SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 24, 23 October 1917, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Nurses' Memorial Fund Concert. This evening a concert, in which it is expected that a great deaf of interest will bo taken, is to be given in the Town Hall for the benefit of tho New Zealand Nurses' Memorial Fund. Thore is no need to speak of the splendid work which New Zealand nurses are doing for our sick and wounded soldiers—it is too well known and realised to need further com. uiondationbut a fact that is. not always romcmbered is that such services as they we giving are sometimes given at the expense of future health, sometimes of life itself. It is to assist the fund which is being raised for tho benefit of nurses who are disabled from sickness, old age, nr any other cause that this concert is boipg given, and apart from the very excellent programme which lias been provided it should draw a full house. Among the attractions wliieh have been provided is the singing of Nurse T'e An, from Haweva, who possesses a particularly fine voice. Wo men and Church Franchise. A great constitutional change in Anglican Church law is foreshadowed in a proposal that was briefly discussed T>y Archdeacon Mac Murray at the Anglican Synod, Auckland, on Friday. It was before the General Synod several months ago, and was referred by that body to the Diocesau Synods for consideration. The proposal is to confine the franchise at vostry meetings and that for the election of synodsmen to communicants of either sex who have attained 21 years of age. At present, any male resident of a. parish who signs a declaration that he is a mernber of the Anglican Church of the Province of Now Zealand is entitled to bo placed on the electoral roll. Upon the- suggestion of Archdeacon MacMurray, the matter was referred to the various parishes in tho dioceae for their opinions.

A Nurse's Military Funeral. An impressive military funeral was accorded Sister May Dickson, of the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursiii" Staff .Reserve, who died in the base hospital, St. Kilda Koad, Melbourne, aud was buried on Friday, states an Australian newspaper. The funeral was led by the Domain Band, with muffled drums and instruments. The coffin was placed on the carriage of an 18-pounder fieldgun, and villi oovered with the Union Jack; the capo and hood of the nurse was placed thereon, and the carriage was drawn by six black horses. The pall-bearers and followers were returned men. whom tho sister had nursed in England. Colonel J< Steel, acting P.M.0., and Captain G. Sykca were in the procession, and the staff sisters, nurses, and matrons followed in motorcars. Chaplain Thomson, of the Presbyterian Church, conducted tho service, and a firing party fired volleys, and tho "Last Post" was sounded on tho bugle. Among tho numerous wreaths was ono sent by Her Excellency _ Lady Helen Munro Ferguson. Nurse Dickson, who was a native of Australia, and lived for sonio time in Sydney, joined Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Staff soon after tho outbreak of war. Her health broke down under tho strain of her work in England, and the_ voyage to her nativo. land was taken with tho object of restoring her to health. Sho was too weak to como on to Sydney to hetv own homo, and was taken ashora at Melbourne. Sister Dickson's was t,he first military funeral accorded an Australian woman.

Mrs. W. M'Kenzie and Miss M'Jvcnzie, Muslerton, arrived in Wellington last evening.

Mrs. Boddiugton (Newcombe, Masterton) is expected in Wellington Unlay aud will stay at Lyall Bay.

A dance, arranged by the Sydney ■Street Suldiers' Club Committee, is to bo held at the club on Saturday evening, and all holders of subscribers' bluo tickets arc invited to attend. The dance begins at a quarter past seven.

Many people will be pleased to hear of tho great success of the .Returned Soldiers' ball, which was held recently. At a meeting of th 6 committees _ a statement of t|)f. receipts and expenditure was read, and this showed that the total receipts, inoluding £25 Bs. donations, amounted to J3288 7s. Tho expenditure, which included the catering for 6UO guests, amounted to .£l4O.

The concert organised by tho Young Women's Club, and given in the Terraco Congregational Church, for St. Dunstan s Hospital for Blinded Soldiers, has realised an amount something over -tSO.

The raffles for tho billiard-table and ono of Mr. Worsley's water-colour paintings, for winch tickots have been sold for some timo past in aid of the terrace's Day at the Wellington Red Cross Shop, are to bo drawn on Wednesday, October :tl, at eight o clock at the KeU Cross Shop, Lambton Quay. Mrs. Adams will bo very glad if everyone w ho has had raffle books to dispose of would return them to her at 96 The Terrace by the end of the week.

Mr. and Mrs.' G. A. King (New Ply mouth) are visiting AVellmgton.

According to Tecent cable advice the wedding took place at Suva (I'iji) on October 17, of Miss Meme Kotvc, of Nelson, to tlio Rev. Arthur Trevor Milgrew.

Mrs. Craig .and Gudgeon (Auckland) are visiting Napier.

French ingenuity is turning to account oven the rats that infect the trenches at the battlefrotns. The pelts of these marauders, it is announced, will be transformed into a fur to l>o called "gaspardine." The l'ashion-roakers predict that this will be the most stylish wear in furs next winter.

The J!. r ) order upon the firm of C. Smith Ltd., Cuba Street, given by Mrs. W. S.'Moorliouse for "Our Day" appeal, for which sixpenny tickets wero sold in connection with Wellington Senior Nursing Division of St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas, was drawn for last evening, the winner proving to be "Little May," 19 Kent Terrace, with tickot 671 As a result of the raffle a sum of close upon ,£37 has been lidded to the amount realised by this stall.

The interment tool; place last week at Waikaraka cemetery of Mrs. M'Lean, wife of the well-known contractor, Mr. Neil M'Lean. of Ponsonhy (states the Auckland "Herald"). The late Mrs. .M'l.i'im arrived in Auckland with her husband fioirte 37 years ago from Glasgow, and had lived in Ponsonbv ever since. Mr. and Mrs. M'Lean celebrated the golden jubilee of their wedding last December.

French Economy. In Paris dress styles of the coining winter arc designed to economise on woollen rubrics as much as possible. Tho Master Drees Makers' Association of Paris has decided that not more than 5? yards of cloth shall l>e used in nmkine ft dress. Tliis compares with an average of 10 or J- yards two years ago, and of seven yards Inst year. The association also Ihis decided to use silk and national products as much ns possible and decrease the amount of cloth imported. The Tailors' Association and tho large fashionable shops have agreed to this reform, and are cresting new models io conform to it.

Red Trianflle Cake Room. To-morrow the lied Triangle Cake Room, organised by members of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A., in aid of the association's war funds, will be in charge of the Methodist Women's Missionary Auxiliary. The room, which is ebovo Littlejohn's jewellery premises in Lambton Quay, is open every Wednesday from 10 o'clock onwards for the sale of home-made cakoj, (lowers, sweets, jams, and preserves, kindly donated by many friends of the association and of our soldiers. The venture has been' proving a very popular one, and has already brought in a considerable sum for trencii comforts.