SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8360, 21 February 1913, Page 5

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Mies B. Miles is’on a. visit to Palmerston North. ■Mrs Hollis left yesterday for England by the Corinthic. Mass Clyde Hood, of Greymouth, is on a visit to Wellington. Mr and Miss T. W. Stewart, of Melbourne, are staying at the Empire Hotel. Mrs Bimie returned on Wednesday from a . trip to Australia. ' Mrs and Miss Bollcston, of Dunedin, are paying visits in the North Island. Mr and Mrs Baker are visiting Mr and Mrs J. Cairney, in. Greymouth. Mrs G. Kebbell has returned to Taranaki from a visit to Wellington. Mies Peacock, Auckland, is the guest of Mrs Simpson, on the Terrace. . Mr and Mrs Gerald Fitzgerald have returned from a visit to Auckland. Mrs Bendall and family, who have been holiday making at Lyall Bay, have returned to Palmerston North. Miss Hindmarsh is on a visit to the West Coast, as tho guest of Mrs J. C. Gittos. Mr and Mrs T. J. Ledingham have returned to. Melbourne from their visit to Taupo and Auckland. ' Among! the passengers on the same boat were .the Hon. Alexander Brown, of Maitland, New South Wales, and his eon Mr Bussell Brown. The engagement is announced of Miss Vera Bamford. of Nelson, to Mr John Hauron, of the Eastern Extension Company's staff, at Gable Bay. _ Miss Grotta Wood, of Christchurch, passed through Wellington last-week on her way to New Plymouth, where she is tho guest of her aunt, Mrs Wood. Miss Nan Hooke, of Auckland, who has beeh visiting England, arrived in Melbourne by the E-M-S.' Otway, and before returning to New Zealand, will stay with Mrs T. J. Dedingham at “Montacute," St; Hilda. Melbourne. The special',committee appointed by the French Government to investigate the workings of woman suffrage in the various countries and States where it has been adopted has just submitted a favourable report, and recommended its adoption in France. 'FUmish women, who are already regarded by the voteless in England as beings who have much to be grateful for, have, from possession of the vote passed to further recognition still, viz,, ecclesiastic, A new Church Daw Commission there has recently decided that a certain number of eoceleeiastical poets shall be opened to .women, who may be now, for Instance, elected lay , readers, and given various administrative positions. The woman suffrage movement in Persia is said to bo gaining ground. In the city of Teheran tnere is a branch with a membership of several hundred women. Confirmation of tho spirit of revolt which is springing np among the women of the harem against the established order of things will be given at the Congress of International woman Suffrage Alliance at Budapest, when the first Persian woman suffrage delegate will read a report to the delegates from all countries. The Archdnchess Eleanore, eldest daughter of the Archduke and Archduchess Harl Stephan, became engaged i nthe oourst of September last, as the result of a mutual affection extending over several years;* to Naval lieutenant Alfons von Kioss, with the knowledge of the Emperor and the consent of hor parents. Tho Archduchess has of her own accord renounced all rights , and claims ■to which she may bo entitled. The marriage was to take place very privately at tho end of January. A pretty but quiet wedding took place at St. Mary’s Uhurch, New Plymouth, when Miss E. Dennis was married to Mr R. D. T. Hoskin, third eon of Mr J. Hoskin. The bride was dressed in a pretty white voile dress, trimmed with lace; she also wore a pretty white hat. Her bridesmaid was Miss Olivo Hoskin (sister of the 'bridegroom). She wore a champagne-coloured silk dress, and a black and white hat. The best man was Mr W. Hoskin, the bridegroom’s cousin. The reception was held at the of Mrs L. Keith. Mr and Mrs Hoskin left for the south. The bride wore a pretty blue costume and hat to match. Miss Susie Vaughan appeared as Marguerite’s designing and coquettish old companion, Martha, in "Faust," at His Majesty’s, Sydney, for the last time on Saturday evening, February Bth, as she is going to England shortly. Tho audience warmly applauded the popular actress, one of the most talented, versatile, and reliable actresses Australia has seen, in fact; and at the end of the performance lovely flowers in many quaint devices were presented to her. In reeponai to the cheering, Miss Vaughan made a short speech, thanking the audience for their appreciation, and expressing regret that she was leaving therm all. A silver cardcase, with monogram engraved, was presented behind the scenes to Mias Vaughan from the girls in the “Ben Hur" performance, the piece .put on before "Faust." In that piece Mies Vaughan took the part of Ben Hur’s suffering mother. That indefatigable traveller, "Mary Gaunt," is soiling for China in a few weeks for a year’s tour in tho Far East. The scheme has arisen out of a snggee-

tiou of Dr Morrison, who is convinced that there are secrets in China which an intelligent Englishwoman might penetrate. As for “Mary Gaunt" herself, she says that on the whole she feels safer in a strange country than in London. "I have been run over twice in London; yet I passed through West Africa without the least injury." She has determined not to attempt to learn Chinese, and will rely upon interpreters. But she will assiduously practice with a revolver during the weeks which remain before her departure. For the rest. “Mary Gaunt’ is taking plenty of clothes, no special food, a medicine chest, a sleeping bag, with an eiderdown quilt and ground sheet, and a mosquito curtain. It is the intention of the Victorian Ministry to ask the various religions denominations to nominate representatives to be appointed to an advisory committee, which is to help the Immigration Department by assisting in tho employment, reception, and accommodation of female immigrants. Speaking on the matter Mrs Pearce (the president of the Young Women’s Christian Association), who has formulated most of the chargee against the department which have appeared, said that a good many months ago an offer was made to the Ministry to form such a committee, 60 as to help tho State in tho work which confronted it. The offer was refused, and they were practically told that the Immigration Department was quite capable of looking after its own affairs. Now, however, the Ministry seemed to have come round to their way of thinking. A committee such os was proposed would (be rather a cumbersome affair, but if it acted in an advisory capacity, and the Ministry was prepared to really seriously consider what it put forward, then a great deal of good might be done. The marriage of Mias Eleanor Brigham. daughter of the late Mr J. MBrigham. Auckland, to Mr Herbert o. Reed, M.A., of Exeter. England, took place at St. Mary's Cathedral Church last Saturday afternoon. The service was performed by the Rev. Mr Hawkins, and Dr Thomas presided at the organ. The hrtjde, who was given aWay by her brother, Mr Sylvester Brigham, wore ivory ducheese satin, the square court train' being coered with silk Maltese lace caught at one side with a large silk lily. Her bridal veil was worn over a wreath of orange blossoms. Four little girls attended as bridesmaids, namely, the Misses Mavis, Marion and Hettie Brigham (nieces of the bride), and little Miss Freda Shaw. They wore pretty frocks of white lace, with pink and blue sashes, and wreaths of forget-me-nots and pink rosebuds. They carried posies of pint rosebuds tied with ribbon and wore turquoise brooches, the gift of the bridegroom. A reception was held at "La Gloria," the residence -of Mrs Weetman (aunt of the bride), after which Mr and Mrs Reed left on their honeymoon by motor, the famous AVaitomo Caves being included in their trip. Their future home wiU bo in England. A movement which started in Germany a couple of years ago, and spread to Saxony and Switzerland, has been such a conspicuous success in every way that it would be interesting to see it in other places as well. This is what is known os the House Sisters Society. The pupils consist of gentlewomen only, who must put in at least a year’s study at tho Sister School, au institution where many different branches of work for women are excellently taught, at very moderate fees, before being allowed to consider themselves trained members. The scheme was set afoot to meet the great question of scarcity, of domestic labour, and numbers of , well-bred girls have been found willing? to go out as servants under the.;humane conditions that the society insists on. namely, that they always be permitted towear the becoming nurse-like uniform (of a cheerful brown) of the society, be always addressed by their Christian name prefixed by “Stater," and be considered as much as possible a member of the family; also, that mutual notice of six weeks be given, a fortnight’s clear holiday a year granted, one afternoon a -week, and every other Sunday from four o’clock. For her part the Sister is expected always to be tactful, refined and conscien.isly devoted to her employer’s interests. And salaries in Germany, for these magnificent institutions, range only from 30s to 55s per month l