, who were no les s assiduous in their endeavours to swell the funds. The public and tradespeople caught the spirit of the campaign, and gave with unstinted liberality. In response to the suggestions of the Pierrots, the tradespeople handed over hundreds of small parcels. These were disposed of to' the public at Is and 2s |fld each. The purchaser did not know the contents until he had opened the parcel, and, more often than not, he had no reason to repent of the "pig-in-a-poke" purchase. Goods of considerable value were handed to the Pierrots, who disposed of them, the tickets costing Od. or Is. each. In this way a large sum was realised. The Women's Patriotic Committee again lent its assistance, and a comprehensive, stock of beautiful roses were sold to ready purchasers at the intersection of Devon and Brougham streets. ANIMATED STREET SCENE. Mevon Street presented an animated scene in the evening. There wero large crowds in town. The centre of attraction was at the corner of Devon and Brougham Streets, where the Hussars and the 'Pierrots prosecuted their work. The Citizens' Band, under Mr. F. W. ft. McLeod, first attracted the public to this point by playing a number of selections. Mounted on lorries, the Pierrots and Hussars worked with a will, raffling and selling goods and distributing parcels. SALE OF UNION JACK.

An interesting incident'was the sale of a large beautifully-made Union Jack, which had been handed to the Wangaliui Hussars for the purpose of assisting the local campaign. The flag had been made in Wangaiiui, and during the Battle of the Bullion there had swelled the fundi of that cause to the extent of £312. The flag was put up to auction on Saturday. Bidding was spiritrd, the Mayor (Air. C. H. Burgess) and Mr. W. hmeny'talcing a prominent part. A total of £2O was raised, the final purchaser being Mr. W. Emcny at .£lO ifu LIVELY PROCEEDINGS Vocal items were contributed from time to time, and the proceeding.; were made lively and enjoyable. The canvassers were tireless in their work, and many were still busy after 11 o'clock had struck. AN" APPRECIATION. Ail credit is due to those ladies and gentlemen who worked so hard to ensure the success of the Comforts' Week Campaign. The idea first emanated from Mr. F. W. 0. McLood (bandmaster), who felt that a special fund should be created for the regular sup; ply of comforts for Taranaki soldiers. It was Considered appropriate to send gifts in time to reach the men for Christmas, so a certain amount of patriotic money was spent in anticipation. The Comforts' Week Campaign was then inaugurated, and it received the hearty support of the Patriotic Committee. To the indefatigable efforts of .Messrs. C. Carter, C. Hcilringer, J. R. Hill, H. Goodaero. and F. W. G, McLcod is the success of the campaign largely due. These pentleinen were tnt moving spirits of the campaign, and they were present at every hinction, assisting omis£uiding. They were cordially supported by the Mayoress (Mrs. C. 11. Burgess) and the members of the Women's Patiiotic Committee,! the members of the Citizens' Band, the teachers and school children, local vocalists and instrumentalists, the jargo body of gentlemen who acted as collectors, visitors from Wanganui and Waitara, and the people of the town and country. All worked with a unity of purpose, borne of the knowledge, of the object tor which they were labouring, and all were anxious to express in the form of gifts, which their sacrifice and service were able to secure, thci- gracious sympathy with the men at the front, and their gratitude for what flip latter had done, and were doing. Foremost among the band of consistently hard workers on Saturday, and of whom the local Pierrots desire "special mention" was the popular "mine host" fioiu Hawera, Mr. Terry Gormley, with his accompanist, Mr. Knox. Airiving on Friday night in costume, Mr Gormley tovk part in the procession, and on Saturday morning was a hard-grafting Pier-; rot. In the afternoon and evening, attired in his striking female costume he made the hit of the day, and was responsible for the accumulation of a considerable sum of money by his own individual effort. His generous assistance was keenly appreciated by all associated with Saturday's proceedings, the more So a>: it meant his absence from his business on the busy day of the week.

The "quick niid busy" raffling system adopted by the Pierrots' raffling party was very successful. The staff of half-a-doen worked without a break from 11 a.m. till 11 p.m.. and succeeded in addinsr .€B7 13s to the funds, entirely made up from (id and Is raffles, the total number of sales being 1005. The Pierrots wish to acknowledge the kindness of Jks.srs. Hooker Bros., in placing their •sample rooms and a lorry at the disposal of the committee for the whole day, and al-o.Mr. Hill, the driver, who never left his Dost during the twelve hours the

raffling 'committee was at work. At a meeting of the Pierrots late on Saturday night, votes of thanks were also pi"sed to the New Zealand Express Company, Mr. ,7. Bcndall, and Mr. Roebuck for the free use of lorries and motor waggons. At the same time eulogistic reference was made to the big lead given the local workers by the visiting Hussars from Wanganui, whose system of hutting salesmanship put the "ginger" nece.csary into the whole proceedings. The utmost harmony prevailed throughout the day, and the Pierrots conveyed their appreciation of the Wanganui men's efforts in ringing cheers. The Hussars returned to Wanganui j'ftftcrday, four cars being placed at their disposal by the Mayor and local committee. The visitors were given a heatty send-off from the White Hart Hotel by the Pierrots on their departure. The Mayor, Mr. Burgess, accompanied the party as far as Hawera.

Ail the goods raffled on Saturday were. handed to the winners with th& exception of an enamel sink. The winner, Mr. E. Elliott, can procure his prize on application to Messrs. Hooker Bros. With a few more collection boxes still to come in, and further amounts to collect, a sum of £4OO lis 9d was acMUrted for late on Saturday night, of H'lii'.h £412 was in the treasurer's hand*. 1 litre is little doubt that the day's cl)'( its will result in between £475 and A'.' 00 being added to the fund.

' 'he raffle for the thoroughbred horso gi ;n for the funds by Mr. D. Barry b | been postponed for a month.