Madang

Christmas Festivities In Madang

From a Special Correspondent AFTER three and a half months with out fresh supplies, Madang people were determined to give the children good cheer at Christmas. Having raised over £6O at an enjoyable evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. Shields, they spent it on a party at the Club House.

Committees were formed for the event.

Before the great day, Mrs. Reg Johnston was busy for weeks obtaining novelties and making festive caps and baskets. Mrs.

Rees created stockings from mosquito netting and colourful dyes.

Mrs. John Keenan, of Finschhafen, approached Colonel Merritt. Officer-in - Command of the USA War Graves unit, with regard to supplying sweets and drinks. Captain Rutherford graciously arranged to bring the goods to Madang by ship.

Mr. John Rose brought other goods that were unobtainable in the Territory, by air.

Mrs. T. Aitchison helped to make the table gay with attractive place-cards, while Mesdames T. Warburton and Fred James assisted by decorating the tables for the event.

Captain Howard, of the SS “Montoro,” supplied ice cream and apples.

Mesdames Reg Johnstone, Cahill, Dun can, Leyer, and the Misses Sedgers. ladies m charge of the Christmas tree, had a busy time selecting gifts, wrapping parcels and decorating the tree.

In charge of drinks were Sisters Jones, Houghton, and Moss.

A delightful surprise was the arrival of toffee apples, made by Mrs. Roy Collins, whose eldest son was home from school in Melbourne.

The thirty-odd children present at the party participated in sports, before the real party began at a table laden with cookies made by the good ladies from the town and the surrounding districts.

Father Christmas (Mr. George Tirrell) arrived by boat, and an assortment of dolls, pocket watches, musical boxes, rattles and the like was distributed among the chil dren. singing on December 23 was J conducted by the Rev. Maahs, with Mrs. R. T. Weidenhofer at the organ.

It attracted a large gathering. Out of doors beforehand the local choir “waited” at the hospital for the benefit of the staff and the patients. Visiting Samoans contributed dances and songs during the evening.

The arrival of out of town visitors, Mrs. lan Reid, the family of Mr. and Mrs. N.

O’Brien, Mrs. Ken Hicks and infant, Mr. and Mrs. Sherry and family, and Mrs.

Morton Johnston added to the general enjoyment of the festive season.

Everywhere was heard the comment, “Best Christmas yet.”