TRAVEL CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1937, Page 3

TRAVEL CLUB

VIOLINIST ENTERTAINED

A very well-attended reception to Miss Ruby McDonald, a New Zealand violinist-conductor, recently returned from abroad, was held by the Wellington Travel Club yesterday afternoon.

Mr. G. G. Stewart, who presided, welcomed the visitors, and introduced Miss McDonald as one who had had a good look at both sides of the States. He also announced that the club had almost completed the first year of its existence, and that shortly a birthday party would be held.

Speaking on her ten years' experience in New York as an artist, on travel in California, and on Hollywood film celebrities, Miss McDonald gave many interesting sidelights on her experiences in America. She said that her six weeks' sojourn in the "movie colony" had convinced her that motion picture stars were very normal people, and led normal lives. They had magnificent homes, built on Spanish or Italian lines. The life, nevertheless, was a very hard one.

She set out on her travels with her violin, entirely on her own resources, for London, via New York, but when she reached New York she discovered she had gone far enough in search of artistic experience. In six weeks she had gained a following through letters of introduction, and performed at the hotels and smaller theatres. She had frequently attended at the great Carnegie Hall, the 12,000 seats of which had been filled only by four great artists.

The appearance of Paderes\v.ki there left an indelible impression on her mind. When he entered, the entire audience rose and applauded for 20 minutes—a fine mark of respect and honour to a great statesman' and artist. She attended all three of his recitals. At different times she met Leopold Aver (teacher of Heifeitz), Chaliapin, Scotti, Kachmaninoff, Hoffman, Backhaus, and several others. Among artists she had heard were Kreisler, Szigeti, and Elman. The Metropolitan Opera House, which she frequently attended, was a wonderful place. She met Jeannette Macdonald in a lawyer's office, when the actress was fighting her way up.

During the reception songs were given by Miss Eileen Courtenay, accompanied on the piano by Miss Dorothy Spinks, and piano solos by Mrs. E. A. R. Jones.

The hostesses were Mesdames T. M. Donovan, G. G. Stewart, and Wallis Jackson. Among the visitors were Mesdames Hadfield (New Plymouth), McCallum (Auckland), and Swizer (Auckland), and Misses B. Price (Auckland) and Aselby (Auckland).*

The matron of the Red Cross Hospital, 80 Hobson Street, acknowledges the following gifts received during the month of May:—Oysters. Mr. Leslie; jelly apples, Miss E. Chalmers: eggs, Lady Myers; magazines, Miss Cardy, Miss Nicholls; "Saturday Evening Post," Mrs. Finlayson; bedsocks. Mrs. Newton; periodicals, Mrs. Watts, sen.; "Christian Science Monitors," Second Church of Christ; vegetables, Mr. Barry.