CIVIC HOUSEKEEPING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 20, 18 October 1918, Page 2

CIVIC HOUSEKEEPING

'HE SHARE THAT WOMEN MIGHT TAKE. An interesting address upon women's hare in civic housekeeping*.was given >y Miss Phocbo Myers at the Pioneer Jlub last evening. Lady Stout preided, uiitl introduced the speaker to icr audience. *■ In dialing with lier subject, Miss. Ciyors indicated the various ways in vbicli women might interest, theinselvcs in civic housekeeping. No one vas so closely connected with the house is a woman,' and it was essentially her .nsk to know bow to plan a lionie, how ;o arrange for a minimum of Work ,in seeping that homo, how to have it ven--ijatccf, how'to arrange-for its light.ug. Not only did her work not stop there, but it was a woman's business to know how. to care for children, how to treat ailments; and linally how to combine everything so that the machinery of bomekeeping did not obtrude.' Much of the same knowledge Mine into play in civic housekeeping, only tin a larger scale, and civic housekeeping was'but a step or two removed frmu national housekeeping. , \_ As an illustration of the _ lack (it women's active interest in civic housekeeping, Miss Myers took Wellington as an example, and its neglect, at any rate, in tho past, of many essentials in the matter of town-planning and housebuilding. If women did not personally plan their bouses, at least the men who did so might seek the benefit of their advice, and so obviate many inconveniences that arose from houses entirely planned by men according to a man's view of the matter. Essentially .was it a matter, for womon to see that the food (which reached their, homes should icach them in a pure state. Touching upon the milk supply, Miss Myers said tfiaf the oijl.y. way in which it could bo kept pure was by issuing it in sealed bottles. Denmark apparently had solved the problem of the delivery of pure milk, since milk was sent from that country to England, and would be perfectly fresh at the end of three days. Miss Mvers made several quotations • from the animal renort of thc-Hcalth Department of ilhe City of .Winnipeg in regard to its various fields of activity, this Department being entirely under the control-of the city council. .In this connection there was a special milk depot for the city's babies, in which special tests were conducted jto ensure pure supplies of milk, i \ . \ The larder and the nursery,' speaking from tho civic point ofj view, .were 'matters in which women / might well interest themselves,- Miss Myers considered,, and Wellington's larder was apparently represented by the fish market and the nebulous milk supply. As for the city's' nursery,'representing playgrounds, they were practically disappearing one by one such as they were, and yet playgrounds where children could get sunshine, fre(|!i' air, and space for their activities jvere absolutely essential for.their well-being. Miss Myers' thought it would he an, excellent idea if the grounds around the Museum and 'Parliament Buildings <u-re handed over for the benefit of the children, 1 and seats placed about for the mothers, where they could watch the children at play. St. Helens hospitals were a State charge, and it would be fitting that those responsible : for.-these hospitals should soo for themselves how mucin more beneficial it was for children to have the green lawns 'to play on thaji. to see them kept only for the eye to look, ipon, forbidden gtound to tho little ones. It was a well-known truth that the larger cities became the greater dangers i||iore were to children. To combat-these dangers they must havo playgrounds for them. Miss Myers gave instances of what was done' in the way of civic housekeeping in New York and from that passed on to national housekeeping. . A vote of thanks was accorded '.|hc speaker at the end of the lecture.

Wedding at Thames. ( A wedding of much interest -was celebrated at St. George's Church, Thames, on Thursday, October 10, when Miss Bcrthaf Baker, third daughter of Mr. William Baker, tho well-known mine mannger, was married to Mr. William Watson, third son of Mrs. AVatson and the late' Mr. John 'Watson, Remuera, Auckland, and formerly of Thames. Tho bride, who was given away by her father, wore a .grey cloth costume with tailored vest of white sillc, and small hat of grey crepe de chine, underlined with faint pink and sot with a posy. Sho carried a beautiful bouquet of pink roses and asparagus.. Owing to a recent bereavement the wedding was very quiet, only immediate relatives being present,'and there was no bridesmaid or best man. Those present included the bride's sisters, Mrs. J. C. Boalo and Miss Mabel Baker (Auckland)', Miss Olive Baker. Miss Jessie Watson (sister of the bridegroom). After the ceremony, which was performed by the Rev. A. J. Beck, the. bridal party drove direct to the station, leaving amidst a hail of confetti and the good wishes of a large gathering or. friends, on a tour of the Hot Lakes district. The bride aud bridegroom, who are members of two of Thames s best-known families, received many presents. Mr. Watson, who is a returned soldier, left New Zealand with ' the Seventh Reinforcements, and joined tho Mounted Brigade in Egypt. He returned to the Dominion early this year through illness. , ■ - . . Crippled Soldiers and Sailors' Hostel, I At tho monthly meeting of. the com- 1 mittee of the above there wero present: Mesdames W. Nathan, Hanan, Raduliffe, Scott, Boden (lion, secretary), and Misses Dowdcswell and Bright. Mrs. Hanan presided .in the absence or Miss Phoebe Myers, who was'indisposed Apologies were received from,-Mes-dames AV. G. Russell, Hope Lewis, E. C .Levvey, and Miss Myers on account of illness'. The lion, secretary reported that Mr. E. Short had donated tho j racehorse Hastie to be raffled m aid of U the funds of the Crippled Soldiers Hostel. Tickets were to be £1 each, m / books of five. Mr. J. R.. Stansell, » Lyall Bay, had given a section of land • to augment the funds, and Mr. Halliwell had provided a knitting machine for the use of the soldiers. ■ . The- Berhnmpore branch of the W.O, offered to asist in some special department, and it was decided to ask = them to purchase linen for the present hostel and the. now. • The thanks of the committee are duo t to these voluntary helpers, and a — special voto of thanks was accorded „ Mr. Leo Buckeridge for entertaining | the soldiers and for collecting the sum g of £12 with which to renovate the B piano. It was decided to hold a garden H party and sale/of work in tlio,- hostel [ '-rounds on the last Saturday in ■} November.' Mrs. Haiian was appointed organiser, and MissMaddison is to be asked to net as secretary. Contributions 5 will bo thankfully received by mem- S hers of the. committee. Colonel J. t;. m Hughes and Captain Vine wero unani- | mouslv elected members' of tho commit-' J tee 'Mrs. Boden, the lion, secretary, !j was accorded hearty congratulations jjj upon having the M.11.K honour con- t| ferred upon her by His Majesty tho s King. . \ - | Soldiers' Craves" Committee. , , | On AVednesdny afternoon a. meeting | of the Soldiers' Graves Committee .'IJ (YV.iWR.) took place at Mrs. Matliew ;. Holmes's residence 5 , AVillis Street.' Mrs. s Holmes presided, and there were proiseiit Mesdaines Boden.,- Bell, Cliuine d, , 'and Captain Vine. 'A number of rcla-, , tives sent in' permits for tho removal 1 of soUKors buried in different parts of ;: Karori Cemetery to the Memorial Cemetery, and there were also two re- f fusals, and one hold over for further ;.; consideration of relatives abroad. A :; letter from Captain Hall-Thuinpsoii concerning the burial of sailors in the Memorial ■.Cemetery; aud tho question , of a different headstone, was received. ■ It was decided to send the letter on , to the 1 Minister of. Internal Affairs, <, with a recommendation from the com- \ inittee that sailors should be buried in the Memorial Cemetery, and that in f AVellingtou and in other parts of New j Zealand where these , cemeteries' are ; being established tho iiamo should be ! in each case "Soldiers.'-'and Sailors' > Memorial Cemetery.',' The committee .; was of opinion that the headstone ; should be the'sanje, with tho addition of an anchor, or some symbol of the sea. Mrs. Holmes reported that, tnu laving-out of the ground was being proceeded with satisfactorily, and it was decided that members of the committee should visit it before the next meeting.. The ruling that three members of committee should form a quorum was confirmed. Congratulations to Mrs. Boden on having' received 'an order of the ; 0.8. E. were given very heartily, on the motion of Mrs.. Cbatfield, seconded ' . hv Captain Tine, and tributes were\ paid to Mrs. Boden's excellent voluntary patriotic work. Sydney Street Soldiers'. Club. The monthly meeting' of tho Soldiers' Club Committee was held on AA'ednesday. Mrs. Ma'ssey presided, and there were also present Mesdames W. Nathan, Joseph Joseph, H. Kirkcaldie, Moorhuuse, Pearson, H. Hall, AV. - Young, Earlo, Miss Rothcnberg. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdaines Samuel, Coleridge, Bmndell,, Cbatfield, Russell, -S: Kirkcaldie, and v Jacob Joseph. It was reported that one extra dance only (in addition to the weekly dance) had been held for the men in the Segregation Camp, as against two and sometimes three in previous months, but this was largely attended. It was also stated that during the month many newly- '• returned New Zoaland soldiers had been entertained by tho hostesses, numbers of the men renewing • their acquaintances with the club .after an absence of two, and, in some cases, three years. Leave of absence was granted to Mesdames Coleridge and Samuels. The treasurer's statement showed a satisfactory financial position.