SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 24, 23 October 1918, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dehhiston.' who .has been spending, the winter ,in Australia, has retiirneil to Dunedin.'. ' •

A v Press Association message from New York received .yesterday. bUtes that the 'New York newspapers favourably comment on Miss Eileen Castles' appearance as Yum Yum in "The Mikado."' Miss Eileen Castles is a sister of Miss Amy Castles,, the well-known singer, oho visited "Wellington a. few years ego with one of J. C. Williamson's opera companies. An official letter from the Serbian Minister in London, received in Melbourne recently, intimated.that the Serbian Government has conferred the Ordcir of the Serbian Red Cross on Mrs. A. S.-Wool-cott, C.8.E., until'recently .lion, organiser of the Commonwealth Button Fund; Jirigadier-Geiieral R. S. Browne, C.8., of the A.1.E.; and Mr. E. HI. Power, of "The Age" literary staff. The orders, it is stated, have been conferred "in npi p'i'cciation of efforts to help the Serbian people in distress." . Red Cross "Our Day." The following workers will have charge of tho various stations for the street collection to-morrow—Lambton Station, Nurse Everett; Government Buildings, Mesdamea l'earco, Wilford, and Copper Trail Committee; "Woodward Street and Kirkcaldie's, Mrs. Ma'ssey and Thorrulon Red Cross Committee; Xelbuvn Avenue, Miss Sybil Nalhnn; ICelburn Tramway, Mrs. W l . Fulton; Post Office Square and Wharf, "Women's National Reserve; Bank of Now Zealand, corner,, Commercial Travellers' Ladies'. Committee; Boukott Street, Catliolio Knitting Guild; "Winder's corner, Mrs. J. P. Luke; Courtenay Place, Mrs. A. C. Geddis; Veitch and Allan's, Mrs. n. 11. Cornish. It is suggested that ladies should wear whiteaprons, to which will bo attached Red Cross Hags. Pings will be supplied from the office, 330 Lambton Quay.

Fancy Dress and Poster Ball. The plain and fancy dress and poster ball whio'h is to rake place at tho Town Hall to-night, under the auspice's of the Jewish Club, '.'onuses to be a. big success. Its objects are to raise funds for the Crippled Soldiers' Hostel. The hall will be decorated by the D.1.C., whilst the supper, and orchestral arrangements, should leave nothing to be desired. Six prizes are 'being offered, which will bo allotted for the best and most original fancy cos--tuines and posters. The lady reporters of tho three Wellington daily newspapers will act as judges. Spectators will be admitted to the galleries. The following todies lire acting as chaperones:—Mesdaincs J. P. Luke (Mayoress), W. ¥. Massey, A. M. Myers, AV. I. Nathan, D. J. Nathan, Joseph Joseph, and H. . van Stavcren.

Mrs. kinetoii Pa-kes and Women Police. At last evening's meeting of the Society for the Protection of .Women and children, Mrs. Kinetoii l'arkes was asked to speak ni'on the. matter of women police. In dealing with her subject Mrs. l'arkes said she wished to explain her attitude | m regard to public matters in New Zealand, which was that of an onlooker, ot rather student, and not that of-a critic or of one offering advice. Each country hud its own way of managing its own affairs, and its own opinions. While passing through New Zealand there was one thing that had particularly struck her, and that was the absence ot women • police. - In England there were women working in every calling and industry, and wliile she could understand the tact that' there was not' the great ncodyiqr their services in such capacities in tthw country,'yet she had felt surprise that there, were no women police. It had always been maintained at Homo that the colonies, led in reforms, but apparently there was one at least in which England was ahead of New Zealand. Mrs. Partes referred to the deputation that had waited upon Mr. Wilford in Duncdin, at which he had been asked to appoint women police, women justices ot the peace, and women jurors, and to which he had replied that not enough had been heard of tho . other side-that against women polico in particular. He had read to the deputations statements which had been made by Miss Nina Boyle, m which she had spoken against women police, according to the Press report Tins report, Mrs. Parkes maintained, did not give an'altogether correct statement of the reasons given by-Miss Boyle for her change of mind, and she proceeded to give the facts of the case as they were known to her, Miss Boyle being a friend of hers. Mrs. Parkes further explained that the appointment of women police was not a war measure. They had been appointed before the war. It was quite true that it was a difficult matter to secure just the right kind of woman, and tho average appointments worked out at five being accepted for the work out of | cverv'iifty that applied. But it was.very , much better to be careful and to put the. I right women in than to appoint women when perhaps incalculable harm might result. Mr. Wilford had declared that ho would not raiso~a finger to appoint women police, but perhaps, like Mr. Asquith in regard to the enfranchisement of women, he would change his mind. They.'had been very successful at Home, but were still more successful in America, where they had had greater scope and more powers. It was tho duty of the police to make convictions; it was the duty of the policewomen to prevent the need for convictions. They did not want women to supersedo policeijjen, but instead to svpplcment them. In Australia the head of the police had said: "The regular police should be supplemented by women, who would do the, work which men simply cannot do."