WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 249, 15 July 1919, Page 2

WOMAN'S WORLD.

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAB AND NMAHj

(By Imogen.)

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

A presentation of a luindkag to Mrs. W. 11. Crnicksh;uik x who is leaving Masterton shortly, was niado by tliu members of the local branch of tho Navy I.eaguo Ladies' Auxiliary. As honorary secretary, Mrs. Cruiekshank has been a valued member of the organisation:

A very pleasant liltlo. farewell ten. to Mrs. F. Dawson, whoso husband has been appointed to the managership of the Bank of New Zealand in Napier, was held at the Pioneer Club yesterday by membors of the club sewing circle.' For a long time now the members of this circle have forgathered when there was any patriotic eausc. to work for, and have been responsible for many attractive .novelties that liavo appeared during many street appeals, and the departure of any member makes a break in tho circle that all regret. During the afternoon Mrs. Dawson was presented with'a pretty raffia basket as n. memento nf the days when all worked for a common cause.

This is a norvy ago, and tlio number of people with nerves has not decreased witii tlio .end of the war. Many doctors arc recommending knitting as a cure for the complaint. Nothing else is raor? southing, they say, and nothing conduces to such a calm and cheerful framo of mind. There seems lo bo somo hypnotic notion in the swift movement of the needles upon which the knitters aro ed. Two hours knitting a day is supposed to be the ideal amount, and it need not be done in one stretch:

The ladies of the ; Northcoto district who,-were associated with the various patriotic and war relief activities have formed a society called the Northcoto Women's Progressive League, in ' order that thq good work they achieved during the war period may be continued in connection with all deserving causes, states tlio. Auckland "Herald." The leaguo is a non-party organisation, and among its obiect.s aro to arouse tho interest of the women of the district in civic matter!*, to promote good citizenship, to secure betterment of the community, and tho improvement and beautifying of tho borough. and to assist in all matters of cuirent and general interest. The following office-bearers have been elected:— President, Mrs. G. Eraser; yice-presi-. dents. Mcsdames A. E. Greenslade and G. H. Ilyon; secretary, Mrs. A. Taylor; committee, Mesdnmes J. B. Tonar, R., Bcthwaite, Allely, E. B. Cavaye, and M'Laughlin. . ..

An old colonist. Mrs. Darling, widow of tho lato Mr. Edwin G. Darling, died on Sunday at the residence of her daughter. Mis. R. C. Ronner, M'Farlane Street, at the ago of 75. The (ate Mrs. Darling arrived in Lyltelton from England in tho ship Northampton in 1871- with her late, husband and family, and after living in Christehurch for some time removed, to Wellington, where sHo resided for many years. Mrs. Darling is survived by five daughters and six grandchildren.

On Saturday ifflerncoii last about thirty girls lioin the Wellington Girls'. College, in charge ox Miss Kershaw, con-\c-ner of the llospikl Committed C.Li., visited tho Children's Ward at the Hospital and gave the little sufferers a very happy afternoon to commemorate the siiiiung of the Peace, Treaty: A varied 'programme was contributed, including recitations., songs, violin and- mandolin solos, fancy dances, and ehojjuses. Over forty dolls, which had been bought and dressed by various college girls, wero then distributed to the little ones, whose bright, smiling faces bore testimony to the enjoyment of the afternoon.

Jlrs. Luke has received the sum of from tlio people of Pongaroa to bo used in connection with welcomes to homecoming troops at Wellington. Mrs. Luke' desires to express her gratitudo to tlio good folk of Pongaro.i for their timelyaid. '

Mrs. G. W. Russell left for Christchurch nist evening to be 1 reseiit for tho pcvico celebrations in that city.

■ Miss Bello Luke and her cousin, Miss Aiken, are expected to return to New /.calami by tlio Niagara, ua Vancouver,: from their visit tu_ England. During •their time in tho latter country they uaiw a good deal of the different counties, nnd alsi paid a visit to Edinburgh. Fortunately Miss Luke's two brothers were able to arranga their leave coincident)}' with her visit to England; tho one'nfte'lthe other, and they wero able to go sighlseeingi together.

Sir. Martin Donohoe,.who lias just relumed from a long 6ojoum in Persia, anys he discovered that all Persians write poetry, slates a writer in tho "Manchester Guardian." In this connefction it is worthy of note Hint Persia is the only country besides our. own where a Poet Laureate has been maintained of recent years. Until Muzafrar-ed-Din ajiolished the post in 1896, ,the Court of Teheran had lor centuries possessed a poet whose duties were far more onerous'than thoso of his British confrere. Narcisse Persin, who spent some year's in Persia at the beginning of last century,' records how Court etiquette then prescribed that whenever the Shah travelled outside the capital his suite must include a dwarf, ;i giant, .1 jester, nil historiographer, and; a laureate. The last two were kept busy. While tho historiographer had to record for posterity all the doings and sayings of the Kin;? of Kings, it was tho laureate's duty to celebrate a largo proportion of these in verse. M. Persin highly commended this custom, "for the Shall, knowing that many of his utterances and deeds would be crystallised iiv an ode, felt bound, on these royal progresses, to speak and behave majestically."

"The Girls Who Helped the Soldiers."

In "Quick .March," 'tlio returned soldiers' paper, "John Beanland" mukcs an appeal for thv nurses ijnd V.A.l).'s whom, ho says, and with truth, are not receiving a "fair deal."

"It is all jsiicii luvrd work for these girls," he writes. "The pay of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service is poor in comparison with the scales of Canada and Australia. New Zealand's nurses aro encompassed around "and about with'all sorts of silly, .jsenseless restrictions. Their meagro allowances mostly go in. paying for tho lit\Je extras with which' to supplement tho -Army ration. Their quarters are, to suy the least <f it, never luxurious. Patriotic organisations never'cease to worry about the soldier, but how many people take ail intelligent-interest-in the muses and the V.AD.'s in their owu districts? ...

"Instead of erecting frightful monstrosities like the Edith Cuvell statuo, could not the .money bo spent a little more wisely in alleviating the- present conditions of our Amy Nursing Service?; One penny spent in either artistic or m:iviisfiio monuments is eriminnl waste, so long as one .New Zealand nurse is not properly provided for. As the years .go b.y the hardships these girls have undergone will undoubtedly have an effect oil. their health. No woman can work for. years under active service conditions, without ultimately paying Hie price. "Kvorjv soldier should ho a vholchearted supporter of the Nurses' Memorial Fund." Ami again, in referring to the V.A.D.'s: —"Then consider the case of our V.A.D. J s, past and present. Tho first of t/ieiu helped with tho C.S.AI. epidemic in Trciitham, and, despite official snubs end 11011recognitioii, they have given mueh magnificent service in Egypt, England, and France. They, have been doing national work at great 'personal self-sacrifice. How many of them will get the 0.8. K. in any' of its five well-graded classes? I'et fashionable ladies, putting in a few hours at Base Records, are considered to have, made some sacrifice and so are worth)" of recognition. Yot: what one of them, hard as she may have worked, is worthy to be placed alongside the wonderful, gir s acting as V.A.D.'s oversea!:? Thesegirls, by (heir personalities, by bringing their activities and smiles to the cause of tho wounded soldior, have acted ac a tonic' more powerful in -healing than the' most potent drag,"

When Bin, Bertha Strafed Paris. Writing of her exepricnocs in France during the spring of 11)17 to'the Women's Anti-Gorman League in Wellington, Mada-mo lioeui've described her stay in Paris: "All looked so- beautiful, and Paris dhowed no feigns of the horrors she had been through that I began to think how exaggerated the t-ules cf tho big guns had been. The next morning, howovcr, I [•hanged my opinion when at 5.30 I was (twakened by a loud explosion. I sat up in bed and wondered if this were a new method of announcing a raid instead-of the - tcrriblo screaming of tho . sirens. I waited and listened—nil was silent for fifteen minutes; then there was another 'bang,' and I felt it must bo llio dreaded 'grosso Berthe.' Tho firing continued all day. The German olVeusiro had bogun, and this cannon firing every tiftoen minutes was-to terrify Paris and force the people to ask for prace, As you know, the French people stood linn. When I'.iglit came, utterly worn out, I lay (Jown iw sleep and had not bec-n long in bed when the sirens hooted to icll us tho Gothas were coining. In the end I slept so soundly I never lreard. anything till tho ttuiupet sounded the 'all clear.' In the morning Big Bertha again common eed her cannonading, and another day. of .misery had to be faced! In tho town, people went about their business advising each other to walk along certain stieets, to go close to tho houses oil tho left-hand side of the Champ Elysees going towards the Concorde, for tho shells would then, pass ovor one's head. Anothor night of horror -passed',, and from then each day was aliko—shells bursting, fearful tales told, our ..armies wero being ■pressed back, and the Huns getting close to r Paris. Ihe people were", very ■ bravo and ■ calm. In some parts of the town, tho schoolmasters took their pupils into tho cellars for their studies, in others tho children wero all evacuated into the country. Certain parts suffered worse, than others, but soon houses were falling in every quarter. It was not 'etiquiette' to.be afraid or express any. surprise -when, a crash canio. ' One simply said 'Viola!' and somo murmured "Oil.' ces cochdns,' be-, tween their teeth. One morning Kertho was late in firing, and I said to myself : 'Perhaps -the bombardment will stop noi'.',' and I went to open my window. Just as 1' look hold .of ■ the handle a frightful explosion canio, blowing tho window open, and I staggered bacic.into tlio room. I had not much appetite for my breakfast that morning!" . Further on in her. letter Madame Booufvo describes her journoy from St. Malo through - Rouen' to" a tuwii- behind the lines where she was to. meet her son i on leave. "I had much difficulty in getting safely packed on the train, a' filthy, dirty one, consisting of a few carriages of refugees ,and soldiers going tho front. I changed trains twice, and soon I was the only woman travelling. During all *my - journeyings' the soldiers, looked* after me. i was a soldier's mother going to see her son, and, therefore, a 'persona .grata' with them. The Americans were also among my follow-travellers, and very charm r ing and interesting hoys they were. I passed a large New Zealand station, and all the men looked bright and cheerful, and all wero full of confidence that they I would beat Germany and end the war before another year. Towards 8 p.m.1 arrived at Allery, wliero my friends,! were waiting lor me, and we drove to their house in a little town about six miles away, where my son arrived next' day. The littlo town we lived in was always full ol' soldiers, mostly British, men coming to rest, men leaving for the front, men passing through to stay. They used to like to talk English with me, and 1 was often, surrounded by or mors, wanting to know how I. came there, and the boys who were leaving for tfce front used to say 'Shake hands, and wish mo luck for tlio sake of Old England.' One Smulay night I sat with them in tho Y.11.C.A; hut,' but'l. could not steady my voieo to join in the hymns they were singing. An old Scotch padre conducted- the service, preparing thorn for Hie great.sacrifice many uf'tliehi would liiako Ihe' next day, It soemcd monstrous to 1110 that many of those splendid men would bo dead or dying in a few short hours.. Thank goodness the war is.over now and tlio sound of thundering cannon is but a memory." The wntor concludes her letter by urging the. league not to let tho wont die out, because tho financial struggle was coming, and .the Germans had a-great grip on both the country and 011 its commerce. "It I had been listened to when I,tried to save your boys from tho spy peril many a 1161110 i'll Now Zealand would not have had to mourn l'or what happened at Armeutieres.'' Nurses Not Eligible for' Benefits. _ Information as to the position of nursing sisters who have served with' tho Expeditionary Forces-, undor tlio statutes which confer benefits upon returned discharged soldiers, was .recently sought by tho Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association from tho Minister of Defence. Sir James Allen has replied, stating that ho has been.advised by tho Crown Law Office that as the law stands nursing sisters a.re liot'eligiblo for.any of the benefits conferred by the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act and tho Repatriation Act. Tho Attorney-General therefore lias been asked to prepare a Bill to make them eligible.