SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Presentation to Dr, Agnes Bonnett. Yesterday afternoon a reunion of mothers and their babies, the third of the kind, was held at St. Helens Hospital, -the guests being this time the mothers who were in hospital between July and December of 1914. An uncertain, somewhat showery afternoon was haidly the most delightful of weather in which to venture forth with youn" babies, but quite a number in spito ol it were present, and received a warm welcome from the matron and nurses. The pretty white rooms wore bright with flowers, and afternoon tea was handed around by the nurses. Shortly after her arrival Bennett, who has been medical officer. there for the past seven M eight years,, was presented by the Hon, H.. R; Rhodes, Minister of Publio ii c-iilth, etc-., on behalf of tho nurses, past-' and- present;, inclusive of tho past matron, .Miss - Brown, and the present matron, with a very choice travelling nig-and a pair of field glasses, on whioh was inscribed her/name with the date, and- From the nurses of St. Helens." In making the presentation to Dr. Bennett, who is leaving for Europe to join ■the • staff of tho French Red Cross, to -which- Bhe- has volunteered 'her services for-a year, the Minister spoke of the work which Dr. Bennett had done in connection with the hospital and the work she had displayed in it and in their nurses. They would all look forward to the time when she was with them again, and in the meantime she "would carry with her the good wishes of all who had been connected with the hospital In returning thanks for the ' good Wishes and the gifts, Dr. Bennett said that efneienoy and thoroughness had been the things which she had aimed at making the key of the work at tho hospital, as only in that would could St. Helens be felt in New Zealand. Cheers, wore given for the doctor, and the singing of !'For She's a-Jolly Good Fellow by nurses, visitors,, and. balvfcs (in their own language) followed. Among those who were present were Mrs. W .F. Massey, Miss Maclean, Assistant Inspector of Hospitals, Miss Vida Maclean, who' has just returned , from Samoa, and is leaving with tho 'nurses for England, and some of the nurses from the Alexandra Home, as •well as other past nurses of the hospital.

Miss K. Beetham was a passenger from ban Francisco by the Maitai yesterday. J It will be of interest to nurses in this oountry to learn that the Government has received an offer from tinCommonwealth for twelve New Zealand nurses to join the contingent of Australian nursps who are leaving for the front. Dr. Agnes Bennett leaves next Thursday for Sydney, en route for Europe, where her services have been accepted on the staff of tiie French Red Cross. Mrs. C. N. Greenland, wife of the secretary of the West-port, Harbour Board; who has boen staying at the lvoyal Oak Hotel, leaves to-day for Westport. Dr., Mrs., and Miss Pearce, of Rarotonga, are staying at the Hotel Cecil. Ihey leave for Christchurch next week.

_An afternoon, which- took the form 2 a tea >" was given at Ngaio by Mrs. C. J. Hampton at her residence on Wednesday last for Mi6s Goddard, on the occasion of her approaching marriage. A competition (judging the contents of the various packets presented by the visitors) was held, and was won by Mrs. A. H. Taylor, the consolation prize being awarded to Miss M. Jordon. Mucli. amusement was caused, and a very enjoyable afternoon was spent. A meeting of the Society for the I'rot-eotion of Women and Children was held on Friday afternoon, Mrs. D. M'Laren presiding. ' There were also present: Slesdames W. A; Evans, J. Kirkcaldie,,G. Ponsonby, J. R. Glasson, A. A. Corrigan,' C.- Richardson. :A' number of cases which had been- investigated were' reported upou, and others were being attended to. The following subscriptions were acknowledged : —Messrs. Skei'rott, Chapman, and Tripp, 10s. 6c}.; Mre. A. E. l'oarce and Miss Coates, 10s: each; Miss Parlane, Mrs. M l ' Vicar, Wellington Woollen Company, Mrs. Brica, Messrs. Storer and Meek,V ss. each. ' :•* Mrs. Hayman and Miss Marks are th6-guests of. ilrs. Louisson in Christchurch; • "A Few Points on Mental and Physical Health" will be the subject of Dr. von Danville's Health Talk' at the V.W.C.A. Cliibroom, Herbert Street, to-night; All women and girls are invited to hear. -By-the efforts of the members of the Y.W.C.A. some five or six boxes were sent off to the-Belgians last, year, but it lias been arranged thai' a-' different plan should be adopted" this year. Inview of the need .of the people in Wellington who .are iiot having good tinies at present-, it has- been thought wise to collect clothes ior jumble sale 6 "in order that the people here may benefit bv the gcod second-hand clothes that- will be thus offered to them. The money raised will be-;.distributed -betw6en : the sufferers through the war in England, and the; work of '.he Y.M.C.A.' Field Service among the troopers at Treiitham and in Egypt. For' these purposes clcan second-hand clothing will be received at the Y.W.C.A. Cluirooms, Herbert Street, or Y.W.C.A. Hostel, 6 Mac Donald Crescent, as early as- iwssibls.' It is hoped that a largo response will be made.within the next few days to this appeal. Immediately after Easter there will be a Bewing oircle every Tuesday evening at the Y.W.C.A. Cfubrooms to make-sets of baby, clothes.