SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2905, 18 October 1916, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

For the French Red Cross. In connection with the Trafalgar Dav celebrations which are being held in tho Town Hall on Saturday evening in honour of the Allied Navies, a coTicction is to be taken up for tho benefit of the French lied Cross. To still further increase the amount received from this collection, Mrs. ]?. M. jj. Wisher will bo in charge of a stall for homemade sweets, and as these will be sold for sixpence and one shilling she would be vory grateful if everyone would come provided with a s near as possibe the right_ amount of money, as on other occasions it has sometimes been difficult to give back to the purchaser the right amount of change in return for large coins. Mrs. Fisher will be at tho Town Hall on Saturday morning from eleven to one o'clock, and will be very glad to receive contributions ol swoets for this cause. Wellington is tho only City in which no public appeal for the French Bed Cross lias been made, even the smaller country towns having contributed wliat tiiey could out of their admiration for 'our most gallant Ally, and yet it is into Wellington that enormous business interests arc flowing, far outvying the expenditure in other directions. On all hands and from every side wo hear and read of tho magnificent, heroism of the French and of ttie tragedy of their suffering and their losses. Mr. Parr, M.l\, who ha s just returned from a visit to France and England, said, in the course of an interview: "Our visit to France was an experience never to bo forgotten. Paris is greatly changed since I was there fourteen years ago. It is to-day a city of mourning. Poor Franco has felt .the blow of Prussian barbarism as no other nation has. Its finest territory is still in German hands. Its sons, have died' in hundreds of thousands to save their beloved country and their kin from tho horrible fate of Belgium. They have not. died in rain. France will keep right on till tho Hohcnzollerns bite tho dust." It is little enough that wo can do for such a country in the facc of all she has suffered, and will Still suffer in the coming days. What the Aotea Home is Like. Writing of the Aotea Convalescent Homo in Egypt for Sick and Wounded Soldiers, and what it has meant to them, Miss E. A.. Rout, who is the leader of another well-known band of workers in Egypt for our soldiers, says: "What tho Ne«r Zealand boys who have passed through 'Aotea'—4so of them in three months —would have done without this place no one knows. It has been a .godsend, to them. It is plainly furnished, with plenty of comfortable chairs and couches everywhere, and lots of writing and reading rooms. There are nice littlo rooms where four or five mates can sleep, and a beautiful diningroom, with everywhere tlio touch of a woman's hand to be _ -jeen—everything simple and inexpensive, but 'lionioy.' The roof gives a wonderful panoramic view of Cairo and its environs, and over on tho right is tho Sultana's \ Palace. Just there tho battle of Heliopolis—ono of them—was fought, ages ago. Beyond there is the vast unending desert, and just near tho Second Oasis some Australians are encanipcd. And if you want to know an 'Aotea' patient, just look in his pockets, and see if there ,is any bliio paper there. Part of the .stores is a big supply of rather stiff blue paper, and it is used for wrapping up the homo-made scones ; so if a man carries a small parcel away in his hand when leaving, or when paying a return 'call,' ho is pretty sure' to meet a hungry and remembering comrado who says: 'Aotea scones! I know. Let's have a'bite?' No member of the 'Aotea' brotherhood lias been known to refuse." Red Cross Shop, Woodward Street. The committee of the Red Cross Shop, Woodward Street, acknowledge with thanks donations of homc-mado goods, flowers, and other saleable things from thcfollowing donors:—Mrs. Harrower, Mrs. Baxter, Miss -Newton, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Martin, Miss Curtis, Mrs. Cuddie-, Mrs. Erne, Miss E. F. Jacobs, Mrs. Holloway, Miss Hustwick, Mrs. flellyer, Miss Olive Fisher, Miss Atliol Preston, Mrs. Rmssoll, Miss Richardson, _ Mrs. A. M. Myers, Mrs. Walker, Miss Dorset, Miss Crowtlier, Mrs. Gorston, Miss Mitchell, Mrs." Charles Garter, Stoke Valley School, Miss M'Gregor, Miss Hayes, Sirs. Anderson, Miss Dimant, Mrs. Gully, Mrs. Hunter Macandrew, Miss Macandrew,'Miss M. Macandrew, Mrs. J. Firth, Mrs. Oswald Johnson, Tho shop will to-day be in chargc of Mrs. "Cornish and Mrs. Green, of Seatoun.

Miss Tendall and her co-partners" in a Red Cross Day that was given in her tea-rooms some time ago are organising another similar day, which is to take place early in December. The Misses Coleridge, as on the previous occasion, will bo in charge of a fancy stall; Miss Tendall and Miss Nicholls will have a cakc stall, Mrs. Nicholls a sweet stall, and Miss Cooper.and Miss Moss the .flowers. Music and various other attractions will be arranged [or the afternoon, and "The Readers of Kelbiirn" arc giving their services for an evening performance at which they will probably give Pinero's "Dandy Dick." Mrs. Bothamley (Hamilton), who has been spending some days iit Wellington. left for the south on Monday oyening. By the Jliverina this week, Mr. and Mrs". W. 0. Page, well-known Canterbury residents, returned from a visit to _ Australia. Mr. and Mrs. Page ' are spending a few days with their | daughter, Mrs. IS. Middleton, of Wash- ft ington Avenue, prior to their return to |) the south. | Tiie engagement is announced of Miss I Grace Beatrice Price, . youngest S daughter of Mrs. Price, of Mulgrave 3 Street, 'to Mr. John C. Mardel. second a son of Commander J. C. Mardel, R.N., 0 London. 1 ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. § (By Arrangement with Mrs. Rolleston; K Hair I'hysicinn and Face Specialist, U qualified, London and Paris.) h "Inquirer" (Timaru).—Good health is % ail indispensable condition for a beauti- n l'ul skin, indigestible foods must be ft avoided., - Fresh water tress is a speci- « oily good blood purifier, and a good 8 drink for clearing the complexion is % made by boiling a bunch' of water cress jjt in a pint of water; after drain ins, add « an cc|iiul quantity of milk and a table- fi spoonful of lime water. A course of face g massage should be taken at this season | of tho year by all who wish to preserve B and beautify their skin. Courses from u "H.B."—The cost of a transformation J) similar lo that you describe, of naturally s wavy hnir, would cost five guineas. g Further replies by letter. 256 Lamb- » ton Quay.—Advt. >f Ladies! Purchase your Dainty Silk § Hose for Trenfham at Price's" Store, u Willis Street. Pure Black Silk Hose Bs. 5? Cel., unniatcliable quality.—Advt. ' fj A country correspondent writes: "I « must say we lmve found Desert Gokl Tea (5 a very economical and at the snme time $ n good tea." Thousands of New Zeu- M landers have had the samo experience, & and that, is why Desert Gold Tea is con- g stantly becoming more popular.—Advt.

Women Doctors. It is not generally -understood how Australian women medical students are privileged in comparison ivitli the English women who also have taken up medicine as a profession (states an Australian writer). At the Australian universities women students attend lectures and demonstrations with men students, and- they liave the same professors, examination, aud share equal rights all tho way through the entire university course. In England, women "medicals" have separate colleges, courses of study, and they hardly come in contact with the male students. However, the exigencies of the war are breaking down a good many of the.harriers which hitherto liave confined the outlook of English women students, and an extension of tho "share-and-sliare-alike" privileges is. now being afforded to women by many of the medical schools which in pre-war days wero strongly opposed to any euch innovation. It is true that in many cases the movement is .spoken of as a temporary one, but that qualification is not taken very seriously, for it is felt that, ihe I women students are bound to "make good." In the papers which came by tho last mail it was stated "that the hitherto exclusive King's College was to open its doors to women on October 2. St. Mary's, Paddington, and St. George's Hospital already admit women students to their wards, and classes in the faculty of medicine of the Edinburgh University are now available to women, and the last to -unbend from its position of aloofness is the Charing Cross Hospital, where recently an extra ward of ISO ;beds was provided for wounded soldiers. Only last year the council decided against admitting women students to clinical worlc in the hospital, but early in August Professor Halliburton, dean of tho medical science faculty of King's College, persuaded it to reconsider tho decision.- • Yesterday the golden wedding of Mr. I and Mrs. "William Gill, of Wellington, was celebrated, a large family gathering being held to do honour to the occasion. - Mr. Gill was: for many years manager of tho Wellington branch of the Alliance Assurance Company, and retired in 1909. Mrs. C. Perry (Masterton) has been making a- brief stay in Wellington. A quiet wedding took place Wt the Lower Hutt Methodist Church, when Miss Boatrice Price, fourth daughter of Mr.-and Mrs. S. J. Price, of Masterton, was married to Mr. William Dally, fourth soil of Mr. and Mrs. C. Dally, of Ashburton. The bride wore a dress of white silk, with veil and orange blossoms', and was attended by Miss Martha Dally, sister of the bridegroom, who worn a dress of whito voile, with a picture hat. A reception was afterwards held at the residence of Mrs. Heron. The bride's travelling costume was of brown gabardine, ivith a brown hat trimmed with palo pink water-lilies. Tho bridegroom procoedod to camp with tho Twenty-fourth N.C.O.'s.

Tho wedding took place in' Tiinaru la6t week of the youngest daughter of tho lato Mr. Charles Bowkcr and Mrs. Bowkor to Corporal Aubrey Council Stevens, of tho Twenty-second Reinforcements, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Stevens; of Dunedin.

Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Day and family, Palmerston North, are staying at the Hotel Cecil, having come down to see their son, Sergt. E. C. Day, of the Eighteenth Reinforcements.

Tho Women's Catholic. Knitting Guild is having an "At Homo" in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday; afternoon next for patriotic purposes. Mrs. Luke (the Mayoress) will preside, and there will he a musical programme, arranged by Miss Segricf. The afternoon tea cloth and Carrickniacross lace now ou view in the Bristol Company's rooms in connectioA wisi raffles, will bo drjiwn for at four o'clock.

Mrs. J. B. Sheath, Auckland, arrived in Carterton this week to spend a holiday with her yiungest daughter, Mrs. Robert M'Cracken. Sergt.-Major M'Cracken-is in camp attached to~the (Twenty-first Reinforcements.

Messrs. J. H:" Bethiine ami Co. announce in our auction column that on October 25, at 2.30 p.m., at their rooms, Peatherston Street, they are offering, under instructions from the Public Trustee, in the estate of Ann Tet-ley, an excellent business site in Petone, with a frontage to both _ Jackson ' and RichmondStreets, adjoining the Union Clothing Co.'s premises. Full particulars appear in the advertisement.

AOTE& COHfKAEEBCENT HOME ! 570EX-IN EGtfPT.

It is more?iha& : a-.yeapago sinco the 'personnel of what is-now so exceedingly weE known as the Aotea Convalescent Home set" out' for Egypt, there to carry out a work for New Zealand soldiers recovering from wounds or sickness that has simply been, of inestimable. valua. _ The idea of establishing the Inme originated, it will bo rememwith some ladies in the Wanganui district—Misses Mysie M'Donnell, Nina Macdonald, and 21. Duncan, now Mrs. Blaokmoro, Palmerston North. These ladies secured the aotivo support of others in their own, the Wairarapa, Manawatn, and Rangitikei districts. The Minister of Defence (tho Hon. J. (Allen) g<W9 tho project his countenance, anil with, his assistance tho following agreement was arrived at: —(1) The home and all ooncarned'therewith to be under tho absolute control of the 'New Zealand military authorities. • (2) Tho Government to find accommodation either' in marquees, tents, or suitable 'building for, say, twenty-five beds, and for the matron,' nurses, and other attendants, as well as all necessary food, medicines, etc.' (3) Tho promoters to find tho necessary staff, to consist of a.matron.and two.nurses—the. three being duly qualified, and other' assistants that may bo considered necessary. (4) The promoters to provide all necßsary beds and bedding for the patients and staff, as well as anything in tho way of comforts, etc., over and aboyo m is supplied in Clause • 2. ■ • Six ■weeks after the proposal was mooted the staff of the new home, consisting of Sister M. A. Early, of Wellington Hospital (matron), Sisters' K. Booth and N. L. Hughes, of Wellington Hospital, Misses E. and M. Macdonald, Slangamahu; Miss A;; Cameron, Wanganui; Miss L. McLaren, Masterton; Miss M. M'Donnell/. Wanganui; _ and Sergeant C. H-. Sleight, Wanganui, left Wellington by the Manuka on September 10, 1915, to catch the Arabia at Sydney for Egypt. . On arrival in Egypt on October 20.it,was found that

the No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Port Said bad been removed to Salonika, and, in accordance with the terms of the agreement with the New Zealand Government, it was decided'to establish the home in close proximity to the Now Zealand General Hospital, Pont do Koubboh, Cairo. Insted of marquees being erected, however, the private residence of Prince Ibrahim Halim, in Heliopolis, was acquired, and on November 25,1915, the official opening of the home took place, the ceremony being performed by LieutenantColonel A. B. Charters. Tho original intention was to provide twenty-five beds, but tho home opened with thirty four patients, soon rising to eighty, and has since risen high as 120. Tho total number of patients received up to July 21 last wag 900. With the exception of a small payment, to_ cover oirt-of-pooket: expenses, the services of the ladies on'the staff are given gratuitously, and their devotion to their duties has been beyond all praise.

The annual report, signed by Mr. Jas. Macintosh, treasurer, also states, among other matters, that the "New Zealand military officials of all branches of theservico.havo rendered many servioeS to the staff and the home, for all of which the executive feel most grateful. The executive also beg to thank Colonel the Hon. 11. H. Rhodes, M.P., for a' donation of £200, being a portion of an amount placed at his disposal by tho Canterbury St. John Ambulance " Society, for distribution amongst tho various hospitals in Egypt." Thanks are also due to tho following friends for material, comforts, etc., for Wie home:—Mrs. Balfour, Mrs. M'Laren, Wellington Meat Export Co., Ltd., Mrs. Bailey, Ohakeo Guild, Vic-, toria League, Wanganui, Mrs. Feist, Mrs. J. A. Duncan, Mrs. M'Menamen, Mrs. Bull, Mrs.'E. A. Perrett. At tho moment the "Aotea" Home is the only New Zealand institution, of its kind in Egypt. In addition to the treatment of the convalescents it has been looked upon as a home by all Now Zealand men in khaki in-Egypt, and it has undoubtedly supplied a want in this direction. As the report shows, the cost of the home to September 30, 1916, has been £3271 Is. 7d., and there was a balance in the bank at that date of £484 12s. 2d. The following amounts are promised: 1 Wairarapa, £1000; Wanganui, £950. The cost of running the home is about £200 a month, and so it will be seen that

there are about sufficient funds in sight •for thq next twelve months. The ooramifctee havo no doubt, however, but that funds will bo forthcoming for the oontinuanco of the home as long as it ■in noeded.