CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22515, 24 September 1938, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

Mrs G. McKay (Halkett), who has been spending several weeks with her daughter, Mrs Caldwell (Dunsandel), has left for Rangiora., Mr R. E. McDougall (Papanul road) and his son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs F. G. Bristed, Rossall street, will leave on October 4 for a trip to Australia. Mrs Adam Hamilton arrived in Christchurch from Wellington yesterday with her husband, the Hon. Adam Hamilton. Mrs J. W. Godfrey (Knowles street) has returned from a holiday visit to her sisters in Auckland. Mrs P. L. Porter (Cranmer square) returned yesterday from a visit to the North Island. Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, Director of School Hygiene (Wellington), who is visiting Christchurch, will leave for the north early next week. Miss Gwen Brown, of .the Balalaika Company, which will arrive in Christchurch this morning, will be the guest of Mrs Trevor Foster, Salisbury street. Miss Leslie Crane, who played the original part in Australia of Madam Petrova in “Balalaika,” is bn her way to London to continue her theatrical career. Mrs George Murray (Lake Tekapo) has returned from a visit to her daughter, Mrs G. Nanson, Takaka. , Mrs R. D. King (Timaru) is visiting Mrs H, H. Dobie, Dunedin. Mrs Gerald Murray and her children (Glenmore, Mackenzie Country) are staying at Koraki Flats, Timaru. Mr and Mrs John Rennie, who have had a flat at Victoria Mansions for some months, are moving today into their new home in Clyde road. Miss Kassie Turner will leave Auckland on October 22 by the Awatea for Sydney on her way to England. Miss A. F. Ironside intends leaving t the Dominion in December for a trip overseas. Tributes to the work of Miss Jessie Mackay were paid at yesterday morning’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board. .Motions of regret, at her death and sympathy with the relatives were passed.. Mrs A. J. Allport (Timaru), who has been staying in Wellington, is now the guest of Mrs Allan Lee, St. Albans. ' Miss Doreen Blake will leave Christchurch to-day for a short holiday visit to Southland; Mr dnd Mrs W. J; Borthwick, who went to, Melbourne about three months ago, have completed a tour of 12,000 miles,' mostly in Western Australia, says a Melbourne paper. They’ have now left Melbourne for Queensland. Mr and Mrs Borthwick take ’ turns at driving and'camp out whfere thfere is no hotel available. Mrs Borthwick was formerly Miss Elizabeth Elworthy, of Craigmore, South Canterbury. Mr and Mrs Peter Kennedy (Papanui), who are visiting Britain and Europe, will, leave London for New York by the Queen Mary at the end of October. They intend Spending several weeks in America before -continuing their journey to New Zealand.

YOU’LL. ENJOY THIS ... Milk? .. . splendid. Junket? .. . still better. Flavoured Junket? .. . better still, end the best of all as a cooling, nourishing, delicious dessert is Flavoured Junket made with Raspberry, Lemon, Vanilla, Passion-Fruit, Greengage, or Orange BIRTHDAY RENCO for Junket. Six flavours, one for each week day. Your grocer sells Birthday Renco, lOd bottle. Renco Tablets (unflavoured), 9d. —1 SUNNY ROTORUA GAINING IN POPULARITY. From Overseas—and from all corners of New Zealand—visitors constantly arrive at BRENTS HOTEL, Rotorua. There they are able to take a complete rest cure, for BRENTS HOTEL, with its central heating, excellent cuisine, and reasonable tariff, make it “The best place to stay” in Rotorua. —4 “HERE COMES THE BRIDE I" Photographs of Wedding Groups, and, indeed, all social events. will become your most cherished records. W C. McKaskell, 11 Johnston street, Sydenham, specialises in this work and guarantees satisfaction. •Phone 33-867. —1 WOMEN’S DIVISION OF FARMERS’ UNION REDCLIFFS BRANCH The Redcliffs branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union met in the Methodist Hall, and Mrs A. F. Roberts presided over a good attendance of members. Visitors were present from the Riccarton branch. The secretary announced fhat £2 7s 6d net had been realised from a “bring and buy” social in aid of the Spanish ambulance fund. The drama and garden circles reported satisfactory progress. The drama circle has arranged to. produce three plays, and visits to “Otahuna” and to Mr Baxter’s home at Mount Pleasant had been planned by the garden circle. The sum of £1 TOs 6d had been collected for the lepers at Makogai. Competition winners were; Best bloom, Masdames Smart, Harrison 2, Bamford 3; ginger bread, Miss Killner 1 Miss Gates 2, Mrs Ebert 3. ’Mrs Sherwood Cordery gave an interesting talk on, her travels in Japan. HALSWELL BRANCH Mrs Parlane presided over a good ■attendance of members .at the Halswell branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union. Arrangements were made for the annual dance to be held next month. An interesting display and talk were given by Mrs Richards on “Arts and crafts and Christmas gifts” The month’s competitions resulted as follows:—Plate of shortbread: Mrs Woods 1, Mrs Kolkman 2, Miss Watson 3. Best bloom: Mrs Silvester 1, Mrs Noble 2, Miss Stevens 3. Miss Pike and helpers served afternoon tea.:

“WORLD’S HEADACHE” THE REFUGEE PROBLEM ADDRESS BY MRS W. N. BENSON “As the Federation of University Women promotes international friendship and goodwill, it is fitting that it should consider the increasingly difficult pfoblem of refugees—a problem that Dorothy Thompson, the wellknown writer, . aptly called the ‘World’s Headache.”’ Thus, Mrs W. N. Benson, of Dunedin, president of the •New Zealand Federation of University Women, introduced her remarks on the refugee problem at a well-attended meeting of the Canterbury branch of the federation held last night, with the president, Miss J. Stewart, presiding. Mrs Benson said the refugee prob- ’ lem arose during and after the World War. In 1917, the revolution in Russia caused the exodus of anticommunists from their country; the massacre of Armenians in Turkey drove a quarter of a million Armenians into exile; in 1922 changes of frontiers brought loss of hope and home to thousands of ,G ree ks and Bulgars; a community of hardy independent Christian Assyrians, living in the north of Turkey, were driven forth by the Turks because they joined the Allies during the World War, and they were forced to flee to Persia. _At this stage, Europe was stirred with compassion for these poor exiles. In 1921 the League of Nations set up the Nansen Commission, which did wonderful work. Dr. Nansen provided the landless and homeless Russian and Armenian refugees with identity papers and allowed them temporary passports, so that they could seek work in other countries. The legalisation of these passports was accepted by 16 countries, and soon the position was greatly eased. Thousands of families settled happily In Brazil; France offered employment to all Russians fit to work, with the result that no fewer than 400,000 refugees settled in France. Armenian refugees, living under pitiable conditions in Syria, where reinstated, and Dr. Nansen arranged for the education and training of refugees in their new homes. International Goodwill The excellent results obtained by international co-operation, Mrs Benson said, were well illustrated in the case of the Greek and Bulgarian refugees. They had their countries to return to. An international committee sponsored by the League of Nations, provided money for stock, seeds, and implements, model farms were established where malarial swamps had been before, new industries sprang up, and although 400,000 refugees had to be fed for four years, the results fully justified the expense, for hope and happiness were given to 1,000,000 refugees who became good, prosperous citizens of Greece. The most hideous misery of modern times was changed into peace, industry, and lasting prosperity, Two hundred thousand Bulgarian refugees . were similarly, -successfully repatriated. The' coliiplete solution-of the problem seemed almost, in sight. _ Worse Than Before

Then cam 6 desperate reverses. Various factors combined to make the position as acute ds It had been in 1921. These factors included the economic depression, massacre of Syrians in Iraq, the ris# of Hitler in Germany, the anschluss in Austria, the civil war in Spain. New groups of refugees presented fresh problems. The trouble was intensified by the increase in nationalistic spirit in many c 9^ n ’' riv 'j* causing the imposition of tariffs and quotas? the tightening up of labour regulations, the rigid control of , capital. Countries that formerly welcomed refugees now • found them a burden. In France the plight of the Russians became pitiable. They were ordered to leave the country within three months. Many had nowhere to go and were sent to prison. Refugees were no longer news. The flow of kindness had ceased,, though many were as badly off as when they first fled from their own countries. _ “What is to' be done?” asked Mrs Benson. It had been decided; a few years ago that the Nansen commission and the commission set up in 1935 for the relief of German refugees would-cease to function this, year or next. But that decision may not be adhered to. The world was waiting for the result'of the deliberations of the League of Nations and of the Avian conference in America. What could New Zealand do to help, and particularly what could the university women do? Mrs Benson appealed to members of the federation to face the matter frankly, with a sane and balanced outlook, for each person had a human responsibility. “If we pass it by in our comparative abundance we cannot have grasped the meaning of the federation, the cornerstone of which is international friendship, concluded Mrs Benson. Mrs R. S. Allan thanked Mrs Benson for her address. ~ , Those present were Miss Stewart, Mrs James Right. Mrs C. T. Aschman, Mrs S. Steele, Mrs C. Chilton, Miss K. Gresson, Dr. Elizabeth White, Mrs C" E Foweraker. Miss M. E. Sims, Mrs F’ J. T. Grigg. Mrs A. J. Campbell, Miss W. Stenhouse. Mrs M. M. Burns. Mrs C. L. Ridgen, Mrs L. H. Robinson Mrs G. Jobberns, Miss M. Richards, Miss R. M. Forbes, Miss E. Heine Miss A. F. Ironside. Mrs J. H. Kidd. Miss B. Loy. Mrs A. H. Tocker, Miss M. M. Walmsley; Mrs Lewis Morrison. Miss W. Midgley, Miss Monica Richards, ■ Miss A. J.' McKee, Miss Kassie Turner. Mrs iW. N. Thomson, Mrs H. W. Broadhead. Mrs Andrew Duncan. Mrs R. S. Allan, Miss M. Johnston, Mrs Gerald Morrison. Mrs B C. Penney, Miss K. Leonard, Miss Marion Wilkinson, Mrs C. H. Perkins, Mrs P. J. Twomey. Mrs; J. W. Willis. Mrs J. Johnson, Miss M. Innis, Mrs C. E. Noble. Miss D. Woods.