SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 39, 10 November 1919, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

The trustees of the Convalescent Home met ut Mrs. W. Long's last week. . Present wen;: Jlrs. Moorhousc (in the chair), Mesoames J. Joseph, Watkins, .W. YomiK. mid Miss Ifcivcourt (lion, treasurer). Tho matron reported that twelve natients were admitted during the month and eleven discharged. A donation of ,£1 was received from Alr.-s. Hotheram. Owing to the inoreaso:! «ost of living, tho trustees have reluctantly been compelled to raise, temporarily, the charge of 25s.'per week. Patients nominated , by tho hospital or by subscribers will still bo admitted for two weeks free of charge; At Hie recent Congregational Church (Cambridge Terrace) sale of work a sura rif over >£2{IO was taken. Miss Dora Murch, one of the. New Zealand Voluntary Sisterhood, who lives at Wnnpimii, has. accepted a. position in the Wuiwikurau Military lfyspital, which has just been erected by ,the Govermncnt. Jliss Clara Rogers left for the south ou Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Lancelot. Hitchings are leaving by the Niagara for Englnnd.via Vancouver and New York. . ,; Mis 3 Nellie Quinlan is leaving Wellington to take up' a position in Auckland. As a parting sift Miss Quinlan was presented with ii gold-mounted fountain pen, tho sift of her fellow-workers iii the D.I.C The matron of the Featherston Military Hospital acknowledges the undermentioned gifts received for the benefit of soldier patients in this hospital: Wellington Ked Cross Society, daily. papers, cigarettes and tobacco, 'cakos, two cases pineapples; Salvation Army, daily supply of cream and handkerchiefs; Mrs. Moore, cakes; Mrs. Tropp, 1 case of jam; Mrs. Yule, eggs; Cartprton Dance Committee, cakes; Mrs. Elgar. cakes and (lowers; Mnrtinlwrougli branch Farmers' Union, seed cake; Mrr. Martin, flowers; Mrs. W. liidwill, pastry; Feildinj? Ladies' Committee, knitted waistcoats; Mrs. Kagley, 1 bottle of wine;. Mrs. W. Hume, flowers; Miss Sullivan, flowers; Mrs. Qninton JJonahl, old linen; St. John Ambulance Committee, gift of -EIU for patients' comfort)). \ The marriage took place on Wednesday, at the Miller Memorial Church, Napier, of Mr. William Wilson Hendry, eecoiul. son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hendryi •of Masterton,-to Miss Agnes Kead Hodge, youngest daughter of the liev. and! Mrs. A. Hodge, of Napier. Miss Harriet Hodgo and Miss Catherine Ball wero bridesmaids. Air. Druce Morrison, of Wellington, was best man, and Mr. 1 , . Hodge groomsman. On Wednesday evening a handsome memorial brass, erected in St. Andrew's ChurclC Epsom, Auckland, by members of the Epsom Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, in memory of the late Miss Evelyn Clifton Firth, their lady superintendent,, who died of influenza contracted while nursing the Maoris and Earotongans at Narrow Neck Camp, .was Unveiled by the Right Kcv. Dr. Averill, Uishop of Auck-1 land. ' ■ J Mrs. Carrick (Mastcrton) came to Wellington last week to meet her brother, Captain Kennedy, M.C., D.5.0., who was returning by the i'aparoa. The wedding took place, in- St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Devonport, last week,'of Miss Helen Stewart, daughter of tho late. Eev. ~U. .Stewart, of. Grey?, mouth, and neico of the liev. and Mrs. J/'iSudd;•■•to- the Kov. James , Alexander [Thompson, who recently returned -lronf tlio War and was chaplain' o.a the Cordoba on' lier .way out to New Zealand. The liev. Mr. Build, assisted by the liny. Mr. Black, of Dargaville, a former fel-low-student of the bridegroom, periormcd the ceremony: Miss Jessie Stewart itwin sister of the bride) and the Misses Jean and Bessie Budil were bridesmaids. I Tho best man was the Eev. Mr. Thorneon Macky, and the groomsman • Mr. John Mackenzie; LL.B., both returned soldiers. The brides-room's record M; tho war is an interesting one. When it broke out he was a'divinity student in Dunedin and immediately enlisted as an' ambulance worker, spent three months, at tinllipoli, afterwards serving throughout the war, first in Egypt and later in France, rendering splendid service-at tile dressing stations. After hostilities ceased, he finished his divinity course at Glasgow University, when as a recog- j nition for his splendid service in tho field he was appointed chaplain to tko Forces, the only New Zoalander who attained that position who had not lelt New Zealand as a clerygman. . The street, sale, organised by the Plnnket Society in aid of their funds, realised over'.£3oo. ■U a meeting of the Auckland Technical College Old Gins' Club, the girls were introduced to New Zealand writers in a lecture given by Jliss B. Lynch, M.A.. of the Epsom Girls' Grammar -School. The. "Star" says it was a sur-. prise to her ■audience that there had been s>o much written, and of such a classical nature,-by mou and women of oijr own country. The lecturer regretted that more selections from New Zealand writings did not appear in our school readers. Headings from the works of Jessie Maekay, B. E. Biuifhan, and S. .M'Kenzie were thoroughly enjoyed by members of the club. Nurse Maude, of Christcliurch, whose fine work in matters touching upon public health lias made her known to many people outside of Christcliurch, was taken suddenly'ill'last week, and was removed to a private hospital, where slip was operated upon for appendicitis. She w.is reported to be progressing as well as could he expected. Mr. and Mrs. W. Allen, w;ho are tourin,l; this country in the interests of the Society -of Friends, are at present in Auckland. Mrs. E. I?.. Pemberton-Pigott, of AsBam, India, arrived in Auckland by the Niagara last week with her children. They intend spending about six months in New Zealand before- returning to the Last. Lady Clifford, and Miss IF. Clifford returned to Christcliurch last week from a visit to Wellington and the north. Many members of tho Police and Detective Forces attended the funeral of the late Mrs. Black, wife of Detective li, G. Tliat'k, which took place on Saturday. Many wreaths were received, including one from the taxi-drivers of tho Featherston and Brandon Streets: stands, who also in token of their sympathy provided two cars for the use of tho police at the funeral. Miss Louise Mnclc has a lengthy list of books to her credit as novelist, poetess, and travel writer. "An Australian Girl in London" was translated into ten lniijjun'ises. published '!5y Fisher Unwin, who published also her war bonk, "The Ex- | wrieimes of a Woman in the Great ! War." Other works by Miss Mack are i "The Tionuincc of a Woman of Thirty,'" "The Music Maker?." "In n White Palace," "Thr. Ilnus* of Daffodils," "Attraction," "The Ked Rcse of a Summer," "Wife to I'ete'r," "Dreams in Flower" (volume of poems published by the Sydney "Bulletin" in her I'irlhood in A\\"ti'iilin\ "Teens." and "Girls Together." placed by the Australian Government in .nil their' schools in (he Comimmwcnltli. Miss Muck is Mrs. Creed in private life, tho widow of an Hntrlish barrister. Her home is in Adelphi Terrace, London, where, overlooking the Thames, she hud us neighbours the Bernard tfhaws and J. M. Barrie. The monllilv meeting of Hie W.ellim.'lon Free Kinderairten Cnunc.il was h-ld Inst wenl; nt Taraimki Street. Mrs. Gill was in the chair. It was decided in hold Ibe graduation nnrtv in the Masonic Hall I Ihi-' i-c.'ir. The (I'i'ps wei" l arranged lor I he Chrisimni parties at the v.iri.)i'« l;indrraarlnn*. - Mis= UHe.v would be trliid lo hear of any girls intending to lake <ip kindergarten work next year.

Missionary Conference. 'Methodist Women's Missionary Union Conference tinned is meetings on Thm-sday "t Blcnhoi.n, the devotional meeting at 10 a.m. hems led by MrsPinfold. The union agenda was diseased and notices of motion read. A ~ap"cr 1 v Mis. Harris on home mission work in the backblocks was greatly enoved. In the evening Mrs Thompson's address, "Reminiscences- ot• n•' Holid.ij Visitto Fiji," was given before a good ' U (Jn el Fridav the sessions were still;continued. Tho delegates; meeting at 10 a.m. was led by Miss lurk, and the election of executive officers took place. I lie results were ats follow Mrs. Pinfold; lion. sec., Mrs. Newman; assist-ant-secretary, Mrs, Hills; hon. treasurer, Mrs. Read. Votes of thanks wero worded the executive officers and the hosts and hostesses, the local auxiliaries, Revs W. A. Sinclair and Greenslade, Mie Mayor,, and the deputy-Mayor. .In the afternoon, a well-arranged garden party was given by.Mi-s.. Parker, and a profitable: ajid enjoyable conference closed in glorious Marlborough weather.-. Women's National Reserve. ' Last week. Miss Buxton, of the Kolburn branch of the Women's National lieserve, gave a "gift''tea" at her home in Kclbiirn for the residential nursery the W.N.R. is establishing at Newtown for tho care of children whoso mothers are in hospital or ill. In spite of the hud weather, which might have excused many guests from attending , , a number of mos* useful gifts were received. Keen interest was shown in the, movement, and a most enjoyable afternoon was spent. Domestic Helpers, The Mothers' Kelp Division in Wellington may find it interesting to leant that much the same system of, household service is being tried in America as.that on which they arc at present working here, and it is being found satisfactory. There are, of course, differences between the two systems, one being that tho workers in America are not employed by any organisation as they are in AVellington, but are absolutely independent, or rather, unattached. They go into the home for eight hours a day, sometimes for less, as may be arranged. They come and go at elated hours; they bring their own luncheons, for tho eating of which time is set apart; and they expect to work faithfully and efficiently for the period that they are on duty. For th« very reason that, after hours, these women are free, they cannot reasonably expect to earn and save which tho ordinary servants could under the old system. There is always a give-and-take in every path. These women may not earn largo salaries (these, of course, would vary in different places and conditions), but they gain in independence and in. their self-respecting attitude towards their work. Some of these women ■have been doing war work, and, .being no longer needed there, they are still ''telrous of earning something. As for tho mistress's gains: At first thought it would seem that she pays more under tho new system than .under the old. There is sure to be a saving in food and fuel, besides a very real, if tangible, saving in the wear and tear on tho household furnishings, the use of , water, lights, etc., incurred by the lodging of workers under the old method; but the greatest gain for the housekeeper is in the higher grade of worker find, the mors intelligent service which she brings. It must k> remembered that the. class of worker under the, new'system will presumably .be of quite a different order from the class with which mistresses have usually dealt. Too Easy- Marriage, ■.-;•. The, increase of bigamous marriages is causing.grave-concern, and thci'o is a groiying disposition to treat bigamy ns a venial offence. Sir Bernard, Mallet, the RegistrarGeneral, has declared that the marriage, laws of England afford less dccurity against bigamy than those of ahuout any other civilised State. His Department has prepared proposals for theh amendment, but' , nothing has Veon done to carry them into effect. A new Act of Parliament is necessary, and he suggests, as it preliminary, a small joint committee >o investigate the hr-sl Method of securing accurate information before a marriage either in a church, chapel, or registry office. . It. is thought that the ejratem of tho •French Civil Code, winch requires from both parties recent copfts of their birth certificates and the charging of the registrar with the 'luty of endorsing any I previous marriages on tho certificates, is too elaborate. At present in. England It is nobody's business to test the accuracy of statements made to a parish cleric before the banns are read. ■Why not, it is asked, make it necessary'to go through the same formalities before a marriage in church as before a marriage in the registry office? And why not tighten the practice in botli cases ? For a marriage by license u is required that both parties niaKe solemn declarations that they know of no impediment to their union, that they have resided for 15 days in the district, and ■that they aro not minors (or thnr, if they are. the- consent of their fruardiniis I'M been obtained). But no solemn declaration is rcquiied for such Material particulars as name, condition as to marriage age, ..rank. and*(hvellinß-n)ac°. Furthernwe, the ppnnilies for fnlso fitniements arc those which follow a conrid ion for perjury—a complicated and difficult procedure. It was also pointed .oitf .that the Jaw only requires of a wilncss'-o a marriage his* presence, and thai if the contracting parties do not tako friend;- with them, the. only alternative to calling in somebody on tho premise? is to get somebody from the sWt who nplit never be found again.—"Daily Mail."