WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 214, 8 March 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.")

NOTES FROM LONDON A WOMAN MEDICO. London, January 20. Dr. Agnes Oswald Iras been appointed assistant schools medical officer for the Colchester district, in Essex. A SINGULAR DISTINCTION. Attention has been drawn this week to the fact that Mrs. Henry Fawcett, the celebrated suffrage leader, widow of the late Postmaster-General, and mother of the lady who, had the law permitted it, would have enjoyed the honor of being acclaimed Senior Wrangler at Cambridge, is the only living person whose portrait has been admitted to the National Portrait Gallery. The portrait group of the late Henry Fawcett and his wife is by Ford Madox Brown, and was bequeathed by Sir Charles Dilke. It has been accepted by the authorities, in spite of the rule that no portrait of any living person, except Royalty, can be added to the exhibition. WOMEN EMIGRANTS WANTED. Contributions are being urgently asked for by the British Women's Emigration Association since the news that the contract for 10,000 uniforms cannot be carried out in New Zealand foT lack of machinists has become known. One New Zealand firm is offering to advance ; £lO on loan as passage money, but the Association point out in their appeal that many women are averse to burdening themselves at the outset of a new career with a debt. A sub-committee has been specially formed to bring this new aspect of industrinl work before women artisans. A WOMAN MINISTER.

The Rev. Mabel M. Irwin was the speaker at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Eugenics Education Society, when she chose as her subject, "American Methods of. Introducing Eugenis Ideas into Elementary Schools." THE NEEDS OF FARM WOMEN.

A movement which doubtless a good many New Zealand \Tomen would like to see copied was' set going in Colorado recently, and known as "the first international congress of farm women." It was orgapised by a woman, for the purpose of bringing women together to talk over much-needed methods of lightening womeu's labor in the home, the newest ideas on house equipment, the undesirability of having chicken-houses, uncovered wells, etc., too near the homestead; dairying and poultry-keeping; the care and food of young children; recreation for young 'praple in rural communities, etc. Hints were given- on beautifying rooijip, beds, etc.; on food valued, artistic chairs.j tables and othef 'furoihire.j system in:j labor; iiprsihg!"mental andj spiritual rest J chiihjh a, ml school lift—in' short, on. pra«tit jijrj .'inbjecl'' that, affects the fiomp life, ajid' ao ,the national', life, of.country CiJJfzenS. t?' '7

Suggesting: thft ; tlj,e might be'} tried in New Zealand—(ls this a eorupjir j ment to the pvpgrtssivti-. element so dp- j parent in the; Dos&wlony: or merely a pro-f posal for' the| .cpnvenipnccj ttf the British Empire at large?—a writer, J. A. Field;, in the Eugeiiictj-He-vielw! fori January, h'ai the following; affn^ios' 1 ' crfr an ' unugtffil. n^ea^ure'"now ibef&re fthevSWiss authferi- 7 tie's: —"The'.liflfa ia l that'every' pe»Sofi, before marfyirt|r„shorfl'd !r bfc v coifap'elfed T)v' law to undergo')* 'feedictit 'fexamifiation. The poblic have'<J>een ! afco«'stbmcd : for' many years past fo submit AVitfioiit com' plaint to examiiiftiiohi "By-doctors wh'ert taking out life insurance 'policies, and' 1 he examinations now proposed would not be one whit more irksome than that. The doctors would give each person examined a certificate setting out his or her general physical, condition. . . .

The examination'would be perfectly private and confidential. , The certificate would be issued, and the person receiving it would then do sis he or she thought fit with it. Onb in the lawj might, however, 'j»e.'.-maie .with aivaiitage, and that 'woulji be to provide- that where one party to. a proposed marriage refused to shoV fchii. certificate to the other, pajrlj:, no,a«tkin for breach of promise utoujd He,., . • A LADrY -COUN-GILMR.

It is announced this w«ek that Dr. ■Mary Strangeman, a-practising physician and president of a branch of the Women's Franchise League, has been elected to a seat on the Waterford Corporation. She is the. first lady to sit as a member of that body. ANOTHER. 'LADY Mrs. Creighton, widow of the late Lord Bishop of London, has'been appointed a Commissioner' 1 foK»flW-'-H.dniinistration of the new Insufahefe AH. WOMAN ■ENTER'.-'

An entertaining ajid quite unique volume of- doggerel'i&i:a l'hynied guide to the stars written by. a woman astronomer, Miss Agues ®ry. ■ The simplest, for instance,.;cWUd liiirdly fail to commit this .easilj-j tdjurcmofy :i .. First, let the learner note the Pole And star that marks it; round it roll Eight constellations seen on high Whenever darkness takes the sky, etc., the whofe ■' starry kingdom being crystallised for readers 1 in the same interesting fashion; THE LITTLE. WORD "OBEY."

Widespread , publicity has been given by all the London papers to a marriage celebrated on Saturday at the Chapel Royal, Savoy, that is now known as the "Obey Wedding." Two well-known suffragists were, the principals, Mr. Victor Duval, the bridegroom, having silffered imprisonment for his devotion,, to the. cause of votes for women. Miss Eva Dugdale, -the bride, has for long been associated with the W.S.P.U. As being altogether at war with suffragist views on the equality and comradeship of man and woman, it was desired that the word "obey" should be deleted from the marriage service, and this the Rev. Hugh Chapman, the vicar of the Chapel Royal, and a well-known advocate of "the cause," agreed should be—a course that numbers of New Zealand brides will know to be no new departure, as at least one New Zealand clergyman of the writer's acquaintance, incumbent of *, large church, generally asks the bride whether she specially wishes it inserted among her vows. On Saturday, however, thero

was a hitch at the last, the reason being that, owing to the fact that the bride coines of a very well-known family, and that she and her groom have both been prominently before the public as suffragists, considerable prominence lias been given to the wedding and the proposed alteration of the form of words. Before the service began the Rev. Hugh Chapman, who officiated, made the following statement:—■

I wish to state that, owing to the publicity given to it by the Press. J have been compelled at the last moment to take advice as to the legality of a wedding with the omission of certain words which may not commend themselves to those concerned. Having been informed that the omission of these words is sufficient to render its validity at least doubtful, more especially in a Royal Chapel, which belongs exclusively to the King, we have agreed among ourselves to read the service throughout, as an act of loyal-

ty to his Majesty. We sincerely hope that before lojig there may be an amended form of service, which shall gender it possible for Christian people to receive the blessing of the Church without hurt to their susceptibilities, and, as wo believe, in the true spirit of tire gospel of Christ.

An innovation that did take place, however, was thai the bride, escorted up the aisle by her father, was not "given away" by him.