WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 115, 8 February 1919, Page 4

WOMAN'S WORLD.

(By Imogen.)

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAR. 1

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Hutt Patriotic Guild. The third annual .report of the Hutt Patriotic Guild, to be preesnted at tho annual general meeting (to be held in St. James's Schoolroom, Lower Hutt, on Tuesday, February 11, at 2.30 p.m.), states that the balance in hand after all accounts are wound up will bo gradually disbursed .by subscriptions to various convalescent hospitals. Tho total sum collected during the year was over <£2000. December, 1018, completed the third year of the guild's work. Committed meetings .have been held monthly, and Itave been well attended throughout the year. Tho sum of <£2578 17s. sd, lias been handled, details of which are given in the financial statement. The membership of tha guild has been as high as 222, but 31 of these have loft, so that it now numbers 191. The average attendance at the weekly sewing meetings has not been ns good 'as formerly; nevertheless a large amount of work has been put through. The following garments have been mado and delivered to, the Liverpool Committee and the Red Cross Depot: 190 nyjama suits, 97 flannel shirts, il hospital coats, 622 treasure bags, 53G face cloths, 290 '•'housewives," 3G holdalls, 28 muslin shirts, 41 pairs socks, 15 mufflers and caps, and sundry handkerchiefs, bandages, surgical cloths, limb cushions, and old linen. The thanks of tho guild n.Ve due to the "Anglican Church vestry for the use of tho schoolroom throughout the year.. The guild's annual "Our Day" appeal was made on October 4, and was a great success in spite of most unfortunate weather. The net result was ,£445 18s. Gd. The results of other efforts for this special appeal, mud through tho guild's books, were ns .'follow: Hutt Bowling Club concert, .£326 18s. .5(1.; Mayor's Committee (per secretary Borough Council), ,£77 2s. 2d.; Chilton St. James's School entertainment and sale of work, 15s. (id.; Hutt Croquet Club. . .£25; and "social" and dance, .£l6 ss. The district scheme, inaugurated late in 1917 for managing the patriotic shop, proved quite successful, the average takings for the 43 days the shop was opened being £22 13s. 7(1. In consequence of the influenza epidemic the shop was closed for several weeks during November and. December. Feilding Notes.' Mrs. Miller lias gone to Wellington to meet her son, who is returning from Egypt. , o Mrs. Wheeler lias returned from Wellington. Mrs. M'Quecn has gone to Kotornn. Mrs. Eraser is staying at Plimmerton. Miss Wyatt, who has been staying with friends, has gone to Hamilton. Mrs. Woollam has returned from the beach. Mrs. 'is staying in Auckland. Miss Brown is staying in Christcliurch. Mr. and Mrs. Waymouth, accompanied by their son, have gone to the South Island for a few weeks' holiday. Mrs. Guy is staying at the Denbigh. Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs, who have been living in Mr. Richardson's houso during tho holidays, have returned to the Deubigb. Mrs, Stewart lias returned from Castlecliff. There was a splendid attendance, at the Feilding Show' on Wednesday, people's day, and the weather was perfect. Among those present I noticed Mcsdames Burre)l, Baker, Leivth, Gorton, Evans, Woollam, Bramwell, M'Donald, Okley, Elliott, Desmond, Meyrick, Miller, Redma.yne, Kniglit, Shannon, Bayly, and maiiy others. Mrs, P.- Davidson, Murray Place, St. Albans, is visiting, Lyall Bay. The engagement is announced of Miss Lillian Buick, daughter of the late Mr. David Buick, of Cloverlea, Kairanga, to Mr. St. John Clarke, of Auckland. . Captain B. F. Aldred, N.Z.M.C., and Mrs. Aldred lwve gone to Titahi Bay for a couple of. weeks. Their Excellencies the Governor-Gen eral and the Countess of 'Liverpool are giving an "at home" at Government House, Christcliurch, this afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. L. Birks, who have been in Wellington for the marriage of Miss Luke, Mrs. BirlTs's lister, have returned to Christcliurch. There will be a bright servioe at the r.W.C.A. to-morrow atternoon, when the Rev. H. A. Gaut will give an address to girls and young women. Extracts were read from some of Dr. Truby King's letters regarding the progress of the work in Britain. Dr. King had been lecturing in various cities in the United Kingdom, as well as in London and its neighbourhood. He had visited Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Aberdeen, Crewe, Winchester, Sunderland, Birmingham, ■ Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield, etc. The babies of the Empire Society are making real headway under the chairmanship of Sir Alexander Roger, and they are now spending ,£IOO a week. Dr. Pairbairn (obstetric physician and lecturer on midwifery and diseases of women, St. Thomas's Hospital, London) 'and Dr. King are most anxious to secure and promote the breast-feeding of babies. Dr. King says: "Under the direction of Dr. Fairbairn and myself, all the babies in the maternity ward (averaging 20 resident babies) are fed four-hourly from the start—that is, five times only in the 24 hours—and no night feeding. The only exception are prematures weighing under five,pounds. The results so far have been most satisfactory. Babies are being weighed before and after nursing in all cases where thero is any doubt as to tho efficiency of the milk supply." Everything was going well at the .babies' hospital, Earl's Court, and the babies progress just as well m London as they do ; in Dunedin. Some details, of the work were read. The American Red Cross is doing a wonderful work for the mothers and babies in France, and Dr. King spent 6ome time at their, headquarters in one of the great official palaccs in the Place de la Concorde, from which lie visited tbeir infant welfaro centres round Paris. Afterwards lie was to investigate their work all over Franco, attending a conference and exhibition at Toulouse.

Miss M. Gore-Martin, Hastings, is visiting Christchurch. Nurso E. Butler, Wellington Hospital, is visiting- relatives in North 'Canter* bury. Mrs. Gower has gone toChristchurch to join her husband, Major Gower, who' is on the staff of the Christchurch Hospital. Recently the Karori and Seatoim Croquet Clubs played their annual match at Seatoun. ' Three games were played, and were won b.v thri Seatoun ladies, Mesdames Fuller, Kircher, Ma-gill, Stafford, and Stone. Tho Rev. J. H. and Mrs. Gibb, of Nelson, have gone to Christchurch for a holiday. Miss Una Smith, Poukawa, is visiting Wellington. Mrs. Pent is visiting her mother, Mrs. Ling, in Otaki. During the many efforts mado in aid of the Red Cross Shop last year, a fullyequipped tea-table was collected by Mrs. E. Gillon, of Tinalcori Road, on behalf of tho .Thorndou Red Cross Committee, is tho shop is now closed, Mrs. Gillon has sent the money collected, <£2 Us., and a handsome oak tray, to tho Returned Soldiers' Club. ' The remaining goods, a silver tea set, silver hot water jug, case of silver forks, case of silver 6poons, sil ver cake stand, silver vase and cake fork, ayd a handsome Royal Doulton tea, service, Mrs. Gillon has sent to Mr. Carr, ■of the Commercial Travellers' Club, in aid of the travellers' effort for the eailoi-s of tho merchant service. Mrs. Gillon has received letters of thanks for the donations, which in each case were gratefully received. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. lvemball left Masterton yesterday on a visit to Australia. Miss W. Christie, national lecturer for the Theosophical Society, will give a public lecturo in tho Thcosophical Hall on Sunday evening on the subject of "Rebirth tho Answer to the Riddle of Life." An unusual programme is being provided to-night by members from "Everybody's Social Club" of the Y.W.C.A. Preparations for this "social" have afforded not a little amusement. Original "stunts" will be given, and there will'be a representation of moving pictures. Girls who are Y.W.C.A. members will be welcomo to attend this "social" and. to briDg their men friends at 8 to-night', It is anticipated that accommodation will be provided for forty more girls in view of tho satisfactory progress cf the additions to the building of . the Young Women's Christian Association in Brougham Street. Simple rooms are being erected, containing built-in chests of drawers and wardrobes. Ample provision is being made for bathrooms with hotwater supply. There are at present one hundred girls 'in residence at the Y.W.C.A. Hostels at Macdonald Crescent and Brougham Street. No unnecessary rules are enforced by the management beyond such household regulations as make for the order of the home, and the comfort of everybody, such as would be observed in any well-ordered home whore individual care is not neglected. Special meetings have been held (luring tho holidays to forward the Y.W.C.A. Hostel extension plan. — j After visiting the Karitane Harris Hospital yesterday the Hon. G. W. Russell expressed the opinion that the building was entirely inadequate for the present requirements. He offered to give a subsidy up to ,£1250 on the .£ for ,E basis on moneys raised by voluntary subscriptions, .and suggested that the City Council should make a substantial grant for extending the buildings and improving the accommodation—Press Assn. AGRICULTURAL.TRAINING FOr WOMEN Agriculture is tho foundation stone of our national life and progress. Therefore a sound and widespread knowledge of it Should be our primary objective. In our Dominion, as well as in many other larger countries, women have already demonstrated their ability to engage' successfully in various rural industries (says tho "New Zealand Farmer"). The last few years have been marked by a growing tendency for women to. devote their attention to outdoor occupations. Tho causea underlying this movement are somewhat difficult to assign accurately, but they consist partly of the more selfreliant, independent status of modern women, aii<l of the sensible desire for health-conducive means of livelihood. The outdoor life offers a premium against sickness and impaired constitution, ana engenders a mental balance, rational outlook, and sense of fitness which are so sadly lacking in the hordes of "flappers wjiich haunt the streets and amusement, houses of the city. Instances are available of women ably and successfully directing farms devoted to stock-raising dud grain-growing. These, however, must -be looked on as exceptions rather than as tho rule, and it is the smaller industries,, such as poultry-keeping, orcharding, and beekeeping that offer most suitable scope for female activity. The major part of the labour required for these occupations is light and within the physical capacity of an energetic, healthy woman. Many of the operations. call for deftness, neatness, cleanliness, and attention to detail, in respect to all of which the average woman excels the average man, .and thereby possesses a considerable handicap on the road towards success. Further, these small industries call for a comparatively small initial outlay of capital. This fact is in itself a point of considerable importance to the averngo person proposing to embark on one of the smaller industries. ' ' i