SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1279, 7 November 1911, Page 9

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

The Women's Branch of the Political Reform League. Tho monthly meeting of the Women's Branch of tho Reform Leoguo was held in Boulcott Chambers last evening. There was a largo attendance. Mrs. C. Earle, vice-president, occupied the chair. The programme took the form of short speeches by members on current political matters, and one speaker, in the course of her address, dwelt on the terrors—to canvassers —of the ordinary domestic dog, while others gavo amusing accounts of their experiences. Five new members wero elected. As this was tho final meeting of tho year, Mrs. Dawson, in a suitable spcech, expressed the indebtedness of tho Women's Branch to the president (Mrs. Newman) for services to the league. Mrs. Newman made a happy little, speech in reply, after which members reluctantly parted till next year. A strong band of canvassers was organised to canvass to-day in Wellington East for Dt. Newman. A resolution of sympathy with Mr. Masscy on tho recent death of his father was carried. Pleasant Salaries. Madame Sara Bernhardt has been performing at the Coliseum in London recently (says an English correspondent). Though nearly seventy years old, she preserves her magnificent golden voice, and acts with tho easo and prace of a woman of forty-five. She is giving scones from tho best works of the French stage, in which she made her reputation a genoration or more ago. Though it is said that Bernhardt never paints her face, after the fashion of many actresses, and others also, who are not actresses on tho stage, she looks anything around fifty years of age, and is as slim and lithe as a young woman. Leoncavalla is also in Londm, conducting his thrilling opera,. "I Pagliacci," at. the Hippodrome, and 1 he does it vcrv well at the rate of -£1000 a v.-eek. Macfaine Rejanc, wifo almost rivals Bernhardt, is coming to tho same place, at a.salary of JtKOO a week, which is nearly as much as the earnings of the "Divine Sara." An Afternoon Tea, Mrs. 31. C. ICeane gavo a small afternoon tea at her house, Oriental Bay, yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of gjvim; some of the Oriental Bay ladies who k .orc interested in tho political.-reform movement an opportunity of mesting-Mrs. Newman. A very pleasant time was spent in conversation and music, and as is only to Ire expscted in these .times of political excitement and effort; the greater part of tho.conversation was on political matter;. No one can, by any . possible chance, assert . that women at the present timO, aro not interested in tho political situation, for whenever they meet tho talk always (lies to politics, and the chances of tho various candidates. The drawing-room was decorated with arums and pink gladiolii, and in the dining-room where the tea was served, tlie table was prettily arranged with yellow daisies and heliotropo coloured sweet peas. Mrs. Keanc- was wearing a dark bluo -velvet frcck, braided, and with a cream laee vest. Mrs. Newman was in a black coat and skiTt, and black hat with ostrich plumes.

Miss Mackerras, who ha« been visiting friends in Wellington and Wairarapa, left for the south by.the Maori last evening. Mrs. Trapp has returned to Carterton from a visit to Wellington. Tho engagement is announced in an English paper of Miss Blanche MossDavis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. MossDavis, of Auckland, to Major Barnard, of Egypt. A Press Association telegram of November 5, London, states tnat Miss Kubi Seddon, daughter of tho late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, was married at Marylebono Church, to Staff-Surgeon Woods. Many New Zealanders wero present. Mr. and Mrs. Braithwaite are expected to arrive in Wellington from Christchurch on Thursday, and leave for Auckland on Monday. The Arts Club was not favoured with good weather for tho opening of its outdoor season on Saturday, but the afternoon was not sufficiently threatening to deter a fair number oi enthusiastic sketchers and photographers of both sexes from going out to Karaka Bay. Afternoon tea was dispensed by Mrs. Rayward and her little daughters, and some musical items brought a v«Ty enjoyable outing to « close. Tho engagement of Miss Gwen. Nathan, eldest daughter of Mrs. Alfred Nathan,Auckland, to Mr Esmond .Sinatter, only son of Mr. B. Sinauer, of Messrs. Hoft'nung and Co., Australian merchants, is announced. Mr. and Mrs. Seaward (from England) arrived in Wanganui last -week. Mr. Seaward is the art master of the Technical School there.

.Mrs. Eolleston, ITair Specialist, Lambton Quay has secured ii testimonial tv/itch is tho best proof of her skill as an operator in Electrolysis it is possible to obtain. Some fifteen months ago Mrs. Rollcston was awarded a first-elass dipl loma while in America, at the J)r Rhodes's School o£ Electrolysis, Lowell", Mass. Since that time the subject of her work lias been under the medical observation of a leading Boston practitioner, who has handed the following testimonial:— ° 212 Columbus Avenue Boston, J'fass., 23rd August, 1011. To the Principal, Rhodes School of Electrolysis— This is to certify that the patient treated by Mrs. Rolleston, of Wellington New Zeai'.uid, during the month of Juiv' 1910, for the removal of superfluous hair by Electrolysis has boon under mv observation, and I am pleased to state tln\t the treatment lias bcuu permanent and whs skilfully performed, no scars being visible, and the growth of hair entirely removed. Very trulv vours, , r ™ W ; U!D . W - DANIEL. M.D. Mrs. Rolleston is qualified to teach Electrolysis, and will receive a limited number of pupils to thoroughly train in this profitable and much-needed profession. Ladies on practising privately will find Electrolysis verv remunerative especially in country districts. Every assistance given to pupils to obtain a'good practice. Sunflowers 12 feet in height, with blooms a yard in ciicumferencc and leaves 2 feet long, wore recentlv seen in gardens at Brentwood, Essex.

ON TOUR AT IIOMF. LONDON" PERSONA I,S. London, Scplrinlii'r "S. Dr. Novill, llishup of lluin'din and I'rimnli'of New Zealand, leave,-. I'm- New Zealand 011 Octolwu" -l>. Tho New Zealand sruller. W. If. Fogwell, and his backer, Mr. (ioorgn Sirferi, left 1/ondon on .Monday for Paris, and will join the ]'. and i). India at Marseille;.. Mr. and Mr.-. Alfred K'idd, of Auckland, have let their house in that cif.y far s&mo months, and will lie hero till oarly next year. T'liey have been travelling very extensively in Ireland and ill England, and now are in Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Furby. of Auckland, who arrived in London by the Orvieto on September Ifi, are at present at 33, Kensington Uardens Square, ami pioposo remaining in London , for a few months before touring England and Hih Continent. Mr. Clayton, son of Dr. Clnylon, of Christchurch, New Zealand, will nvike New York his headquarters for some limo to come. Ho has been engaged lo wriln weekly dramatic summaries for the Sunday editions of three of the New York newspapers. Mr. E. W. Christmas ( Iho New Zealand nrlist, is now out in Buenos Ayies on a painiing expedition, and does not expect to return to this counliv until next June. He is at present exhibiting miiio eighty pictures in Buonos Ayrcs, and is 'vcrv "pleased with his results. Mr. and Airs. F. A. Meliish, two English sport enthusiast?, leave England ill about ten days' time for two years' trout fishing in tho Dominion. They start sport at Taupo, and if, after two years' experiment', they like New Zealand they will probably sct-tlo there altogether. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Roberts, of Dunedin, have visited Canterbury, which is Mrs. Roberts's nativo town, Oxford, Cornwall, the Lake Country, and other places in England, and stayed with friends in various beantv spots in Scotland. They leave by tho Orvieto on October 2!). Mr. Ucorge Barnes, son of Mr. James Barnes, of Mount Albert, Auckland, has just returned from a trip to Bolivia, wliero he spent tome eight' months in the service of tho Bolivia Antofagasla Railway Company. For the last: few days Mr. Barnes has been in Germany, and ho sails for New Zealand next month. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Teanant, of Wellington, and Miss Zohrab, of Wellington, who is travelling with them, have spent five weeks travelling about Scotland, and after a fortnight hero have gone for a tour of France and Switzerland. On their return they., go to Derbyshire and the South of England to visit relatives. They return lo New Zealand, via Suez, in December. Mr. W. A. Tanffe, of Waimato, has passed the English Optical Association's examination at' the University of London, Mr. Taaffo also had.a special conrso in ophthalmoscopy. Ho afterwards visited r ranee, Brussels, Holland, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland. He now goes to New York and Canada, tailing for New Zealand, via Vancouver, by the Makura 011 October 4. The Maori tronps has returned to the Festival of Empire at the Crystal Palare, its agreement with the White "City authorities having terminated on the 16th of this month. Eleven of the members have remained, however and give an entertainment in. tho little Maori theatro at tho White City. The troupe sails for New Zealand by the Somerset on November 11. Commenting on the appointment of Air. J. Allen Thomson (New Zealand's first Rhodes scholar) to the post of palaeontologist to tho Geological Snrvey of New Zealand, tho Globe says: "It is gratifying to learn that (he post has been accepted by Mr. Thomson, who has nad the advantage of an admirable university training in geology and palaeontology, both, in New Zealand and in Oxford, and will come to the arduous (ask of working up the old and new collections with tho courage of one who is determined to win his. way to the front, feeling assured of the earnest support and good wishes of all hjs fellow geologists hero as well as in Now Zealand. Too. great' praise cannot bo accorded to the colonial Government in consenting to the appointment of a palaeontologist, which in all mining countries is looked upon rather as an ornamental oihee.