CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24899, 12 June 1946, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

“The King and Queen send you hearty congratulations and good wishes on your diamond wedding day,” stated a telegram received from Their Majesties by Mr and Mrs C. I. Jennings (Rangiora), who celebrated their diamond wedding this week. Mr and Mrs Jennings also received telegrams from the Administrator (Sir Michael Myers), the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry), and Mr W. H. Gillespie, M.P. for Hurunui. “I am realising one of my greatest ambitions,” said Lady Park, wife of Air Chief Marshal, Sir Keith Park, when she attended a civic reception to her husband and herself in the City Council chambers last evening. “For many years I have wanted to visit my husband’s country—a country which has produced so many grand persons,” she said. She expressed appreciation of the kindness that had been shown to her in New Zealand, and said that she had never met people so sincere and full‘of charm as those she had met in the Dominion.

Mrs G. S. S. Goodall has been appointed convener of the committee set up by the National Council of Women to help with a campaign for funds for the chair of obstetrics at Auckland University College.

The annual meeting of the Fendalton Garden Club was held yesterday at “Minnehaha.” the home of the retiring president (Mrs David Crozier). The balance-sheet showed that the club was in a sound position. A donation of £l2 was made to the Horticultural Society’s Building Fund. Mrs Crozier, who did not seek re-election as president, was appointed patron of the club. She was presented with a brass flower trough, in appreciation of her work. A presentation’ was also made to the secretary (Mrs T. M. Mac Nicol). The following officers were elected:—president, Mrs J. M. MclntosHf vice-presidents, Mesdames.E. Paterson and F. Penfold; secretary, Mrs T. M. Mac Nicol; committee, Mesdames W. J. Hudson, J. Mawson Stewart, K. R. Wallace, P. W. Nicholls, and Ron Woods. Miss H. B. M. Staple, who will succeed Mr C. G. Costley-White as assistant secretary in the office of the United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand, has a career in public service that is an interesting example of the progressive employment in Great Bri- ; tain of women in the highfer ranks of I the Civil Service, and of the manner I in which they acquit themselves in rej sponsible Government positions. In 1940, Miss Staple obtained an honours degree at Oxford in politics, philosophy and economics. At college she was an enthusiastic member of the University Archeological Society and of the Bach choir. During the war she worked at a first aid post and assisted in service canteens and in fire guard duties. After serving with the 8.8. C. for some time, Miss Staple joined the Dominions Office in 1942, and from August, 1945, Until recently was private secretary to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. Miss Staple’s home is in Kent, and in the summer of 1945 she had a narrow escape when one of the first j flying bombs was shot down in a . neighbouring garden. Her home was damaged considerably. Mr and Mrs C. E. Radcliffe, 44 Blake street, South Brighton, celebrated their golden wedding recently. Mr Radcliffe, who was born m the Isle of Man, came to New Zealand with his parents in 1874 aboard the sailing ship Delharree, and settled in Port Levy. Mrs Radcliffe is the eldest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs H. Jennings, and was born in 1876 at Governor’s Bay, where Mr and Mrs Radcliffe spent most “of their married life, and where Mr Radcliffe i was engaged in fruitgrowing. There are four sons and one daughter (Mrs T. ’Norris), 11 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Members of the Young Contingent of the Victoria League are knitting garments to be sent to Britain. They would be grateful for any spare wool for which readers may have no use. The wool may- be left at the Victoria League rooms in Cathedral square.

The organiser of the Auckland Businessmen’s Obstetric and Gynaecological Committee (Mr J. T. R. Oliver) last evening addressed a meeting con- ( vened by a committee recently set up by the National Council of Women to assist in raising funds to endow a professorial chair in the post-graduate school of obstetrics and gynaecology to be attached to the Auckland hospital for women. Mr Oliver said that the ultimate goal was £lOO.OOO. The opening of this school would not affect the chair of obstetrics at Otago University. Arrangements were made for the women's committee to meet a committee of businessmen to arrange to co-operate in launching an appeal for funds. The convener of the women’s committee (Mrs G. S. S. Goodall) presided.

Miss M. Corkill was the speaker at an afternoon social arranged by the public speaking group of the. Canterbury Women’s Club yesterday. She gave an interesting account of the work of the Nufse Maude Association. The president of the club (Mrs J. P. Rickard) presided. “Girls in tl?e villages of China lead a very sheltered, simple, and monotonous life,” said Miss Nessie Moncrieff. in an address to members of the Young Women’s Christian Association last evening. Miss Moncrieff has been working with the Y.W.C.A. in China for the last 15 years. The villagers have contacts only within their own group of villages, she said. Only a small percentage of girls go to school, but of this number about 50 per cent go on to university. “There is also a groun of those who might be tprmed society girls,” said Miss Moncrieff. “However; I would not call them the privileged class,” she added. “They stay in their homes most of the time and they do not have the privilege of education or of mixing with their community.” Christchurch was chosen as the centre for the New Zealand Red Cross Society’s conference to be held on September 10 and 11 at the Dominion executive’s quarterly meeting held recently in Wellington. PRE-COOKING preserves that Delicious Nutty Flavour in “HOLLY” OATMEAL or Rolled Oats. Your grocer stocks delicious “Holly”, Oatmeal—the new breakfest cereal—cooks in two minutes. Advt Make an appointment on Klexema Telephone, 34-566, and benefit by specific treatment of skin and scalp troubles. Address: Triangle Buildings. 281 High street Advt