WOMAN’S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 3, 28 September 1921, Page 2

WOMAN’S WORLD.

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAR

(By

Imogen.)

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL A good entertainment may bo looked for in tho Concert Chamber of the Town Hall this evening, when Miss Ngaire Dewsbury and her pupils. Miss Helen Gard’ner and pupils, Mr. Goudie and other well-know® and popular people will provide a varied and excellently-ar-ranged programme. The proceeds are for the W.N.11. residential nursery, the upkeep of which requires a considerable amount of money, as it is always full. It is hoped that as many people as possible will buy tickets, and attend the entertainment.

An "at homo” arranged by the president and members of tho Wellington branch of tho Women’s National Council will bo held in the Pioneer Club on Friday evening for visiting delegates to the council's Dominion conference, which takes place this week. There passed away at Inglewood during the past week ono of the oldest native-born settlers of early Now Zealand, Mrs. James Ellis, who was bom at Akaroa in 1843. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. Kennedy, had arrived 1 in New Zealand three years earlier, and her father’s name became well known, in Canterbury in connection with Kennedy’s Bush, on the Port Hills between Christchurch and Lyttelton. Mrs. Ellis, who went to Inglewood about twenty years ago, and became well known and esteemed in that part of Taranaki, is survived by her two sons and a daugh-ter—-Mr. Austin Ellis, of New Plymouth; Mr. Jarnos Ellis, of Awakino; and Mrs. Foster, of Taumarunui. Mesdamcs A. Sullivan (Mangamahu, Wanganui), A. ! Streeter (Canterbury), and It’. Curran •Te Aroha) are sisters of the deceased lady, and Messrs. James and Fred Kennedy, of Stratford and To Aroha respectively, are brothers. Miss Doris Guise is arranging to give a children’s ball in the large Town Hall in November, in aid of the funds of Mother Mary Joseph Aubert’s homes. Miss Guise has already been promised liberal assistance by several ladies, who have each undertaken to provide supper tables for twenty children. In the sewing and fancy work classes at tho Wairarapa Show this year exhibits that have previously been awarded a first prize at the Wairarapa Show are not eligible to compete in tho ordinary classes, but may be entered in a special class. This is a new departure, and it Is anticipated that it will toncourage many ladies to exhibit their handiwork who otherwise would not care to compete against work that had been awarded many prizes. Miss Gertrude Owen has been appointed national general secretary of the Y.W.C.A. of Australasia in succession to Miss Snelson, whose term of office expires at the end of the year. Miss Snelson, who has held the position for the allotted , time of three years, did not wish to stand for re-election, and it is a source of great satisfaction that an Australian woman has been appointed her successor. Of the two former secretaries, one (Miss Barnes) was American, and the other (Miss Snelson) English, and it is a tribute to their efficient organisation that an Australian has been found to occupy this important post. Miss Owen, who is a Victorian by birth, was at one time general secretary at Christchurch, after which she was appointed to Adelaide, where she is now serving. i Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Gill (Ellice Street) are leaving on Friday for a visit to ' Auckland and Potorua. They intend being away for about a month. On Saturday evening, at the local school, tho Hataitai Tennis Club and school committee held a very enjoyable dance and card evening. The music was supplied by Mr. Dean, and extras were played by Mrs. Searle, Misses Harris, and Halliday. The eupper was arranged by Mrs. Ardell, and Mr. E. Cunliffe acted as M.C. The prizes for cards were won by Mesdamea Searle and Plimmer and Messrs. Bailey and Balstone. The proceeds are to assist in renovating the school tennis court. Discussing the football match (soccer) between the Canterbury and-Wellington girls’ teams, the Christchurch "Press” states that many who went out to the match to scoff, remained to praise, and the opinion was freely expressed l that as it was played on Saturday soccer is a more suitable game for girls than hockey. Dr. Maud Fere and others who took a prominent part in organising girls’ football, were delighted with Saturday’s result. It seems certain that girls’ football has come to stay. Many people will hear with deep regret of the death of Miss Eileen Webster, only daughter of Mr. D. J. Webster (manager of the Featherston branch of the Bank of New Zealand) and Mrs. Webster, which followed an operation for appendicitis, states an exchange. A girl of strong character and great generosity, an expert horsewoman, and an indefatigable worker for any charitable cause, she was a great favourite wherever she went, but more especially ip! Kaikoura, where her father was stationed during the war, and where she and her mother did much towards providing comforts for the men in the trenches. Miss M. Jamieson has returned to Christchurch from a visit to Wellington and the north. Mrs. Holmes Warren (Featherston) and daughter, Mrs. A. Martin, have been spending a few days with. Mrs. R. H. Rhodes, Bluecliffs, Timard. A pleasant afternoon was spent at tho Girls’ Friendly Society Lodge, in Vivian Street, on the occasion of the visit of Her Excellency Lady Jellicoe, who was met at the ga'te by the president (Mrs. Sprott), tho hon. diocesan secretary and hon. diocesan treasurer, and the hon. secretary of the Lodge Committee. The lady superintendent (Miss Gleeson) and two of tho residents of the lodge met Her Excellency at the door, and presented her with a beautiful bouquet arranged by themselves, consisting of purple tulips and other flowers of the same colour. The lodge was gay with flowers, and Her Excellency was conducted over the establishment and expressed her appreciath n of bright, sunny rooms. Afterwards Lady Jellicoo met tho associates in tho lodge room, which was decorated with spring flowers and flowering shrubs. Hero tea was served and photographs of former presidents, hanging on the walls, and mementoes of wives of form er Governors were pointed out to Her Excellency. At the council meeting that preceded the afternoon it was decided to change tho name of the I.odgo Extension Fund to the New Lodge Fund. Already this fund is well start-, cd, and socials land others steps to raise money will be considered in the near future. In tho meantime tho lodge is quite full. Three Now Zealand teachers who have been sight-seeing together in London are Miss Leslie F. Stewart, of Maori Hili, Dunedin, Miss Edith M. Hind, of 'Wellington, and Miss Maude Harper, of tho Normal School, Auckland. They speak very appreciatively of the Canadian teachers’ touring party, with whom they spent some time. Miss Harper will sail from Vancouver for Now Zealand on October S. On August 8 Miss Stewart left for a seven-mouths’ visit to Faris, and the. same day Miss Hind loft for Cnwiida for a year’s sojourn there.

Of great interest to thp musical world will be the announcement of the engageinont of Miss Elsie Black (flautist), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Black, of Bay Hoad, North Sydney, with Mr. Jack Garrett, third son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Garrett, of Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand (states an Australian exchange). Mr. Garrett served as lieutenant with the 33rd Battalion, and was mentioned in dispatches. Miss Black also hails from New Zealand. All tho members of her family are musicians; her sister, Miss Nellie Black, is known beyond the Commonwealth as a clever violinist. The Christian Endeavour societies connected with various churches have decided to hold a social evening in the Baptist Church schoolroom, Vivian Street. The object is to raise funds to aissist the sociial work of tho local branch of the British and Foreign Sailors’ Society For a considerable time there has been a much greater expense connected with, this branch of tho work, and as there is little hope of much improvement amongst shipping, the condition of things will become more acute. Miss Hickey (the convener) and her band of helpers are hoping, with the assistance of the various Bible classes and friends, through this means to raise a subtantial sum. A recent cable message published in the Sydney “Sun" stated that Rosina Buckman has had a highly successful season. After participating in the Hereford oratorio production of Dvorak’s Stabart Mater she is booked for Powell’s celebrity concerts in all the principal cities, and for Chappell’s ballad concerts. She has accepted the principal part in the French opera, “Arianne et Barbe Bleu,” at the La Scala Theatre nt Milan in April. It will bo tho first production of the opera in Italy, ' although it is well known in Paris. Convalescent Home for Horses. Sydney newspapers record the opening of a convalescent home for horses nt Little Bay recently. Some time ago tne Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals decided that such a home was necessary, and eventually succeeded in obtaining a fen-years’ lease of Government land, 12 acres in area, which appeared to be suitable in every way for the purpose. The soft, sandy nature of the soil, the ample supply of city water, and the abundant shade from the indigenous trees should make it a splendid haven of rest for the horses that are sent there. A largo amount of voluntary work has been done in clearing bracken, erecting fences and buildings, cultivating an area of ground, building a dam, and in other directions. The buildings so far erected comprise a comfortable cottage for the caretaker (a returned soldier), and a row of stalls, eight in number, with a hospital at one end and a feedroom at the other. Three of the stalls have been endowed. A horse ambulance has been presented by the committee of the ladies’ organisation. The improvements so far have cost XllOO. There was a large- attendance at the opening Ceremony. With such, a keen national love for tho horse as exists in Australia it is not surprising that such a step as this has been taken. New Marriage Laws of Denmark. In an interview with the "Social Demokraten,” the Danish Minister of Justice (M. Rytter) broadly outlined a Marriage Law Amendment Bill, which he proposes to introduce next session. The main features seem to be freedom of choice as to whether the marriage ceremony shall bo civil or' ecclesiastical, against the present regulations which only allow a civil ceremony when one of the parties is not attached to the Danish Church, or when they belong to different denominations. Parties seeking divorce will be allowed to choose whether the divorce shall be by the law courts -or as at present by the Minister of Justice. Tho present immediate divorce can be granted on the grounds of dishonourable action or unfaithfulness, and in the latter case permission to remarry immediately may be granted provided the marriage is not with the corespondent in the case. Divorces on the ground of temperamental differences will bo continued, and the period to elapso before remarriage will be reduced from three years to eighteen months. Before marriage is allowed, both parties must provide medical certificates as to venereal diseases, epilepsy, and certain other complaints. Certain alterations are proposed as to the degrees of cons#£uinity within which marriage may take place. For instance, the young widow of an aged husband will bo permitted to con-, tract marriage with her deceased hus-' band’s eon. while the anomaly will be removed which exists under the present law that while a woman can marry her deceased husband’s brother, a man cannot marry his deceased brother’s wife, or the divorced wife of his brother. Under tho new law the same permission will apply to both sexes. Miss Rosemary Rees.

Miss Rosemary Rees, the English actress of Gisborne origin, has concluded arrangements to present H. H. Davies’s clever comedy “The Mollusc" at the Grand Opera House for five nights. This comedy has never been staged in Wellington, and yet critics have placed it high in the list of plays by the author of “Cousin Kate,’’ and throughout the South Island it hns been very well received. Miss Rees left her home in Gisborne when a minor, and’ has lived and played In England for tho greater part of the time since then. On one occasion she played in “A Message From' Mars” with the Allan Hamilton Company throughout New Zealand, and was associated with Mr. Matheson Lang in Australia. At Home she has had ten of her own-plays produced, and has act-’ ed with many managements in many places. On one occasion she played opposite Mr. Julius Knight in London,’ and was “behind the lines", during the war with Miss Lena Ashwell’s company. It is Miss Rees’s ambition to present good plays in New Zealand, and given ’ the necessary encouragement, site intends to feed that ambition. "The Mollusc” should prove a good start.