HERE AND THERE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1932, Page 11

HERE AND THERE

District Nursing Guild. A very happy time was spent by many people owing. to tho kind exertions of tho Sisters,of ttie. District Nursing Guild of St. John". They supplied' 65 families with good Christmas dinners, including lamb, potatoes, peas, and the usual pudding, while nearly all patients received gifts of clothing and toys, Ayero^distributed: to the. children. The Sisters feel t , that, as they personally, visit.the'home's of thb-people, they are"in a position, to know just what is wanted, and~ prevent any overlapping. They wish to thank the following for donations:—Mrs. Charles Carter, £5; W.H.C., £2; Lady Myers, Mrs. Shirteliffo, Wellington Suburban Nursing Division, £1 Is each;- Mrs. Christie, "Friend," Mrs. Young,' Miss Young, Mrs. Osborn, Mrs. Macdonald Wilson, Mrs. -Lett Blundell, Mrs. Brownlee, £,1 each;- Mrs. C. Ji Donaldson, Mrs. E. Luke, Mrs./ Stace, . Mrs. McSac, 10s each; Miss Henderson, Mrs. Illingworth, 5s each; per Mrs. Lissack, 4s. "Zonta." A rather, remarkable- association among women, which is gaining favour ir America, Canada, and some European countries, is named "Zonta," an Indian word meaning ."trustworthy." The slogan o£> the members is "iFair, Square, Everytime, Everywhere," and is one that can be well recommended'to women in general for tho New Year. Miss Bathie Stewart, who recently returned from a world tour, brought the news of tho: formation ■of this association,, themembers of which in' several places found great interest in hearing of New Zealand. They gaye-her a copy of their prayer, which is used'at all meetings, and which brings .before people a very fine ideal of life. Tho prayer is as follows:—"Keep ns, O God, from pettiness. Let us bo large in thought, word, and deedj let us bo dono with faultfinding and leave off self-seeking; may wo put away all fpretence and meet each other face to face without selfpity and without prejudice. May we never bo hasty in judgment and always generous. Let us -take time for all things j ( make us grow calm,< serene, gentle;'teach us to put into action, our better i/rpulses, straightforward and unafraid. Grant that we may realise that it is tho little 'things that cieate differences, that, in tho big things of life we ere'at one. And may we strive to touch and to knowthe great woman's heart of us all, and oh, Lord God, let us not forget to be kind. New Y.W.C.A. General Secretary. Miss Jean Stevenson, tho newly-ap-pointed national, genera) secictary of the v Y.W.C.A. of New Zealand, was welcomed by tho members of the executive committee on her ariival from Melbourno last week. Afternoon tea was sorved, and those present were Dr Sylv ia Chapman, Mrs. H. D. Bennett, Mrs. Ernest Dawsou, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs nr t ->?° arSOn MiSS C- BLrks > MlSiiiteh, Miss Ella Pair, Mis. Carmichael, Miss Leila Bridgeman, Miss Jean McKenzie, Miss N. Batham, and Miss P. Konayne. Dr. Chapman (president) welcomed Miss Stevenson on behalf tff the executive, and said how much the various branches of tho Y.W C A in Kew Zealand were looking .forward to having, Miss Stov«nson working with them. Miss Stevenson, who is a New v Cw ar° *"' has had wido experience in X.W.O.A. work in America and in New Zealand, and latterly in Australia, *rl™.^ gcneial sceietaiy of the X.W.C.A. m Melbourne for five years. Some Hat News. What will follow tho "bowler" is a question many women are asking justnow (slates the "Manchester Guardian ). The answer would beem to be according to a clever milliner who showed the bowler long before it was actually taken up, tho "top hat." .This is not literally a top hat, but that type of crown known as "the square crown" is shown frequently with a nanow flat brim, the crown itself being quite soft and as shallow as it can possibly be. This shape, with curled hair below and many flat loops or flat bows to give interest to the- back, is really sugges-

tivn of a tailored version of Dresden chiua softened and modernised. Other small hats of the Glcngauy typo are draped to suggest the lines of .half a Rugby football,; finished;■ with flat rosettes of gathered velvet at the- back to hide untidy hair. The tricorno is also shown, at its smallest, and also made with a wide high brim in front which is easier to wear than the usual neat fitting. Quite new are the little shaving brush upstanding mounts of badger, gooso, or cross osprey which seem to have quite supplanted the temporarily revived ostrich plume. The colours are emerald green, royal blue, many shades 01 copper, mulberry, lilac, and a new cubtlc brown called seaweed. The materials arc beaver, ' satin brown, plush felt, and chiffon taupe. Golden Wedding. Mr. and Mrs. P. S. Wiutcombe, New J Irmoutli, celebiated their golden wodcling on Monday with a pleasant fam^ ily gathering (states the "Taranaki Herald"). Mr. Whitcombe married Misa Marian Winall, at Kiilgsland Church, Herefordshire, in ISSI, the Rev. William Bradley officiating. After farming for six years at Pembridge, England, Mr. Whitcombe left for New Zealand, going first to Auckland. Then the couple came to Tataraimaka, where Mr. Whitcombe managed ."Vavasour's farm for the National Bank, after which he farmed a property at Awakino for two years. Next he was appointed manager of the Bell Block factory, a position he held for threo years. In 1889, Mr. Whitcombe was appointed secretary to the Taranaki Education Board, a position he wns to hold for 22$ years. All the children of Mr. and Mrs. Whitcombe were present at the anniversary gathering, including Mr. H. W. Whitcombe (New Plymouth), Mr. Percy B. Whitcombe (Christchurch), Mr. Geoffrey Whitcombe (New Plymouth), Miss Eileen . Whitcombe (New Plymouth), and Mrs. Kenipthorne (Nelson). Croquet Club Function. In spite of bad weather, the members of the Newtown- Croquet Club had a thoroughly enjoyable time on New Year's Day. Departing from their usual custom, they had invited their husbands to participate in tho games arranged for the day. It had been into'nded to serve luncheon out of doors, but this being impossible, the large pavilion and social hallof ithe Newtdwn Bowling Club were placed at the disposal of the ladies (by courtesy of the 'Bowling Club). Captain Peterson, father of the president, was accorded the chief seat, and in happy vein emphasised the good fellowship that existed between the croquet players and the bowlers, and thanked the ladios for their invitation. The pudding was served according to Scottish custom, and as it contained many surprises there were no disappointments. Among thoso seated at the table were Mrs. Mitchinson, Mrs. Remington', Mrs. R. J. Brown (Dunedin), and several of the older members of the Bowling Club. At the conclusion of . the repast, Mr. Stephenson, at the request of Miss Potersen, returned thanks, on behalf of the croquet players, for the kindly sentiments conveyed in Captain Petersen's remarks. The table being cleared, games of cards were played, at the conclusion of which, the,weather having brightened, an - adjournment was made to the greeu and the competitions proceeded with. Tho prize-winners were Mrs. Press (cards), Miss Mitchinson (golf), Mrs. L'Estrange (French), Mrs. Press and Mrs; Stephenson;(hurry scurry). , _ ._ Slump in Marriages.' '-"" "->'-- The woist marriage slump in London since "the war is being experienced both in churches and in register offices. The issuo of licences and certificates has dropped during the past two months by more than 50 per cent., states a Londoner. "Turo marriages a. week by licence and three by certificate hasljeen the experience of West End registrars during September and October," one of them said lately. "At this time of the year we are usually busy—but to-day ■vve are doing nothing. The slump will create a Tecord. , There is also another record —the huge number of cancellations which intended brides and bride-, grooms are^ making. Licences and cer-' tificates ar© being cancelled wiolesale, more than 1000 in various offices having been so treated during these two months." At Doctors' Commons an ecclesiastical registrar said that it was actually becoming an'unusual sight to see persons taking out marriage licences. Of Royal Descent. Captain Henry Abel Smith, who married Lady May Cambridge,, is not the first member of his family to lead to the altar a brido of Koyal descent (states an English writer). la the middla of the eighteenth century Sii George Smith, Bar*,., eldest son of Abe! Smith, banker, of East Stoke, Notts, married the grand-daughter'of Prince Rupert, cavalier aid fine Royalist. Today the Smith, baronetcy has become thatoor£ r Bromley-Wilson". The family are very proud of their descent, and they possess many relics of Prince Rupert and his daughter, Rupovta, mother of Sir George Smith's wife. Several unusual gifts were among the fivo hundred wedding presents. Two Japanese trees were sent by the" Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and both Lady Elizabeth Coke and Lady Edward Spencer Churchill chose Chinese trees. Tweeds and travelling shawls were numerous, while from the Dean of Windsor, there was a brown plaid and a print of King Edward. A Russian bell-push came from Sir Harold and Lady Zia Wernhcr and a quartz bellpush from the Hon. Mrs. Claude Hawker. A particularly romantic gift was an antique bronze frame containing a lock of the hair of Mary Queen of Scots.