EMPIRE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1918, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY.

CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT. The entertainment given yesterday to the town school children of New Plymouth, under the auspices of the local branch of the Victoria League, proved most enjoyable to all concerned. The weather, which was Ideal for the holiday, favored the procession. Tho children formed up in Courtenay Street, opposite the infaut department of the Central School, and shortly after half-past one the younger section moved off to Everybody's Theatre, via Courtenay, Currlc and Devon Streets. The elder scholars, Jed by the Citizens' Band, proceeded via Liardet Street to Devon Street, and marched as far as the post office and back to The Empire Theatre. The scene was a gay one, each child carrying a flajj, and the various schools being distinguished by larger banners, bearing their names. There was a good number of the general public in the streets to witness the procession, though no adults wero admitted to the theatres. The slides shown, which had been sent out by the London Victoria League, consisted of a number of exceptionally fine war pictures, which gave a very good idea of the conditions under which ths men at the front have to live. At the Empire Theatre, the Ven. Archdeacon Evans explained the pictures to the children, while Mr. A. M. Bradbury filled the same office at Everybody's. An explanation was also made to the children as to the meaning of Empire Day.

Following the war pictures, an industrial film was screened That at The Empire depicted the process of whale hunting, while at Everybody's the business of taking a swarm of bees, and al3o of taking the honey from the hive, was shown. At the conclusion of the entertainment the National Anthem was sung, and cheers were given for the Victoria League and Mrs. Burgees (the Mayoress), who had arranged everything in connection with It.