WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 182, 28 April 1919, Page 5

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Continued from Page i) W.C.T.U. During the moriiing session of the W.C.T.ii. Convention 'n Napier on Thursday last, an interesting and historic letter was presented to the convention by Mrs. Alartin, of Napier. Tlie letter, Vtiich was very highly appreciated ivnd prized by its owner, was written by Mary Clement Leavitt on the occasion of her visit to Napier in 1885 to found the Women's Christian 'i'emperancq Union.- After the convention was called to order in the afternoon, the president, ] Mrs. Don, gave her presidential address, whicu N wns most encouraging and inspiring. At tho close of her address she gave as the slogan for the year, "Pray on, march on, carry on!" At Saturda's sittings of the W.C.T.U. Convention the report of the work done for .minesweepers was given. The unions subscribed .£1453 ss. Gd., and Roods to the value of .£362, end these were sent to tho British and Foreign bailors' Society, and many letters of thanU were received from minesweepers iiiul members of torpedoed crews. Oil Saturday afternoon tho delegates were motored' out to Hastings to a garden party. Tho weather was ideal, and an enjoyable time was spent. The Dominion president made an appeal for funds to; , the work, which was liberally reeponded to.—l'ress Assn. Hamlot-Who Was He? Lord Howard <le Waldcn'e suggestion •at the recent meeting of the British Empire Shakespeare Society that Hamlet was a German character camo as somethiiiß of a shock to.many peopie, states a writer in the "Manchester Guardian." It is not generally known there' is an old Herman play called "Prinz Hamlet aus Daennemark," over the dato of which Shakespearean scholars have debated at icngth. It is feeble stuff, but even the unprofessional mind will find that a comparison between our "Hamlet" and the German version makes quite an interesting pastime. Our old friend Polonius (Corambis in (.lie First Qirarto) appears in the German play us Coraoilms, nnd his reason for concluding that Hamlet must be really mad, and not feigning is sumply that if he were sane he would bo quite unable to- resist the charms of Oplielia. The most comical scene of all is ono in which two banditti, having at . the King's command brought Hamlet to England in order to - kill him, set about their task. They display less than the usual 'German ingenuity in such matters. They warn him of his impendiug fate,, and, ranging themselves on either side of him, give him a moment in which to comme.'id his soul to God. He is to raise his hands to Heaven, and when his prayer is finished drop theii\ to. his side; at that signal they will fire; The ban--1 ditti ta'KO aim. Hamlet stands between with hands raised in prayer; then, having prayed, he lower his hand and ducks. Two shots ring out, and the two banditti fall dead!

WORLD WIDE ORGANISATION

■ CONVENTION AT GENEVA. One of the most interesting functions that Mr. Massey has attended in Paris in 'his official capacity as Prime Minister of New Zealand was the. dinner given recently to the international Press representatives by Hr£ Henry P Davison, a representative of the American Eed Cross, and chairman of the Allied Committee of the Eed Cross societies, writes Mr. E. Eiley, journalist accompanying the New Zealand p'crfce delegation, in a letter from Paris dated February 26. The dinner was merely a social opportunity, for the discussion by representative men of an important movement for the preparation of a.n extended programme of Eed Cross activities following the declaration of'peace. The aim of the Allied Eed Cross Committee is to'-establish a permanent working organisation through whioh the peoples of the world may co-operate in studying disease' and combating it everywhere and in every form. In other words, tho great development of the Eed Cross organisation for alleviating the havoc of war among the armies of the Allies, is to be made a vital faotor in promoting the interests of humanity in peace. ' The principal speaker was Mr, Davison. who outlined the committee's plan of campaign; He submitted a memorandum from the Joint Commitfee of Eed Cross societies, at whose request the International Eed Cross Committee at ! Geneva has called a convention of the Eed Cross organisations of the world at Geneva thirty days after the declaration of peace. The object of the projected convention is to formulate an extended I programme of Eed Cross activities in the I interests of humanity. It is hoped to establish an organisation to foster the study of disease, to promote tound measures for public health and sanitation, the welfare of children and mothers, the education and training, of nurses, the care and -prevention of tuberculosis, venereal disease, malaria, arid other chronic and infectious diseases,' and. to provide measures for handling problems of world relief in emergencies such as fire, famine, and pestilence. The plan, Lriefly, is to inaugurate an international life-saving campaign to help overcome quickly pnd humanely the destruction of energetic life by the war. Thus the plan of the Allied Ked Cross aocieties includes activities which have been practised wide It, if somewhat experimentally, for many years in the Dominion, especially, in.the direction of promoting public health, the welfare of l-iothers and children, sanitation, training of nurses, and prevention of diseusv The committee of the allied Eed Cross societies intends to establish working headquarters at Cannes, and to invite tlieio the world's pleading experts in public health, tuberculosis, hygiene, and sanitation, and child welfare, with a view to formulating programmes for prefientatibn to tho Convention at Geneva. It is intended to stimulate in each country the development of Eed Cross activities in keeping with the aims and lines of the allied Hed Cross societies. ■ Mr. Davison emphasised the need for further organisation against infectious diseases by mentioning that the deaths in India from' influenza alono were estimated to be about 2,500,000 Sir Arthur Lawley, representing the British Red Cross Society, said it would be deplorable if all the machinery and organisation for Bed : Cross work during the wav wore to be Hung upon tho scrapheap. It was the duty of the allied.nations to broaden the base of Eed Cross activity, po that the stricken peoples of a Kieatly distracted world might be guided through the long night of sorrow to the golden dawning of a better day.