SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 4

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Mrs. Carlisle and her sister, Miss Eva Monckton, tvro expected to return to Now Zealand shortly. Both ■ iia.vo been' very activo lvorkers during iho war period, Miss Jlonckton havinj been in Franco for some time. Miss Myrtle Barber, who has spent Bomo years in England in furtherance of her musical work, is expected to return to Wellington shortly. A very enthusiastic meetinij in ponnection with the coming Y.W.C.A. campaign was held at the Ifutt on Wednesday afternoon. Tho Mayoress, Mrs. liishf.rorth, presided, and an address, written by the Wellington secretary, Miss Florence Birch, giving a full account of v all tho activities and needs of the association, was read. A number of ladies 'expressed their v/iilinsnesa to daiiTitss tho district, and will commence their duties on Monday, June 30. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fuller and family, of Sydney, were among tho passengers to arrive at. Auckland yesterday toy the. Manuka. They are proceeding on to America by the Niagara. Mrs. J. Halliburton (Fcilding) is visiting Auckland, and is staying with Miss Coldicutt, Grafton Road. Mr. and Mrs. F. Boss, of Hawlce's Bay, have been staying with Mrs, M'Cosh Clark. Miss SI. Williamson, of Auckland, is working at he Kiwi Club in London for New Zealand soldiers. Miss Williamson was a [ V.A.D. at the Coulter Hospital, Mayfair. Colonel R. Logan, C.8., and Mrs. Logan, left Auckland by Hie Tiilune for Samoa, accompanied by Mr. J. Logan, who goes in' tho capacity of A.D.C. to Colonel- Logan. Miss 'Margaret Mackersey,' who has been doine war service in England since shortly after the'outbreak of hostilities, .first on Lord Lonsdale'? sitaff. in tho transport service, and latterly as a :<itf!'orca,r driver of tho N.Z.T.C, in connection with tho Brockenhurrt Hospital, is expected to arrive in New Zealand by the Prinzess'n,- ' Her brother, Captain Lindsay ,T. Slackersey, who practised as a. solicitor in Hastings for some years before he volunteered for service, will arrive by tho same transport, "aptain and Sliss Slackersey are son and caiigfiter of Sir. and Sirs. C. L. Mackersey, of Hastings.

Sliss S. Cheng, a Chinese woman only 23 years of age, but already with a record of several years' activity as a. rnmil)licnn leader in China, arrived in Paris jn April to attend tho Peace Conference. Miss Cheng was threo times, condemned to .death in 1918 and 1917 in. connection with her activities. She' was formerly a law student in Paris, and left Franco with tho intention of making an effort to increase the friendliness of the. relations botween Franco and her own country.

Some time ago the Slayor of T.illo invited, through Sir Harry Brittain, the visits of English women to his city and neighbourhood. Tho Slayor wished it hat these visitors would 6ee for themselves tho horrible state of devastation in which the-French war. zone lies.' A_ party cinsisting of representative working women, and some identified with public woi'V in England, is to visit his district. Mrs. Leo Myers, a New Zealand playwright, is one of the chosen delegates to join this deeply interesting visit. Miss..B. L. C. Watson, correspondent of tho New Zealand Press-Agency, was also invited to join it, as tho visit, it is hoped, will result in a good deal of propaganda work in aid of the poor starved iefu. goes of North-west France, who aro now trying painfully to find if only fragments of their homes.

The voluntary workers at the Epsom Convalescent Home for Soldiers at Auck : land, oil of whom are members of the Epsom branch of the St. John Ambulance Nursing Division, are now at their request to bo relieved of their work at the, home. At a meeting of the Hospital Board the highest appreciation of the work of these women was expressed, tho board placing on record its recognition of tho splendid work which had been carried out thoro for soldiers. The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, said that four years "ago ■ the branch had raised funds to equip the home, and under one staff-nurse had since conducted tho institution. There had not been tho slightest friction. Dr. Slaguire had said that he had never had tho slightest anxiety over tho running of' the home. Tho patiortts had received treatment and at the same time had had homo life.

Sliss A'Bear' (of the now: disbanded Ladies' Rifle Club at Dannevirke), who is leaving for England, was entertained at a farewell afternoon tea at the house of lire. Nyward, and on behalf of members of the club presented '--ith a souvenir of her connection therewith.

Sir. and Sirs. H. Redmayno (HalconYbs) are-visiting' Wellington. They leave this week for by the Remuera. Mr. and Sirs. Redmayne are accompanied by their little,son and nurse, and intend returning to New Zealand next Decem-s ber.

The resignations of Sister A. Patohell and Nurse E. E. Lambert from iho New Plymouth Hospital were accepted, by the board with regret at Wednesday's meet-, ing.

, The Auckland "Star" records tho death in the Waikato district on Tuesday of Miss Winnio Shepherd, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Shepherd, of Devonport. Miss Shepherd is described as having been a singularly capable, and in somo respects brilliant, young _woman. Not many years ago she went Home to Scotland, and qualified as a trained iyjvso in tho Western Infirmary in,'' Glasgow, and spent some timo iri Aberdeen and other Scottish centres in perfecting herself for what promised- to be her life's work. Never of a very robust constitution her studies proved too great a 6train upon her, and she returned to Australia in tho hope that the dry climate there might result in a cure, but in the end she had to come back to New Zealand, and never improved in health, although sho fought her disease iu a valiant way. Eight up to the last she continued to work at many of her hobbies, and staved off for long the end which her friends knew must inevitably come. At the end of last year, as far as her strength would admit, she helped considerably to relievo distress when the influenza epidemic was raging.

Sir. F. Armstrong and tho Misses .'rnv strong (Akitioj are visiting Napier,

Miss Laws, assistant at 'the AVnnganui Girls' College, has resigned her position to take up tho secretaryship of the Y W C.A. at Christchurch. :he Board of' Governors of the college at its last m&ting passed a vote ot appreciation to Miss Laws for her services. Miss Muriel Treadwcll, 8.A., was appointed to fill the vacant position. Miss Areadwoll, who is an old girl of the college, is at present teaching at St. Cuthberfs Presbyterian College at Auckland. Help for Mothers. In response to its appeal for £300, tho Mothers' Help Division of tho AUnuns National Reserve has received £56; Further contributions, for which thu lion, treasurer (Sits. E. Hadfield) on behalf of tho committee expresses thanks are us follow--Sirs. D. H. S. Riddiford, A'2o; Mrs Alex. Roberts, £5; Sir, C. P. Skerrett and Sir. J. Mackintosh, £i>; Mrs. Rotherham, £5; Sirs. W. F. Bar-raud, £1 Is.; Mrs. M. Eichelbaum, £1; Mrs. Wilberfoss, 10s. Also from Slessrs. Banks and Co., 10s. Gd. (por Sirs. A. Gray.), towards the general fund.

The Primrose and 111-luck. ... Perhaps the most curious fancy-associ-ated'with the. primrose is that r-he bringing'of a single bloom into tho house, entails bad luck,- especially to- poultry' (states a writer in tho '-Manchester Guardian"). In Sussex this reputation is explained as arising cut of tho custom in former timfs of strewing the flower on graves'and nround corpses. If this is. so, it is -curious that a beautiful andgraceful custom should be regarded ns tho origin of a silly superstition. The connection with tht poultry-yard is not so obvious, hut to some folk it is real. Years ago a country clergyman said that he hod had great difficulty in pacifying, two women who had quarrelled fiercely 'because one of them had given a single primrose to her . neighbour's child, for the purpose of making her hens hatch but one chicken out of each.set of eggs. It was maintained with every appearance of conviction that tho charm had been successful. In Norfolk thirteen primroses are the smallest number that may bo safely brought into a house, because thirteen'is the usual number of a. "sit-, ting" of eggs, and if fewer flowers are brought in only so many, chickens or goslings' will be hatched. But Norfolk folks are too particular. In various other parts of the country a handful of the flowers, without any exact number being prescribed, is considered sufficient to avoid any ill-luck. ] - Victoria College Capping Ceremony,-. There was a largo gatheri-g cf students and interested friends to-witness the "capping" ceremony of graduates :of 1919, and although the gene'ru hilarity was not so marked a feature of Use occasion as on previous ones.'each graduate had .to face n • running 'crossfire oi: remarks and calls complimentary or otherwise, in the old tiine-huuoiired fasluon.Rather noticeable on this occasion was the youth of many of the students; and it would seem as though they, aro graduating at an earlier age :than in tho past,; unless appearances'are deceptivo,'and the present generation'is wearmg its■-jcars more lightly. In the case ol the girls the serious aspect' of the blacir. gowns and mortar-boards ,was belied by the glimpse that showed of pretty evening frocks beneath'. ' The hall had been wry prettily''decorated"with streamers ot softly-coloured drapery, alternating with ropes of lycopodium carried from a.largo, hoop in tiie centre of Hie ceiling to Iho sides of the gallery, and He. stage, had been carpeted and draped with green and vellow, while overhead was a canopy of the .same softly shaded drapery. I»e----reath sat the members of the Ijmversitj cS go Council, and the - professional staff?. Following tho presentation ceremony came a dance, organised Dj the Students* Association, a«d chaperoned by the wives of the professors. -.Oowle s brchestra provided the mnsuv Mr? Oscar Johnston was in charge ot the.supper. Aiconsiderablo auniber ot students and their friends was present; and the dance was thoroughly successful. RomeTve v pretty frocks were worn, and & a iiotiteabfe feature in many r.ses were'the evening wraps, soma ot them being charming, in colour and make.

WOMEN'S WORK OF THE FUTURE "

BRITISH GOyERNMENTS .TBAiNIN(i SCHEMES. ■ Four schemes of training for women aro at present before the British Government. They provide for:' ;_ v Training-in general housewifery, etc., for tho wives and fiancees of soldiers. Training for domestic service as a skilled occupation. ' ■■ - Industrial training in trades that were women's trades before tho war, andVocational training for war widows. . Tho first scheme has already received the -consont of the Treasury, but the others are still under consideration. .;; Miss Lilian Barker, whons Principal Woman Officer of the Women s- ■•Training Section of the Ministry of Labour, discussing tho question of women sposi ; war employment with, a ' Daily News representative, said women had .begun to realiso that it would be unfair totry to break thoir pledge to the men s iimous by forcing their way into mens trades, unless the unions asked for their help. At the present moment the number ct men out of employment was nearly t.s large as tho number of women. For this reason all schemes of industrial training ought to the' confined to teaching suoh trades, as dressmaking,- tailoirng, nnliln. ery, etc., in which women had specialised in the past;.' "One important reason for the aoutoness of tho servant problem at the moment," said Miss Barker, is tho stoppage of tho flow of, young girls into domestit. service during tho past i'6ur years. . A very large proportion of tho girte leav. ing our munition factories have had no experience of domestic work. "If a Government scheme-of training for servants is organised I am confidentgirls will bo eager to take advantage of it. I know hundreds who are thoroughly #ick jof taking unemployment benefit, and they will, welcome any training scheme with joy." Sliss Barker successfully placed 3000 Woolwich munition girls in' domestic service, and this is her explanation ot how it was done: '-'1 had a littlo talk wiiii each girl individually before the left the factory, and pointed out that domestic service was as useful a form of work as any other. "Thoif I opened a special registry office in front of the Arsenal gates, and put one of my staff in charge. If a girl had not the money to. buy a uniform, w,e lerjt it to her out of our benevolent fund. Careful inquiries were made 1 into the conditions, of employment offered, and I anj glad to say all the girls were found good places. The averago wage they are receiving is JSfi a year." .