SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 143, 6 March 1918, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Rod Gross Soldiers' Comforts Fund. Tho lion, secretary of the above fund, acknowledges tho following donations received during January and February :—The Executive Commissioner, British Bed Cross, £100: Mrs. J. Hutcheson, £2; Miss 6.L.R., £2; Stratford Rod Cross, £10; Miss Coates, £1; Mrs. Joseph Joseph, 10s. District Nursing Guild of St. John. The monthly meeting of the committee of the District Nursing Guild of St. John was held on Monday afternoon at tho residence of Mrs. W. H. S. Moorhouse. There wore present Mesdames Moorhouse (presiding), C'orrigaii, Pearson, Misses Kobioson and Edmeades (hon. secretary). Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames Tripe, Balcombe Brown, Barclay, and Gibbons. The reports of the nursos showed that ten patients were registered during the month, nine discharged, twenty-one remaining; '26S visits were paid. Gifts of clothing, etc., were acknowledged with thanks from Lady Stout, Mesdames Moorhouse, Grabham, LisSack, Corrigan, Hooper, Abe Levy, three anonymous donors, Misses Robieson and Young; also tho following donations:—Mrs. Kitto, 65.; Anonymous, 55.; an air cushion from "Karori Friend," a medical comfort and a perambulator. Christmas in Belgium. The following letter, .written on December 28 and received by relatives in Wellington from a New Zealand soldier in Belgium, sliouid do much to reassure people of this country as to the way m which our soldiers were cared for at Christmas:— ■ "Now that I. am gradually recovering from the effects oi oxcessivu eating three days ago, 1 am able to write » few lines of thanks for the parcel you sent. It arrived in good order and condition, and was much appreciated by yours truly. We had a real 'dinkum' spread for Christmas. We kicked; off with tomato soup, as a sort of-pro-logue, or overture, or introduction. Next we got on to roast beef and potatoes, then came roast goose, stuffing to match, pork and apple sauce, potatoes, carrote and cabbage. I'ou couldn't see the plate when all was piled on it. Next roundwe had fish, salmon and sardines, l'lrst round of sweets included plum pudding, and sauce, followed by jelly, and topping the lot with white wine, plenty of nuts, fruit, chocolates, cigarettes, cigars, bon-bons, etc., 'buckshoo' parcels kicking round the table too. Not a bad spread, was it, considering we are not four miles away from the line. I haven't altogether recovered from tho effects of it yet: The sergeants' mcsß had a dinner similar to ours, only their monu was written in French, and so they thought th'at they wore getting something a' jolly sight better. Tho officers and sergeants waited on us, and it was just lovoly to see a major with a towel wiping tin plates and hoeing into a leg of goose at the same time, and a captain dishing out cream with one hand and a lump of pudding in the other.

Nurse Story, who has boeu in Masterton nursing for tho past twelve months, intends leaving shortly on a visit to the Blue Mountains. The Wadestown Women's National Keserve had a most successful cake day at tho Red Cross Shop yesterday. Quantities of good home-made cakes were brought in and were quickly sold. All day there was a steady flow of customers and the new room proved that the position is an excellent one for tho sale of lied Cross goods. Mrs. Willis and Mrs. Best organised the day. and the money handed in was £26 12s. 6d. Mrs. Roberts, of Wadestown, organised two popular and excellent guessing competitions which made. a most attractive window display. They were won by Mrs. A. Holmes, Bolton Street, and Miss Rutherford, 68 Lambton Quay. Miss' Cooper and Miss Moss had beautiful flowers, and Miss Veiteh e sweets were quickly sold out. The Wadestown ladies will give a cake day the first Tuesday in every month, fhe excellence of their cakes is well known and they are eagerly bought. In connection'with the shop n jumble sale is being organised and will lie held at the end of May. Being on a Marge scale, this idea should help the Red Cross Fund considerably. The death took nlace on Saturday, after a long' illness, of Mrs. Sophia Barber, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. AY. Gardner, 53 Tasman Street. Mrs. Barber, who was in her 81st year, was born in Kent, arriving with 'her parents in the year 18*10 by the ship Martha ftidgway, and with the exception of a few years spent in Australia, bad lived in Wellington ever since, passing through tlip trials and hardships of the early settlers. The interment, which was of a private nature, took place on Monday afternoon in the Sydney Street Cemetery. The TCov. A. M. Johnson, M.A., vicar of St. Paul's, officiated at the graveside.,