WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2889, 29 September 1916, Page 2

WOMAN'S WORLD.

(By Imoges.)

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL A Glimpse at China. A very interesting afternoon was ■spent at Bishopscourt yesterday by a large number of Kelburn guests, who were invited by Mrs. Coleridge to meet /Miss Leslie, ;i visiting missionary from China, and to hear her speak about Missionary work in that country. The Bishop (Dr. Sprott) introduced Miss Leslie to her audience, who were gathered iu the drawing-room to listen to her. In the course of her talk, Miss Leslie throw much light upon some of the customs and, practices .followed in China regarding the upbringing of Chinese girl babies, and her descriptions of the miseries and tortures that were involved in the practice of binding tho feet of these little unfortunates were very realistio. When they were six years old the practice was begun, the foot being bound at the toes, and the heel as tightly as possible. As a- result, the middle of the foot was pushed upwards, aud in time all that was left of the foot was practically nothing but an unsightly stump. Tfie balance of the body was destroyed, and the women could cover but little walking distanco. Girl babies were extremely unpopular, so much so that in some parts of the country it was by no means uncommon to see notices put up on riverbanks bearing the words "No girl babies to be drowned here." Ono of tho objects of the Church of England Missionary Society in China was to get as many girls as. possible to outer their boarding school, and while tho religion of the child wits not .it once interfered with, influences were; gently brought to bear -upon her, and the result was achieved in . the course of time of converting her to-tho Christian religion. One of-the first signs of this change.was tho taking off of the bandages that bound the child's feet. A very different welcome was accorded boy babies to that which awaited their sisters. They were clad in most richly embroidored robes, and their , nurses also,\but when the girl arrived any old thing did for her and for the nurse too. Her arrival was evidently a disappointment to all concerned.

Miss Loslic urged everyone to cooperate with this missionary work, and so to assist in releasing women from , theso barbarous practices. Incidentally she touched;upon India in the course of her talk, and told a touching story that, was illustrative of the wonderful loyalty of the Indian people in this! war. An Indian woman had just seen the last of hor husband, who had - 'eft for tho. battlefrout in Europe. Tho _ tears wero running; down her face, and jjj an English friend who knew - her cir- £ cumstances said, "Your husband need ij not have gone away to tho war. Ho lias sis children, and ho could easily have stayed away." Turning to her 1 comforter, tho Tndian wife said, "Your < country has done very much for us, and therefore when its time of trouble • comes of course lie fights for it, and I ■ am glad that ho should do so." After Miss Leslie had finished her address, and had been thanked for it, everyone was entertained at afternoon s tea in tho dining-room. ■ Concert at tho Returnad Soldiers' Club. j A very enjoyable concert was given jat tho Returned Soldiers' Club last ; evening, the social hall being filled with ; returned soldiers and their friends. , The programmo was provided principI ally by returned soldiers, and was much , appreciated by the audionco. Miss Jcii- : nings contributed some songs, and Mr. Baxter (violinist) and Mr. Blanfield (pianist) played a great part of the music from "The Belle of New York." Mr. Plowright also sang, and Mr. Russell gave several recitations. Mr. M'AVilliams also contributed- to tho programme. At the Conclusion of the concert supper was served in the buffet upstair#, and dancing followed for tlio remainder of the evening. For the musical parb of the evening Miss Watkins played several of the accompaniments. Mr. John Fuller, junior, a member of the Wellington City Council, and of the theatrical firm o£ John Fuller and \ Sons, was married quietly yesterday to Miss Winnie Moaiy. of this City.. 'Mr. and Mrs. Fuller left for Sydney- by/the Iliverina last evening. / In Wednesday's casualty list was contained the name of Captain Vere Bogle, yet another doctor to lose his life in this war. Dr. Bogle married Miss Margaret Fell, tho second daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Fell, late of Mabeno Bay, Wellington, and much sympathy will be felt for her by her many friends in this City. Dr. Foil is now in a military hospital in England, and Mrs. Boglo accompanied her parents Home, and has been staying in London witli liipr mother while Dr. Bogle.was at the front. Captain Bogle is survived also by a daughter, only a few months old. The concert and dance recital given at Brooklyn in aid of the Richmond Free Kindergarten was held in Fuli'ord's Hall 011 Wodnesdav 1 evening. Mis s Halley's dancing pupils gavo tlia first part of the programme, and Miss Hugo's concert party the second. With £1 from the sale of sweets, it is hoped to hand over the sum of £10 to the Kindergarten Fund.

■ A visitor to Palmerston and Feilding on /Wednesday was Mrs. M'Hugh. a former resident of Ttirakina ' and Manaia. She has five sons'in the firing lino, one of whom has just been wounded. Mrs. M'Hugh is a qualified nurse, has enlisted for'active service, and loaves in a few days. She is about So years of ago, .and., ,as she says, "is as lit as a fiddle." In the early days of Titrakina she was known as a firstclass pigeon shot, and bagged many ! a meal for her household from wild pork. The delegates to tho Y.W.C.A. Trien- • nial Conference wliich, opens in Sydney next month, Mrs. R. Pearson (president of tho Wellington Branch of the Y.W.C.A.), Miss Birch (general secretary), Mrs. K. Lawson (lion, treasurer), and Mrs. R. Hislop (house secretary), loft for Sydney yesterday.

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAR,

Women arid Public Health. Nurse Maude and Mrs. A. Anderson (Christchurch) waited on tho Hospital Hoard on Wednesday as a deputation, ancl were introduced by Mrs. Wilson. Mrs. Wilson said that as a result of tho very excellent health lectures inaugurated by tho board, there had arisen a desire among the women of Christchurch to commence a campaign for tho better education of women. A women's committee would be formed to deal with the education of women and girls, the arranging for lectures, the distribution of literature, etc., and what tho women wanted was the official backing by the Board of tho Women's Committee's movement. The speaker dwelt at some length on the great importance from a national point of rieiv of the women being thoroughly conversant with all questions of public health. Nurse Alaud6 congratulated' tho board on its splendid educational campaign. Tho speaker suggested that a series of twelve lectures, one a month, should be given to young girls, unmarried women, and married women. The lectures could be given by women doctors and nurses, and tho same thing could be dono by male lecturers for boys, young unmarried men, and married men. What the women wanted was to start a campaignof education—they did not want legislation—and they appealed to tho board for some assistance. She did not think that the financial side would bo very difficult to cope with, but probably some little, assistance would be required, and the board seemed to b,e the right body to give it, as the prevention of disease and tho dissemination of knowledge.were certainly a part of the Hospital Board's! functions. Tho speaker pointed out that ib was just as important for the boys and men to be instructed as for the 'girls and women, but of course the Women's Committeo would , deal with tho femalo side only, as it would not be advisable to mix up the.subjects. The chairman and several members of the hoard cordially approved of the deputation's views, and on the retirement of tho two ladies it was resolved that the board cordially approved of tho proposals, of tho deputation, and that when the committee was formed the board would be prepared to endorse its policy and. give tho movement assistance. After .some discussion as to the needs of a similar campaign for the benefit of men and boys, it was decided (possibly < because tho matter is so much more necessary and vrgent) to refer the matter to the Public Health Committee for consideration and report. Included among the nurses on board the Willochra is Sister E. M. Lewis, who has had remarkable experiences. She went Homo for a trip, arriving on September 1 ( 1914. Six days later she was in Belgium with the British field hospital. lu nine weeks sho was at Antwerp, until tho Germans were afmost at that city. Thou she wentto Serbia, and was in the terrible retreat of tiie second Serbian army. Sister Lewis received a shrapnel wound on the shoulder while doing duty in the trenches, and was decorated personally by King Peter for rescue work. Mrs. F. M. do Castro is visiting her daughter, Mrs. S. Twigg (Jjapier/. Mrs. Firth, lion, treasurer' of the Women's Committeo of the British Red Cross, and Order of St. John, acknowledges the following subscriptions and donations: —5.G.8., 2s. 6d.; Miss Spurdie, £1 2s. Gd.; Mrs. Dumbell's Guild, £1; Mrs. Sea ton, 10s.; Miss Sealey, £5; Waikanae Girls' Club, £6 (payment for material). ■' The hostesses at the Soldiers' Room in Sydney Street for the coming week are as follow:—Su.nday, Mrs. R. A. Holmes, Mrs. C. B. Morison; Monday, Mrs. H. Hall, Mrs. W. Young; TuesMrs. A. Crawford,' Mrs. Ernest Hadfield; Wednesday, Miss Coates, Sirs. Sliirtcliffc; Thursday, Sirs." Mitford, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bcvin; Friday, Miss Fraser, Miss Skerrett; Saturday, Mrs. L. Blundell. Every woman ha? a chance of setting something for nothinf: by savinq Camels off Desert Gold Tea Packets. There are .{'so in Cash Prizes, and hundreds of consolation gift prizes will bo awarded. Drink this best of all teas, Desert Gold. Collect, the Camels.—Advt. Ladies will be'particularly interested in our Showing of Dainty Hosiery. Silk. Ankled Hose, 3s. fid. pair. Pure SilkHose,- 6s. 6d., 7s. 6(1., and Ss. Gd. Call at Price's Store,. Willis Street.—Advt.. I