For WOMEN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23975, 16 June 1943, Page 5

For WOMEN

CURRENT NOTES

Her Excellency Lady Newall-jipaid ■n unofficial visit to the Red Cross Softy's depot in Cashel street, yesterdi’y morning, and helped in the work being carried on there. At the annual meeting of the Friends of St. Helens, held at St. Helens Hosoital yesterday afternoon, a resolution of sympathy with Mrs J. Cracroft Wilson in her illness was passed, and it was decided to write to her wishing her a speedy recovery. At the annual meeting of the advisory committee of the Vocational Guidance Centre, held in “The Press” building, yesterday, the following officers were elected:—Chairwoman, Miss JI. Enright; vice-chairwoman, Miss R. p. Karsten; honorary secretary, Mrs J. A. Crawford: minute secretary. Miss P. Morrison; members on combined executive, Misses Enright, Karsten, M. Samuel, M. Kennedy, E. Bachelor, and H. Harvey. Motions of sympathy with Mrs F. R. E, Davis, in the death of her father, and with Mr and Mrs W. E. M. Jacobson, in the presumed death of their eldest son, Flying Officer Gerald H. Jacobson, were passed at the June meeting of the Akaroa Women’s Institute. The lady editor of “The Press” would be grateful for gifts of a warm dressing gown for an elderly man of medium build and for a cardigan for a boy of 12 years. Both the man and the boy are suffering from tuberculosis and spend most of their time in bed. Any gifts will be thankfully acknowledged and delivered by the lady editor. “What we find most difficult is to obtain suitable board for girls earning from 18s 10d to 30s a week," said Mrs J. A. Crawford, of the Vocational Guidance Centre, speaking at the annual meeting of the advisory committee of the Vocational Guidance Centre, held Jn "The Press” building yesterday. The need for a hostel for young girls was being discussed, and Mrs Crawford said that sometimes girls who were unable to pay much for board were willing to help in the house as part payment. Members deplored the fact that many young girls were living in rooms in the city. It was decided to ask the Students’ Association to undertake to compile a census of girls requiring hostel accommodation. “The greatest need in this country today is trained maternity nurses and midwives,” said Mrs W. S. Bean, a member of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, when she was urging the Friends of St. Helens, at their annual meeting yesterday, to continue to press for the building of a new St. Helens Hospital in Christchurch. It was reported that the Minister of Health, the . Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, had advised that a site for a new St. Helens Hospital in Christchurch had been bought and that plans for the new building would be prepared as soon as possible. It was decided to urge the Minister to arrange to have timber and other building requirements retained in Christchurch for the erection of the new St. Helens Hospital and to have the work begun immediately. It was pointed out that there are in New Zealand only four training schools for midwives—that is the four St. Helens Hospitals—and from these training schools are drawn the staffs for the many maternity homes in the Dominion. The supply falls far short of the demand. When a new St. Helens is built in Christchurch, the hospital will be able to give better service to the mothers y ofttie city, but even of greater importance is the fact that more midwives could be trained. At present the facilities for training anything like the required number are inadequate.

.... WEDDING CAKES. Ethne Tosswill is happy to be able to announce that she still has stocks available of everything necessary Tor the complete Wedding Cake. Order yours early at Ethne Tosswill’s, 123 A Cashel street. —6

ENGAGEMENTS

Tha engagement is announced of Dorothy Margaret (Peggy), only daughter Of Mr and Mrs T, W. Stanton, Warrington street, Christchurch, and Sec-6im-Lieutenant Eric Maurice Bennison, 2nd N.Z.E.F., elder son ot,Mrs E. Thomson, Fortrose, and the late Mr R. L. Bennison, of Dunedin. The engagement is announced of Margaret Joan, only daughter of Mr and Mrs F. D. Trewern, Lower Hutt. to Lieutenant Richard Humphreys Pearson, U.S.M.C.R., only son of Mr and Mrs S. A. Pearson, Cradsden, Tennessee. U.S.A.

FRIENDS OF ST. HELENS ANNUAL MEETING HELD Her Excellency Lady Newall sent a message of greeting to the annual meeting of the Friends of St. Helens, held at St. Helens Hospital yesterday afternoon. She expressed great interest in the work of the society and said she hoped a new St. Helens HosPital would soon be built in Christchurch. Mrs A. Sandston presided at the meeting and read the annual report, a precis of which has been published in ‘‘The Press.” The statement of receipts and expenditure showed a satisfactory credit balance. The Mayoress, Miss E. Couzins, and the vice-patron of the society, Mrs W. S. Bean, congratulated the committee on its achievements and thanked it for the valuable work it is doing. Miss A. Sparkes, matron of St. Helens Hospital, said that 854 garments given by the society had been distributed during the year, and the work done by Miss West-Watson in attending to the library work was much appreciated by the patients. It was decided to continue to Impress on the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, the urgent need for a new St. Helens Hospital. Votes of thanks were passed to the honorary auditor, Mr Percy C. Browne, and to Mrs C. Niven Forrest for gifts of flowers which were sold in aid of the society’s funds.

After the business meeting songs were sung by Mrs Cyril Haase, for whom Mrs J. C. Cullman was accompanist, and a play reading was given by Misses M. and N. Enright. Officers were elected as follows: Patron, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser; vicepatron, Mrs Bean; president, Mrs Sandston; honorary secretary, Mrs J. Lorimer; honorary treasurer, Mrs Arthur Rose; assistant honorary secretary and treasurer, Miss Hilda Nottingham: vice-presidents, 20 were elected, including the Mayor, Mr E. H. Andrews, and the Mayoress, Miss E. Couzins; committee, Lady Acland,«Dr. Helen Field, Mesdames L. C. L. AveriH, H. Wyatt, E. Friedlander, C. Hand Newton, Hugh Webb, W. Hobbs, H. Wales, A. E. Flower, T. Fletcher Telford, H. S. Feast, R. M. Macfarlane, H. Sturge, A. J. Jones, O’Donel Davis, G. H. Watts, H. McCaw, Misses T. West-Watson, M. E. Jones, Nottingham, and E. Tod. SANATORIUM SERVICE SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING HELD Several new members were welcomed by the chairman, Mr A. Hazleton, at the annual meeting of the Sanatorium Service Society, held last evening at the home of Mr and Mrs H. A. Young, Cashmere, It was reported that 83 patients at the Cashmere Sanatoria are doing occupational work, conducted by Miss M. Lance, who now visits the sanatoria two days each week. The Catholic Women’s League, members of which visit the sanatorium each week, and the parishioners of St. Mary’s Church, Merivale, who contributed £4 10s to the society’s funds and a large parcel of tobacco for the patients, were thanked for their continued practical interest in the sanatorium. Mr Jack Bradbury, who generously screens a picture programme at the Coronation Hospital every week, reported that Films Exchanges, through Christchurch Cinemas, had, for years, lent him excellent films for the entertainment of patients. "But I would like a second projector,” Mr Bradbury added. The present machine, he said, was bought some years ago with funds largely subscribed by readers of “The Press.” Officers were elected as follows: Chairman, Mr Hazleton; vice-presi-dents, Mesdames A. E. Cooper, J. Cracroft Wilson. W. D. Johnston, the Very Rev. Dr. J. Kennedy. Archdeacon A. C. Purchas, Canon A. H. Norris, the Revs. J. Baird and A. N. Scotter, Mr P. H. Harris, and Dr. I. C. Macintyre; honorary secretary, Mr Norman Wilson; honorary treasurer, Mr C. H. Colechin; committee, Mesdames H. A. Young, A. Hazleton, P. Delargey, A. V. Winchester, Lindsay Ower, C. B. Mackisack, J. Bradbury, N, Wilson, Misses M. Enright. Amy Bowker, J. Henry, Messrs A; V. Winchester and J. Bradbury.