No. 16 -- 5 Oct 1931

Mr. N.A. Hughes,
C/o Y.M.C.A. College,
5315 Drexel Avenue,
CHICAGO. Ill. U.S.A.

My dear Noel,

I am enclosing a couple of letters from the kids which I know you will like to read. I told them there was a mail leaving today, so last evening they stayed home from Church to write you a note.

Everything is alright at home. Keith's eye is better again; mother is well and so are the kiddies. Uncle Will was along for Sunday and stayed with us overnight. He is having a pretty bad run in his business and has hardly sufficient to keep body and soul together. As far as I can judge, he is not likely to do more than meet his own personal expenses. His landlord has been particularly generous and not pressed him for payment, although he is months in arrears with his rent.

Certainly the
interest in the Queen Carnival has been steadily increasing and if we can stage the thing properly,
it ought to be a good affair.

You have no doubt heard about the success which has attended the Queen Carnival Competition. All of the Committees in connection with the Queens have been working hard to secure money to increase the voting for their respective Queens. Just now the figures are exceedingly interesting. The Junior Queen, (Miss Davis) has sold 11470 votes, the Viking Queen, (Lil. Langham) 11767, and the Queen of Youth, (Kath. Lilford) 12282. Kath is therefore leading by a few votes. There are other functions to be held this week and we have arranged for all the tickets sold for the Crowning Ceremony, to count also the final returns, provided they are paid in by 8.15  on Thursday night next, when the Crowning Ceremony will take place.

We had a picnic on Saturday at Mr. Crosby's place at Tremont, and £10 or £12 was raised for Kath. Lilford. There were 60 people present at the picnic. It rained heavily, but this did not interfere with the enjoyment of the occasion, and a thoroughly happy time was spent.

The Athletic Club held their dance on Saturday night, and I understand there were about 250 present. The presentations in connection with the premiership and other presentations were made. It was a good affair and I think all the folk enjoyed themselves.

We have had quite a number of additions in Educational Classes in the past three or four months, particulars of which you will find on the enclosed folder.

The Montague Boys' Club has been doing good work, especially since the formation of the Mothers' Club and there is every indication that this interest on the part of the parents will be productive of fine results in the life of the club.

Clipping from The Argus (2 Oct 1931), Page 2

We had the Vikings' Father and Son Social on Thursday, but this year there was not quite the same degree of interest as in other years. Mr. Hanson, the Director of Education, gave the address.

Frank Badger is in Melbourne just now. He is likely to move on to Brisbane within the next few days, where he will be continuing his work for the Electrolux Company. Frank has been out of the Y Movement since last January, and has been touring Tasmania in the interests of his Company.

Ivor Burge is to be married on the 7th November, and Harry Rowe will be married on Saturday next, the 10th inst.

Mr. Crosby has been very busy in connection with the work he has been doing for the Queen Carnival, and the Suburban Auxiliaries. I think that we are likely to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of between £200 and £300 as the financial result of the Queen Carnival. We are hoping that the function on Thursday night in Wirth's Olympia will be of such a character as to increase the financial returns very considerably. Certainly the interest in the Queen Carnival has been steadily increasing and if we can stage the thing properly, it ought to be a good affair. We are endeavouring to get a parade of all our activities and hope to have several hundreds of men and boys who will participate in it.

I must close off now. As the mail leaves this afternoon I thought I would drop you this note to say that everything was alright at home and to wish you the best of luck in your work.

We are all looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the arrival of your letters telling us of your college work.

With warm love from all,
Your affectionately,
Dad.