WOMAN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1921, Page 6

WOMAN’S WORLD

PERSONAL. Miss Richmond, who has been the guest of Mrs. McAiley, has returned to Palmerston North.

Mrs. J. Barlthorp is on a short visit to Wanganui. »

Mrs. and Miss Watson, Bulls, are staying with Mrs. John Kelly.

Mrs. Blackley and Miss K. McClelland are visiting Wellington. Miss Rawson has returned from Manutahi.

Mrs. E. S. Bayley, of Wellington, spent a few days here this week.

Miss Aira Rollo left last night for a trip to Auckland. # * * * Mrs. Leo Horrocks, Wanganui, is the guest of her father, Mr. J. H. Q.uilliam.

Mrs. Walter Bayly, who has been visiting Auckland, returned this week. Miss K. Humphries returns to New Plymouth early next week. Mrs. H. Collier is spending a few days in Wanganui. Mrs. A. R. Standish returned yesterday from a trip to Auckland.

Miss Eileen Davies, who has recently returned from England, and who has been the guest of her aunt, Mrs. L. C. Sladden, left on Tuesday for Taihape. Miss Pickin, who has been spending some months witlu Mrs. S. F Burgess, leaves next week to return to her home in Melbourne. Miss Flo Winfield is visiting Hawera. Miss McKellar, who has been on a holiday o Te Arolia and Taupo, returns on Tuesday. Mrs. Hugh Baily was hostess at a bridge party on Friday afternoon, as a farewell for Mrs. Dodgshun.

Mrs. J. E. Wilson. Auckland, is staying with her mother, Mrs. Hamerten, Inglewood.

Miss Abbott. Auckland, is the guest of Mrs, F. H. Blundell. Mrs. and Miss Horner have returned to Patea. Mrs. Standish was hostess at an afternoon at the Victoria League rooms on Friday afternoon. VISITORS IN TOWN. Visitors at the White Hart Hotel this week include: —Miss E. Preston (Sydney), Mrs. Orr Walker (New Plymouth), Mrs. Bignell (Wellington), Miss Grace (Waipukurau), Miss Hankin (Auckland), Mrs. Speechley (Wellington), Mrs. Mathews (Christchurch), Mrs. J. Guncia (Levin), Miss Newman (Wellington), Miss Morris (Chrustchurch), Mrs. Eidson (Te Kuiti), Miss Eidson (Wanganui), Mrs. McLeod (Nelson), Miss Sladen (Sydney), and Mrs. Platte (Blenheim). THE VICTORIA LEAGUE. At the quarterly council meeting held on May 13 it was decided to hold a daffodil fair during the second week of August, when daffodils, spring flowers ami fancy articles will be sold in aid of the league’s funds. The council passed special votes of thanks to Messrs. Snelling and Andrews for receiving and forwarding cases o 5 books to the coast; to Mr. Johnston for forwarded cases over Mt. Messenger; to Messrs. Archibald Bros, for carriage of books via Inglewood; to Mr. Gibson for supply of benzine cases for packing. The generosity of these firms is much appreciated by the league, and is of very great assistance in this particular sphere of the League’s work. This month eight cases have been forwarded to settlers and school children in the backblocks, and they are greatly valued by those receiving them. There is always a need for books, and members are asked to forward books and magazines to the chib room. The council decided to entertain all members and intending members of the junior associates branch at 7.10 p.m. on May 24, Empire Day. Archdeacon Evans will speak on Imperial topics. The rest of the evening will be devoted to games, music and competitions. The programme will be entirely supplied by young folk. In connection with Em j pire Day, in compliance with a request from Mrs. Burgess, president, and Mrs Johns, honorary secretary, Mr. P. J. H. White (chairman of the Education Board), has arranged to have all the schools in the Taranaki district circularised, asking for a recognition of Empire Day by all the children.

Flowers will be sold in the club room every Friday; under the direction of the flower committee. Last week an enjoyable musical tea was held in the Victoria League room, when chrysanthemums and other flowers, kindy provided by Mrs. T. C. List, Mrs. Bremer, and other members were sold in aid of the League funds. Musical items were rendered by Mesdames R. George. Boyd and Johns, and Misses Griffin and Gibson. These musical teas will be held monthly. SAVING THE MOTHERS. Attention was recently drawn to the apparently high rate of maternal mortality “n New Zealand. Writing recently in the Sydney Morning Herald, Dr. A. Watson Munro says:—After the basic sciences of anatomy and physiology, midwifery is the most important in the entire medical currfciilu/n, whether regarded from the civic or the professional point of view. The importance of the life and health of our “best sort of immigrant, the baby,” is incontestable, and does not need discussion. Few women in the community may hope to escape the dangers of child-bearing, and every medical practitioner is continuously being called to the heavy responsibility of managing its emergencies, which are, as doctors know too well, of frequent occurrence and often or terrible consequences. A young country doctor, for instance, far removed from the counsel and support of any colleague, might find himself suddenly x brought face to face with a catastrophe in which two lives, of mother and child, are involved at once. The salary of the teacher of midwifery at Sydney University amounts but to the beggarly sum of £l4O per year it; speaks volumes. At a recent gathering of medical men it was scathingly remarked, in the course

of a discussion on infant mortality, that the country seems to care more for the good health of its cattle than of it? human babes and mothers. There is no chair of midwifery in this the tliirkl largest medical seminary in the Empire, but there is a chair of veterinary sciencq, designed to conserve the well-being of live stock. Any one who has engaged in this branch of medical practice must marvel at the indifference not only of the university authorities but of the general public—more especially the women of the State, otherwise so wide awake on sociological matters—on this vital question. Hero, surely, is a reform worthy to be tackled by all associations of patriotic woknep.