Jottings of a Lady About Town

NZ Truth, Issue 1197, 8 November 1928, Page 19

Jottings of a Lady About Town

Sun and Sports " ' /.'^ THE small, brown-unjfprmed figures 1 of the Wellington'' 'Technical College girls were well to. the fore on the Basin Keserye. last. week,-: -to celebrate the occasion of . their . annual sports. Of course, the lads of the school were there* tooj but the 'brisk shaping o£ the girl athletes was particularly interesting ', „:' r 7, 4 . '„■..,,. Wellington for once 'turrfed up trumps with a sunshiny day> and everybody refreshed herself witiu.Cinan - tities^pf^.leijap'n'aflte. ;and ice-cre^m m betWeeftvspaSms of Vthree-legged racing < and high-jumping. ;v v Two tT^in- sisters ,w:ho are showing real -prbmjs^ as 'athiiltes are Jean and Nbla ' \.~WQ£ton~-iao:» •relations/ of: the famous Ndrma; : but girls from the Hutt :Valley. - C; ,_... v-^':;. ; ,^i ;' "Jean, wjio is^fifteeipyears old; has been.. senibr^cTiam^ionScif;; the girls' sectioit: for three' •Oyears.' Jin Apart from her''si)prts.at the Technical College, she is training hard and fast' outside, ..and.S with her father, to help her on the "way, hopes. one day. to become a candidate for; future Olympiads. Another" girl who" is^making strides— . 'in' eyery''sense---as' a runner, is little Jean ifehajrp.'vsistef of Eleanor Sharp, the provincial runner. Jean has been 'junior champion twice. .' The technical colleges have no-w a, full afternoon every week 'devoted to sports and Miss Booth looks after their A gymnastic classes.if; „^-V ; ; . (But the girls' sjcbach, ;iia.s fafeasthls year's sports are, concerned, has .been Miss -McKelvie, a slim .^oung mistress who looks little more than = a girl herself, and who takes an enthusiastic ... interest, in sports foikwomen m general and- her own pupils m particular.; " ' : '^- -.-.V ■'■■■- ■:■■ -i r ' .;s'v,,«,v/ ; ',; ' The Least of The^e ' Hpl "IIOW rldiciifous ! :iW|iy .pffvearth do . ** you -want a sobiet^; fo?i pr ;i ptecting women and "children "iri : '^hls Country ?" was the question hurled,, at .Lady Stout, ■MrK-^'KrJ'A^kiri^dn'^aiia^^he or two other .public-spirited; women who began:'the" Society j?or' ■'thV'Prptectlon of , Women 'arid Gh"ildren^hvrty-one. years ago m W.eUington... {v. . : s-. r - . ; ' Not only were- these ladies questioned very tartlyj ■ but ttiey : 'found themselves distinctly unpopular among those, gentry who like to say: "This fair land ! " with unctuous satisfaction, never looking for any possible seamy side which" 1 the no doubt fair, but human, .country might .be ..likely' to POSSeSS.^". ..i;:.--;;..v. : .--.'s."'!.i W i-- s ' : -- ; ■' " :■.'. ' ] But It sppn became apparent that the ..' society "was badly : "needed. ; A number ■ of littlff- arid ; ; lieipless' "children', were-'---badly treated, vh'eglected, ■ beaten, starved or denied -cleajtiliness J and proper . clothing. The "seamy side" was there m grim, realty; Married women cainY also, 111-treat'ed • and broken-hearted.. > Girla with affilia-: tion cases, rtfothersf and fathers, wives or husbands who failed to "^et ori"-^ail brought thete burdens to the once-despised and df|souraged society.: -.'■' .:•■..- ; . >:,.;•>:.:■' "*~ : . For many . yeara. the first? committee carried on... with ... voluntary. >'.SverkerSi doing splendid.. things for" poor and puzzled ' pebplei; By; 1 degrees,'- honorary solicitors, ■'■ hoiiorary> J lihysiciafis ; s and energetic • workers ; gathered-.-affound. A glance at. {old ;. .recprdja [ wqyld [cause . wonder . and admifatib'ri,. , Ku.t ■''witb"-. modern times" the work* hq:s" igrbwn yet more ' heavj r , arid "' the ; secretary, Miss C. E. Kirk, J.P., is .a, busy woman indeed, taking no rhe|d for hours and making time foE ; t'hose who are at. work riiost of the day. *:■''■'

, No' None is "sejn.t^ empty away." Expert or legal advice is given when re-' quired, and the society does a big work "of .^r.e'conqiliatlbni^Ss' well as bringing before the eyes of Justice the ;: more alarming cases., .. . v - New teases : ;iast year numbered _ : 248i with, a; long roll ._pf P.ld' ones which either.cameup3.gain or Ka^to be' at^ tended to, with considerable .time and trouble, ■ ;■'■■ : v- ; —;""._ . The visits to the office at 156 WiUi§: Street, Wellington, numbered 2177; the secretary's visits 500; and the correspdriderice included 513 letters receivedand 101^ -letters _ sent out. ' A. regular^ visit^ is paid by the secre-tary-;.tb Palmerstbh- North, while visits to the • ■ ;'.V Qtaki and other . smaller'^platiesVjar^.t-.pecessary. Cases fi;om^M^riborQUg i fl:i/liaj^ialsb been admird^te'red.,.vWorjfcyC^Jlttt|ly confidential : and ; ;^ny. be traced baclc^ to; those . ; 'ii'e"lpe'dj noi^td^Hthe help- . m^w&P^M&M&tji ' ■'■"■'■■ ; It woUld, be «nJair.,..toS^l^v.any ac- V count. of.- ; ,the 'Vsd r eiely/«P^^|c> without mentioning a wprk^r^-who^lrt^Mer seeks me^ti'oh-^the :; vp^e3ideiitii?:^fsi; M. /H. Ch^field;;r'^; : :-/■Mvy^;;>^,v:; !^at.^; ' . :^ ln^^ ; additionvtti i.^er^ Career :'^s. t a joiirnaiistV this lady^arid woman^has absorbed for her ; own sex -and for ;t)is^daj&dren of Ns\^/.'Zea^ft'd,\an'a : -'ha;sV.l?|oiig^t to the .fr.ay,a ; ,-k.eefl : brainipl^Hiy^^&cJ^and.a gracious perßpri^ity^'^^^vsJ|^^