Joyous Send-Off

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 36, 1 March 1940, Page 48

Joyous Send-Off

Broadcast From Station CAUGHT one of the numerous ] special trams from Customs Street to the railway station and was met by the blaring voice of a loudspeaker directing the crowd to " number 7 platform for the first Happiness Club Train." I elbowed my way along to the subway which was packed with a slowmoving stream of laughing and excited women. We literally flowed. down through the subway and out on to the platform. where, with more elbowing, I made my way to the broadcasting points and tried to force through the crowd to the enclosure, I nearly got there too, but just when victory was in sight I was confronted by a portly lady with beaming face, who challenged me to pass her. So we laughed and I elbowed my way to the mail van at the rear of the train whence I squeezed through carriages packed full of "happiness," to the official enclosure on the platform a couple of feet away from my genial, portly lady friend. Farewell Broadcast Jack Gordon was at the " mike," then Joan smothered in flowers bade farewell. The crowd shouted and sang, the band played, streamers flew, the crowd in the train took up the chorus-Jack Gordon at the mike tried to shout over the din, the band played louder and harder, the crowd responded in a rising crescendo, the whistle blew; and streamers began to snap as the first train slowly pulled out of the station amid the deafening shouts of farewell. I immediately joined the milling crowd headed in the direction of number 2 train. We eventually arrived at number one platform-another band, excitement everywhere, streamers, community singing. I don’t know why, but I shouted and sang, too, until I was hoarse. My last glimpse as I mopped my brow was of a grinning guard standing in the doorway of the van, as the number two train faded from view. ° Phew! The Happiness Club was off on its trip to the Exhibition.