"AFTER THE BALL"

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1920, Page 9

"AFTER THE BALL"

CHAMPAGNE AT NELSON. ROYAL VISIT INCIDENT The unpleasant incident in connection with the supper given to the Prince of .ales at Wanganui was repented in a minor degree in regard to the ball held at Nelson in honor of His Royal Highness. At a meeting of the Nelson Ball Committee last week some discussion ensued regarding the champagne and claret which, it IS alleged, was taken from the supper room. Mr. E. Allan said a great deal of controversy was going on about "this champagne." He would like to get at the bottom of it.

The Mayor, Mr. W. W. Snodgrass: We did. That's the trouble.

Mr. Allan said that the police were investigating the master of a number of missing articles, and then it was stated that the committee had decided to st.m proceedings. Who, he asked, were the. members of the committee who decided this course?

The Mayor:: As a matter of fact, Mr. Allan has very capably expressed it when iie said we had got to the bottom of the champagne. Some of my friends who went in to the. second supper were told tha.fc the champagne was done. I presume Mr. Allan's statement is correct, v and that wc finished it all up at the first supper. Mr. C. Hamilton stated that when he left the supper room at 3.45 a.m. there was a case of champagne, a case of claret, and a few odd battles of wine left. He was not aware that anyone asked for champagne at the second supper; but there was a ease of it in the room. Colonel Hume said he understood there was to he no champagne except for 'the Prince and his staff. He wished to know how much was consumed, and who had it. He did not raise the question for the purpose of making trouble, but the "man in the street"—and he was with him to a certain extent—considered there should have been ehampngne for everybody ov nobody. He went in to the first supper with one of the 9taff, and there was n? champagne on the table. On the other hand, at, another table at which a dozen people were sitting there was plenty of champagne. Was it because they asked for it, or were these special few particularly favored? He considered if champagne was doled out it should have been doled out to everyone. Everybody paid for it, and should have had' it if they wanted it.

Mr. C. R, ]T e ]l ] ]o understood the iiif'trnrtions were flint the Prince's tablo should have champagne, and others champagne cup. It was purely a mistake that champagne went to one particular table, because it was asked for, and no one else, beyond the Prince's staff, obtained it. Champagne was not available for everybody; champagne cup was. In the course of further discussion it was considered that the instructions to stop police proceedings had been given under a misapprehension. It \yis resolved that it be an instruction to the police to reopen the matter and endeavor to (race the missing articles. It was stated that among the articles missing, in addition to t'he champagne and claret, were several tablecloths, four tablespoons, 13 dessert spoons, nine teaspoons, five salt cellars, three mustard pots, three dozen cups and saucers, plates, and tumblers. Of the latter articles it was fair to eotlsider that a number had been broken. ,