SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 4

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

The engagement of Mr. D. H. Millar, of Lyall Bay, as published recently, is, wo are informed, incorrect. Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Williams, of Awarua, Pukehou, Hawke's Bay, with their family, aro returning to New Zealand after a long stay in England, wliero they were doing war work. Mr. and Mrs. W. It. Oswin wore passongors by tho Mahcno for Australia yesterday. Mrs. Martin (Gisbornj) left for Syd-. noy by tho Maheno yesterday. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sim, of Otaki, havp been in town for a. fovr days. Mrs. W. Thompson, an old and esteemed resident of Wellington, died «t tho residence of hor daughter (Mrs. W. J. Salmon) in Majoribanks Street on Sunday, aged M years. She was the widow of Captain W. Thompson, ono of New Zealand's early master innrinors, and had ■resided in this city for 62 years, durins which timo her many sterling qualities mads for her a wido circle of friends. Her surviving daughters are Mrs. Salmon, Mrs. E. Jory, and Mrs. K. Collins, and there are many grandchildren and great-rondchildron. Tho interment took plac« yesterday afternoon at Karori. A wedding of interest took place in St. Pnul's Cathedral, Duncdin, >vi.on Dr. Gladys Maigaret Wilkes-Shaw was married to Dr. Evorard Rowley. Dr. Shaw has just returned to her homo in Dun--sdin after three years' experience in four Of the largest Syanoy hospitals. Dr. Bowley 'has also just returned, to New Zealand, having served .tyo years with tho Medical Corps in France and Germany. After a short visit to Auckland, Dr. and Mrs. Rowby will leavo for Canada. This year Miss Dorothy Saunders is making an experiment with her annual dance recital. In order to aJlow her younger pupils to take part in the entertainment without over-taxing thean, it in to begin at 7.30 p.m., and it is' hoped that by excluding the repetition of items it will be concluded within two hours. As far as possiblo tho items will "be presented as they are taught in tho sohool of dancing, without the unnecessary adjuncts of a public entortainment and as a' chiklten's playtime rather than aa a set performance. There will bo no chargo for admission, the progrnmmo boizig presented to an invited audience, and Mi® Saunders thinking tho children's guests will have done their part by telling her frankly what they think of the innovation. This arrangement will prevent any contribution tang made to the Fresh Air Fund from tho children's efforts this year, but friends of that splendid organisation still may send thoir contributions to tho care of any of the newspaper

, Tho new Forum Club for women is, I . believe, the first attempt in London _to .idout tho idea which has been embodied in the Women City Clubs now established in all the great centres of'the United States. says an English writer. L'or • tho present it is to limit' j its membership to 2000. More than ono of the kindred American institutions can count a membership almost or quite iwice as larce as that, and a roll of a thousand or so in a city with a population of half a million or leSs is not at all unusual. I note with interest that the Forum Club is, like its American conveners, to organiso itself for various _'aorivities in education and social service. Hut, what I am chiefly curious to see is whether its influence will tend to diminish the sharp distinctions of caste which make club life for Englishwomen almost inioossiblo outsido London. Among his impressions of Calais a visitor who was there recently writes to Ws sister in Wellington as follows:—'"Going out of Calais the amount of accumulated war material of every description was most marked For miles there were stacks of ammunition, mountains of barbed wire, and piles and piles of floorboards for tenis; The sidings were crowded with English engines waiting to come back. Thero were gangs of nrisoners of war going about in parties of one hundred with only two sentries to each party with fixed bayonets. They looked overfed, well elad, lazy, slouching chaps taking no interest in their work. There wore also numerous parties of Ohineso in labour gangs, who seemeii happy enoutrh doing their jolw in their slow, mechanical way. A novelty in garments, in tho shape of a long draped cape, comes from Paris. It is mado from a single oblong .piece of material, usually with the addition of a hood. This hood is formed by folding the material in two and putting in some strong stitches about a foot from the edge of tho fold, which then hangs down the back. A ta&sol at the tip of tho fold completes the illusion. Nothing could be simpler than these draped capos, which aro fashionable for afternoon and evening wear. Indeed, ono clever model has been devised which serves for both purposes. It is fashioned in a light and dark satin, and is reversible. In the afternoon tho black sido is worn outsido,

and in the evening tho cream satin "lining" is displayed. _ Silver and black tassels and a dainty silver lace insertion complete the cape, tho tassels decorating the hood fold. The Bishop's Advice to Women. In proposing that Lady Stout should bo re-elected president of the Society for the Protection of Women aiid Children, the Bishop oi Wellington (Dr. Sprott) discussed the responsibilities that were now being placed in the hands of women. His Lordship went on to 6peak of Benjamin ICidd's assertion that it was ■ not m the fighting male of the race that the centre of power would he found, but in woman. "Many signs of tho times pointed in this direction" said His Lordship, "Woman was being accorded a much larger placo in the life of society to-day than she has. ever had before." He went on to say that they were being admitted into Parliament in other countries, and in this they were now conceded tho right of sitting in tho Lowor House, thought not in the. Legislative Council. He would like, however, to talco this opportunity of urging upon women ono or two things. This entrance of women into Parliament gave direct power in legislation which they had not had before. Ho would like to suggest that they be not too ready to rely upon the effect 6f legislation. We were in this country too ready to attach too much importance to the passing of laws. As tt matter of fact a law waa only operative when it was backed up by strong public opinion, and he hoped women would not allow themselves to bo turned aside from tho creation of a 6trong, wliolcsomo public opinion in preference to tho mere passing of laws. By creating a strong hightoned public opinion as women can do., many of the evils from which society suffered would bo eradicated without flto necessity of legislation. For his part he could not see why there were not women polico in this country. There wero many happenings taking olaco in tho streets which could be dealt with belter by women than by men police. Tnrning fo the censorshi]) of nictures, Dr. Sprott urged tho society to press for the appointment of a woman censor.

Tho Open Market. Birmingham Markets and Fairs Committeo considered an application by the residents at South Yardlcy, including eevoral ex-service men, for permission to establish an open-air fruit and vegetnblo market in that district (states tho "Daily News"). The committee camo (o tlio conclusion it was in the public interest lliat tho request should bo granted, subject to the applicants being placed on tho snn\i> footing as other corporation tenants. It was also intimated that the market must be held in a definite locality, and not in the streets. Tho promoters, who liavo arranged for supplies from neighbouring farmers, state tlicy ask no favour or preference over tho ordinary trader.

WOMEN PATROLS NEW ZEALAND PATROL DESCRIBES HER work; At last night's annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of.Women and Children -Miss Spencer, who returned to tlm Dominion on Saturday; after an absence of three years in England, part of the timo being 6pont in street patrol work, travo a most interesting account of what this work consisted: of, its aims, ami the conditions under which it was carried out. She began tho work under the National Union of Women Workers, who established voluntary patrols in tho l/ondon parks and commons. At that . tiuif. she was on duty ono night a week, and her beat was Ciapham Common. Tiie work had nothing specially to do with soldiers, but with tho ordinary pub. lie. and to her it was amazing to see how much need: thoro was for supervision. Tho policemen wero handicapped, as the resuiations prevented them from •reiiiii moro than eight feet off the footnaths: the women patrols, however, beins voluntary, could go where they liked, and could interfere, though without anv nowers of arrest, if they considered some sort of mediation necessary. When Miss Spencer began this work a uniform was not worn, but they were distinguished by a badge, and it was not lone before it was possible to see tho valuo of the work which women patrols could go, even without the power of arrest. Miss Spencer did not confine her work onlv to that of patrolling tho streets, but she also tried to gam as much knowledge of polico court and other work as possible. Tho patrolling of the streets of London on behalf of the soldiers followed later. The credit •of this special work was due to Mrs, MaeHuuh and Miss IMantyne, who were j members of tho Volunteer Sisterhood. It was besun in Juno of last year, and ! the report of tho first month's activities so imweased tho authorities that it was decided that it should be gone on with. Tho fact that it was begun under the ausnices of tho International Hospitality League was a great help to these two ladies. The league, which had been established entirely for the benefit and care of overseas soldiers while on leavo in. London, had instituted bureaux in tho busy centres of the city, where soldiers could obtain information regarding iodgings, entertainments of all kinds, meals, etc. Tho originators of the work were • subsequently joined by other wo- ■ men from tho overseas dominions—New Zeuland. Australia, Canada, . Amcrica, and. ol course, iSngland, all having thoir rci>resentatives in this work. They were grouped together into patrol sections, and wore a uniform distinctive of tho country to which they belonged. They also worked in twos, starting out from ono of the bureaux. The work Miss Suencer described as being most varied in character. There would bt creat rushes when' thq men came over on leavfr. Hotels, accommodation places, hutments. etc., tilled up very quickly, and it often became an acute problom as to where accommodation could bo got for the men. The Y.M.C.A. ambulancos were plaood at tho disposal of tlio patrols 'by that organisation, and ihe men wou'.d bo taken off in 40's and 50's, to those' accommodation places which wore too far off for them to walk to. . Tho patrols ' would be askeel for advice of all kinds, and sometimes the work had an exceedingly pathotic sido to it, for the men would be so glad to meet women from their own country that many hearMolieart talks resulted. Miss Spencer thought that too much had been mado of that sido of affairs whore men had taken 100 much to drink or wore getting into bad company. • Naturally, working as they did late at night, tho seamy sido of life presented itself, but rlio ccnsidsrod tluit tho readings with whicli the' men responded to suggestions and offers of assistance was reinarkatt.o. Undoubtedly there was scopo for women patrols in civilian life. *• The quality that Miss Spencer considered eeseutial for the work wero courage, resource, tact, sympathy, and: lnrgc-heartedness. Girls, as well as men, were tho objects of tho patrols' attention and care, and both wore made to feel that they wero their friends, and wero ready to help ihc-m'at all times.. In such a work us theirs tho well-being of the men could not bo -".ie only thing to receive attention. That of'the girls and women was equally essential. The problem of the women of the street was largely an economic one. Touching upon the Now Zealand soldiers, Miss> Spencer' upheld the good opinions that had been expressed about them from so many sources. Un-. fortunately, tlvs fact hn-'f to be recog* nised and provided for,' that many men were coming back to the Dominion with ' lowered moral standards. It was the indubitable consequence of war. Tlio wounds to the moral aspect of afo were greater than tho physical destruction that had resulted, said Miss Spencer. Women who became patrols must bo yerv spec:ally fitted for tho work; if possible they must bo women of cducatiun and they must have ldeaM and a real desire for social, service. They also liad to bo trained, and there was a great deal to bo learned. In all cases; concerning women and childi-cm held in the courts, they should ~,be there, and they should learn how to take evidenos and should know court procedure. She considered they shauld wear uniform. The distinction, between police women and women patrols, Miss Spencer thought a very fine ono. The policewoman was not a counterpart of the policeman—she was a preventive force, not a punitive C Miss Spencer was warmly thanked for her' address.

Traininn the Cljild. T'ho lectures of . Dr. Maria Montossori in London have revived the debate which was set Koing when, not long before the war a few enthusiasts made known tlie methods and results of the ren. 0 J Children's Houses in Romo, stales a writer in tl.e "Daily News." Dr. Montossori's main idea, oi encouraging tho child to learn bv doing things for himself and choosing his own way, is as old as tl o earliest of tho K reat educators. Its creat modem exponent was Pcstalozzinot, as many peonle seem to think, t Jj rocbel of the kindergarten., The mischief of the Montessori boom is that a lot ot rood folk, fascinated by a strong personality and never having heard that thero is such a thing as a science of teaching, mill in with an ambition to start all education anew, They would be astonished to learn that every teacher worth his or her salt knows a heap more about the princiale than the amateur Montessorir.ii is likely to pick np.