SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 999, 14 December 1910, Page 9

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

An Oft-Rcpeatcd Tale. . The "Labour Journal" again proclaims .tho unsatisfied demand for more domestic assistance.. Christmas is at hand, and again the same thing happens—girls throwing over their work to join tho holiday throng, or else they cannot be obtained for love or-money before the holidays are_ at an end, causing the Christmas festivities to be viewed with apprehension and dismay, in all too many cases. ■Of Wellington it is reported 'that general servants are-in very great demand, both for town and country work, but they are almost unobtainable. Domestic servants who arrive from overseasdo not apply to the Labour Office in large numbers, but the girls appear to' have places, arranged for. prior to arrival in New Zealand. 111 Nelson during November 32 applications were ,received from employers seeking ■ assistants, and only three applications from workers seeking work. It is difficult, to account for tho dearth of applicants, except to say that the local factories are particularly biisy at tjie present time, and girls can command good wages, and seem to prefer factory life to domestic service. At Christ-' church thero has been a alight decrease in the nuniber of girls accepting employment, owing to tho carnival: holidays, and girls leaving,positions_will-not take others tin after the Christmas holidays. There were 254 applications from employers for the some'period. ' Girls are urgently wanted for'all classes of. employment—even temporary help would be gladly accepted. Thero is still, a great demand from dressmakers and factories. .Factory life is .generally found more alluring than homework , for girls. At Masterton there is a, very great demand for girl labour.

Garden Party for Mrs. Macarthy. This, afternoon at tho Home of Compassion, Island Bay, the garden party which, has been organised to recognise the whole-hearted energy and enthusiasm displayed by Mrs. -Macarthy in connection with the celebration of the golden jubilee oL(the Rev. Mother Mary Aubert, takes place, and it is anticipated that there will be a large gatnering.' present.! Speeches will bo given and a presentationto Mrs. Macarthy. will bo made'. All subscribers to the funds and members'of. the committee are'cordially invited '.o be present.' , St, Mary's Home. ' The monthly meeting 'of St. Mary's Guild, which is responsible. for. the" man-: agement of St. Mary's Home, Karon, was held at the Diocesan Office, ■ Mulgravo' Street, yesterday morning:, Miss - Coatespresiding,- in- the.absence'of~'Mr& -WOTis.' After the ordinary business had been disposed of the members considered the best ways of making the coming Christmas as pleasant as possible for the girls and children. It is proposal to lake the little ones to Seatoun for. a fortnight, and' it is hoped that a 'tticnic or other outingmay be arranged "for tho elder girls. In order to enable these- suggestions to be carried out, Mrs. J. Blundell and Mrs/ Ferguson eacli" gave 10s., and the ladies of the guild would be grateful for similar help from sympathisers with the good ivork which is being done at tho home." At Christmas time in previous years the many friends of the institution have most generously sent cakes, fruit, -puddings, and other Christmas cheer to-make the Reason as bright, happy, and homeliko as possible for tho inmates. The guild confidently relies on people -of goodwill to help them .once more during the -present Christinas to provide' ■ for tho girls and children a merry Christmas alid u happy New Year. - 1:

The Children's Mite. The Rev. J. M'Cavr a fortnight ago ashed the children,of Knox Sunday School at Lower Hutt to give one Sunday's collection to the Presbyterian Orphanage at Vv'aterloo Avenue, Newtown. As a result of the appeal; four little girls, Flora and Jean M'Caskill, Mnrjorio Tressidor, and Annie M'llvrido, consulted together and resolved to arrange a sale of work. This was to have been hold in a tent, but last' Saturday proved such a wet day that Mrs. M'llvrido placed her dining room at the little girls' disposal. The .whole affair was a groat success, and. as a result no less a- sum than ,£3 105. will bo hand-, ed to the Sunday School for transmission to the orphanage. Tho little girls' happy and praiseworthy effort is well worth recording and. emulating. / An Afternoon Tea. Yesterday afternoon at her home in Austen Street, a very enjoyablo "nickknack tea was given bv Miss Dorothy Bulkley for Miss Doughty, who is shortly to bo married to Mr. Hornabrook. Sweet peas of very delicate- shading had been used for the decorations, mauve being arranged in' tho drawing room and pink in tho dining-room, where tea was served.. White satin bebe ribbons had been carried from the chandelier to the four corners of the tea table, the effect being, very pretty indeed. .Music, recitations, aud an amusing photographic competition entertained those present. Miss Dorothy • Bulkley wore a pretty blue silk dress | trimmed with white lace. Mrs. Buckley was in black sill;, and Miss Kathleen ■Bulkley wore a white muslin frock. Miss. Doughty wore a whits lined costume and white straw hat trimmed 'with, pale blue. Her sister, Miss Kitty - Doughty, was in a champagne costume with a large hat trimmed witi tiny roses. Mrs. T. D. Cameron wore a Wedgewood blue silk dress. Mrs. F. Bidabury a linen costume, blaelc hat, and black feather boo. Mrs. G. Fulton was in a pale blue silk dress. Others present' were Mrs. Guthrie, Sirs. Pierco. aud the Misses Shirtcliffe, Henderson. Webster, Pntnan, Moss, Davis, Faalke, Wilson, (2). Jameson, Knight, Clarke-Johnston, Rapley (2), Simpson, and M'Gowau. A Disappearing Debt. .. At a pleasant little afternoon tea which was given by Mrs. Sullivan at her home "Gnorang," in Roxburgh Street, a committee consisting of Mesdames Sullivan, St. Clair, and Miss M'Donakl handed over the sum of .£'6B os. 3d., the result of a sale of work lipid nt "Goorang" for the purpose of relieving the debt on the organ 'of the Church of St. Gerard. In accepting tho money on behalf of the ltev. Father Murray, Mr. J. Oakcs thanked ' the ladies sincerely' for their praiscworthv effort'and-in doing so anuotiaccd that the debt on the orgon, which cost .£IOO odd, had now been reduced to an amount which would soon he paid off.

Progressive Tennis Match. «.£> ri i' , "' n . P ro S rcs sive tennis tournament «|<s played between some of the members m,' , ellington Tennis Club and the ■Inorndon Club i ui)on the Thorndon courts yesterday afternoon, nil the mines otiing pJnyod oft" in spite of the raiu. Tea was served in the pavilion, the table be,ra acai 'lct poppies. The u eJJington Club was represented by Mrs. Brown, Jlrs. Goldie, JJrs. Walker, tho Alissos A\ illiams, I{ajiuah, Atmore, Lockie, and A. Webb; and Thorndon by Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Majoribhnks, Mrs. Tennant, Mrs. Reading, the Misses Smyfhe, Garh* and Seed. Mrs. Walker and Miss Williams proved to be the winners, both scoring ■ thirteen games.

Mrs. Arthur Walter, of Bearwood, England, a connection of the late proprietors of the "London Times," is touring the North Island. Walter Nathan, and the .Misses Nathan (3), leave for London by the P. and O. steamer Mooltan, which is timetabled to leave Auckland 011 December 21 and Sydney ten days later. Mrs. Sullivan and Miss Cecilia Sullivan, of Roxburgh. Street, are leaving on a trip to Sydney oil Friday next. The Misses Burke, of Kilbirnie, Ifavo 011 a tjip to England by the At'heuic in February next. r Miss Coates will leave for Auckland by the Main Trunk express on Thursday for a short holiday. Mrs. Wilford leaves for the south on December 20 and stays with her father, Sir George M'Lean, for some little time. Mrs. Matthews, of -Wairongomai, and Miss Matthews are visitors to Wellington. " 1 A great deal of enthusiasm was shown by women in Wellington, in connection with the address that is being presented to. Mr. Massey in connection with the events concerning the' Black pamphlet affair. A great many signatures have been attached to it and the fact that there are so many people, who sympathise with him in the attacks that have been made recently will no doubt bo greatly appreciated by Mr. Massey.

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