SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 845, 17 June 1910, Page 3

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Mrs. S. A. Rhodes, Lady of Grace. Word was received by a private cablegram yesterday * that His Majesty the King hod honoured Mrs. S. A. Rhodes with the distinction of Lady of Grace of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, an honour that Mrs. Rhodes's friends will agree was very well deserved. The Earl of llanfurly and Lord Brassey wore sponsors for Mis. Rhodes, who is the first New Zealand woman to be made a Lady of a Royal Order of Knighthood. It seems a pity that the distinction doea not carry with. it any appellation—provision has not so far been made for giving women honours that they can wear for everyday use, as c, knight does his knightly name. Obviously it would iead to confusion if the Ladies of Grace were addressed as "their graces." There are, indeed, here and there a few countesses, in their own right, but ordinarily the term Lady placed immediately before ft woman's surname simply ' indicates the rank or honour of her husband. • Some ingenious way has yet to be found for granting a woman' a visible dignity similar to that of knighthood for meu, and meantime we may be very pleased that a New Zealand woman, by reason of her care for the sick poor, has been so honoured by the King. The old romantic and chivalrous Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which did magnificent work nine hundred years ago, was revived by Queen Victoria, decuues ago, and since then has brought into the complex life of modern civilisation an adaptation of its old enthusiasm and devotion. It has now many Ladies of Grace, most of them titled women, and among them are the Countesses of Limerick, Lindsay, and Dudley, the Marchionesses_of Waterford and Breadalbane, Ladies Sandhurst, Lock, Charles Caven-dish-Bentinck, Augusta "Wilson, and Viscountess Parker. Wedding at Wanganui. A wedding which created much interest m Wanganui took place on Wednesday at Christ Church, when Miss Beatrice Foster, second daughter of Mr.- and Mrs. W. H. G. Foster, of Ballymena Villa, Wilson Street, was married to Mr. William Martin Innes, second son of Mr. W. M. Innesi of Innesville, Port Chalmers, tho Venerable Archdeacon Jacob officiating. The church •• was beautifully decorated by. tho ladies of the choir to which tho bride had belonged, and the service wafc fully choral, Mr. T. C. "Webb, A.T.C.L., organist of the Church, presiding at tho organ. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore an exquisite frock of whito satin charmeiise, trimmed with Honiton lace and silver, and an embroidered veil, with bridal wreath. Her sisters, tho Misses Lulu and Grace Foster, and Miss Jessie Innes, sister of the bridegroom, were her bridesmaids. They wore frocks .of uinon over silk, palo blue, cream, and white, and large hats. Mr. Venn was best man, and Messrs. Albert and Pat Foster, brothers of the bride, were groomsmen.. After the ceremony, . the bride's parents entertained' a large number of guests at Foster's Hotel, where the reception-room was most elaborately decorated with flowers. Dannevirke Wedding. At St. John's Church, Dannevirke, on Wednesday morning, Miss Nellie Waldemaim, fifth daughter o£ Mr. P. Waldeinann, Mangaru, Pongaroa, was married to 31r. Leonard B. Dawson, of. Clifton Grove, Newman, Eketahuna, second son of Samuel Dawson, of Wellington. The bride wore au empire frock of ivory white crys! aline, trimmed with satin and lace, and a bridal wreath and veil. Miss F. Waldemann, who was chief bridesmaid, wore a pale eau'do nil frock, and black picture hat. Miss Amy Jenks, tho other bridesmaid, ..worea crca'm frock and green picture hat. Miss ,Itita Dunnrigp acted as flower girl. Mr. Willis HoJlis, of Wellington, nephew of the bridegroom, was best., man, and ..Mr. Jonks, of Palmerstou North; groomsman, Tho Rev. Mr. Keir officiated, and the bride was given, away by her brother-in-law, Mr. E. A. Dunnage. Wedding at NewmanAt the residence of the bride's parents on Wednesday, June 8, Mr. Leonard George Pearse, second son of Mrs. P. Pearse, of Masterton, was married to Miss Elizabeth Elsmore, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Elsmore, of Newman. The bride, who was given away bv her father, wore a frock of pale ■pink silk, with veil and orange blossoms, and carried a pretty shower bouquet. .The bridesmaids were Miss Wall, cousin of the bridegroom, and Miss Mary Elsmore, sister-of the bride, both of whom 'wore heliotrope silk frocks. The bridegroom was attended by his brother, Mr. H. L. Pearse. After the ceremony the guests were entertained at afternoon tea, and the usual toasts wero honoured. New Zealand Political Reform League, The meeting of the women's branch of the New Zealand Political Reform League, which, was held last night in the league's rooms in # Boulcott Street, took the form of a social evening, spent with cards and music. .Musical items wero contributed by Mrs. Pike, Miss Sclioet, Miss Potter, and Miss Davidson. It Is purposed a hold similar social evenings on the third Thursday of each month. Wanganui Girls 1 College; A Resignation. Tho Board of Governors of the Wanganui College received something of a shock (says our Feilding correspondent) when the chairman, Mr. Fred Piraui, announced that the lady principal, Miss Fraser,' M.A., had decided to retiru on superannuation at the end of the current year, with the intention of going Home for three years. For the first few years in the history of the collcge Miss Harrison (now Mrs. Mellsop, of Palmerstou North) was in charge, and seventeen years ago, on her retirement, Miss Fraser, coming from Dunedin, took charge, and has continued to occupy the position ever since. The r.alary, aioOO, is the highest paid to any woman teacher in the Dominion, in fact, probably it is the highest salary paid to any woman in New Zealand. There are a great many boarders at the college, which is one of tho most popular ! girls' schools in the country. Three or four years apo Miss Fraser expressed her I wish to resign her position, but was | granted a year's leave of absence, and persuaded to remain in charge. , The death is announced of Mrs. Jellicoe, the wife of' Mr. E. G. Jellicoe, formerly of Wellington, and now a barrister of Gray's Inu, London. Mrs. Jellicoe, who was 51 years of age, died on April 30, at the residence, Downs House, Duke's Drive, Eastbourne. Mr. and Mrs. T. S._ Williams, of Tuparoa, Hawke's Bay, are visiting Auckland on their way. to Sydney. Mrs. 11. C. Wilkinson, of Foatherst.on, and her two daughters, aro spending a month's holiday in Palmerstou North and: Wanganui. ' The members of tho Wellington Harrier Club are giving a dance in St. Peter's Hall, Glumiee Street, on Friday, July 8. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Barker, of Gisborne, left by tho Coriiitlric yesterday for England. - ' Invitations havo been issued for the Nurses' Ball, which is to bo given in Sydney Street Hall on Thursday, July 14. Mesdames Gibbs*, Young, Boyd, Mackenzie, llolgate, Thomson, Macdonald, and Porter, and Misses Mnekan and Payne aro the choperones. In addressing the seamen at a conversazione held on Wednesday evening, tho lion. Dr. Findlay referred to the bubonic plague cases at Auckland, and said tho only cure was to remove the cau.se by destroying the rats. That is exactly what our Sliawtwork Rat Poison-will'do, it murders them on tho spol. Sold in bottles at Is. fid., and procurable only at Shaw's Medical Hall, Manners Street, and the Cecil Buildings, Lambtou Quay. —Advt