WOMEN IN PRINT.

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 55, 6 March 1916, Page 9

WOMEN IN PRINT.

Seven large cases were packed at the Town Hall last week, so the Packing Committee of the Mayoress's Countess of Liverpool Fund had a very busy time. Three cases were of private parcels sent to be forwarded. The others contained socks, balaclaA-as, mufflers, etc., and all are intended for men on active seiwice. Two smaller cases of good magazines and periodicals were packed and sent to the men of the 10th Reinforcements. Some of the socks had to bo purchased, but it is hoped that a supply of hand-knitted ones Avill soon be sent in.

A meeting of the Women's Social and Political League will take place to-mor-row eA-ening at 8 o'clock in the Socialist Hall, Manners-street. As the business is of special importance, members are particularly requested to attend the- meeting.

A very interesting account of the Empire Nurses' E-ed Cross Club and of the opening ceremony -comes from Egypt There are hundreds ot military nurses and voluntary aid Avorkers in Cairo, and the club has been inaugurated by residents there as a mark of appreciation of their good Avork The premises generously devoted to the club by Arakah Bey Nub'ar are well suited to the purpose, being near 'the principal thoroughfares, and yet surrounded by a largo and we.H-laid-out garden The house is very large, AA-ith wide verandahs and porticos o\'er)ooking the palms and trees, stretches of beautiful turf and a good tennis court —the garden alone will be a rest and refreshment to the nurses. The reception rooms on the ground floor are of great size and height, and 'there is a particularly fine entrance hall. Parquet floors, marble mantelpieces, and crystal chandeliers are mentioned, also some beautiful pieces of ancient furniture, screens, etc., Avhich are mingled with all that is most- comfortable in modern arrangements. One of the anterooms has been arranged as a tea-room, and at present this is the only meal to be served The members are to have unrestricted use of the rooms, and are at liberty to entertain their friends there, which will greatly add to the pleasure of the club. The reading and writing rooms are very large and beautifully furnished. The upper floor of the house is not used at present, except by the resident secretary and housekeeper, but it is likely that the rooms will be furnished as bedrooms, etc., for the temporary, use of members. General Sir John Maxwell opened the club, and after thanking Arakah Bey Nubar for the loan of the line house and garden, and others for their help in furnishing and equipment, he mentioned the great sorrow and tragedy -which had overwhelmed everybody connected with the club, in the appalling fat-j AA'hich had overtaken Miss Hughes, the appointed resident secretary, during her A-oyage in the ill-fated Persia. Sir John Maxwell also spoke of the fine donation of £100 given by the Sultan to the club, and of the monthly subscription of £40, offered by the British and ether Red Cross societies for as iong a time as the club ay.is not self-supporting. Lady Victoria Hicks-Beach has undertaken the duties of resident secretary Amongst the guests present at the opening ceremony were Prince Alexander of Battenberg, the Bishop of Jerusalem, Lady Godley, atid a great number of nurses and voluntary aid workers, all of Avhoni were entering their names gladly as members of such an excellent club

The lion, treasurer of the Soldiers' Room Fund acknowledges the following donations:—Koputaroa Patriotic Sendoff Committee (per Mr. G. H Butler), £5 ; Mrs. Johnstone .■(Melbourne), Mrs. Joseph Earle, and . Mrs. Sinclair, 10s each. Monthly subscriptions : Christchurch Liverpool Patriotic Fund, £5; Timaru ladies, £2; "F.L.Y.," £2 (tAvo months) ; Mrs. Brandon, £2 (two months) . Fairlie ladies, Mrs. T Ward, Mrs. F. R. Chapman, "M.A.C.," Mrs. W. Ferguson, Mrs. E. Anderson (two months). Mrs. Miles (tw» months), and Mrs. Mirams (two months), £1 each; Mrs. Coleridge, 10s ; Miss Jenkyns, 5s ; and "A Friend," 2s 6d. The comhiit.tee is also grateful for the following donations: —Case of jam, from Mrs. F. E. Tonks; cask of ginger ale, from tho Butchers' Association ; bound copies of Scientific American, Mrs. _W J. Lankshear; three cases of fruit, Department of Agriculture; contributions to supper, Garrett and Co.

The wedding took place at the Catholic Church, Upper Hutt. on Friday, of Sergeant-Major J. B. Thomas, of the Permanent Staff, Featherston Camp, and Miss Olive Young, daughter of Mrs. J Young, Upper Hutt The bride Avore a white silk costume and small pink hat. The bridesmaid was Miss Lyndia Young, avlio wore a blue costume and tete de negre hat. Lieut. Alister Thomson, of the 10th Reinforcements, Avas best man. The bride travelled in a gaberdine costume and black hat, with touches of blue.

The workers at the Red Cross shop in Woodward-street have every reason to be- well pleased with the result of their Aveek-end sale. Tn addition to the shop, a particularly tasteful stall was erected at the Bank of New Zealand corner (by voluntary work on the part of Messrs. R. Flan and W. Dobson), where' sweets, fruits, and cigarettes Avere sold. This \vas in charge of Mrs. F. E. Ostler, assisted by Misses Peat, Devine, Turner, Scott, and Mrs. M. Scott, and the sales at the two establishments resulted in the satisfactory sum of £55. The promoters wish to thank the following firms for their donations : Messrs. Townsond and Paul, Hawkes Bay Fruit Company, C. M. Banks, Ltd., C. Smith, George and Kersley, Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., Pascall and Co. Ellis and Manton, and also all the friends who brought gifts lo the Woodward-street shop._ The workers in Nathan's Buildings will be more busy than ever, with such a good response to their appeal for funds, and it is satisfactory to know that their bales of Red Cross goods and comforts leave here regularly and often.

About a hundred guests assembled at the Catholic Hostel, Thompson-street, on Saturday evening, and spen' a very pleasant time at progressive euchre, at Avhich Mrs. J. Phelau, Misees Hugh and Greig, and Mr. Cahill Avere the successful prize-winners. Supper was followed by a short dance. The piano fund,. for which the function Avas held, was further augmented by a cheque from the Misses Kennedy

Mrs. Fitchett accompanies Dr. Fitchett on a trip to Napier, leaving Wellington to-day.

Mrs. John Barton and 'Mrs. Purely, jun., arc staying at the Hotel Cecil this Aveek.

The V.M.C.A. ladies' auxiliary Triangle depot continues to be a success. The ladies in charge for the last week-end did very good business, and the sum originally hoped for (£10) has been more than realised each week. Tho committee Avislies to thank all friends who so kindlysent contributions.

Mrs. Louis Smith, 01 Sayes Court, Aurora-terrace, is giving ah afternoon party for returned soldiers on Wednesday, and hopes that'those Avho are stay-

ing in Wellington will attend. It is not possible to send individual invitations, as the addresses often change.

Quite 50 per cent, of the Avomen of England have become Avage-eamers, says a Avriter in the London Daily Tele: graph. Their entrance into the industrial world has afforded them wider scope for their talents and has brordit with it, as a matter of course, a raised standard of expenditure. In the industrial centres this is eA-ident in their improved clothing. Gone is imitation, the feebly-expressed craving to look like Avomen of fashion. The business girl, the employees of great firms Avhere hundreds are engaged in daily routine concerned Avith manufactured goods, have all altered in appearance. It is possible that the neat uniform Avorn by so many has had something to do Avith con vincing the worker that sho looks her best when plainly clad. It is more probable that the girl always possessed inherent taste, but she did not have the means to carry it out. In hats, perhaps, more than in any other part of the costume, is improvement obvious. There is 110 trace of the beplumed.and.bedraggled headgear of even a year ago. Neatness is paramount, well-dressed hair being surmounted by a simple, but serviceable, hat, with little or no trimming. Furthermore, with the raised standard of clothing there has come a decided demand for good, Avatertight boots, a matter of so much importance to the health of the workers. Over 90 per cent, of girls Avorking in the industrial centres have been buying clothing ; but they have not as a rule squandered money on finery. Taking it all'in all, authorities are of opinion that the outlay has been made on increased comfort and a better selection of useful Avork-a-day articles. The worker feels that if, by her own industry, she improves her status, she is entitled to acquire that Avhicli makes for her own satisfaction. Many influences are at work : the efforts of those Avho guide club members and girls belonging to other organisations are beginnfiig'to be felt. Ideas of thrift are spreading. It is not a thrift, however, thai- has been imposed; it is the result of clearer thinking and of a more educated outlook. However small may be the Avcekly Avages, there are women Avho are courageously denying themselves the trifles at one time looked upon as necessary, so that they may place a little sum in their special saving centre. _ In a Club for Soldiers and Sailors' Wives, some 200 Avomen are putting aside .30s to 40s every week against the time tvhen a better opportunity of using the money will arise. Women belonging to a Teetotallers' Club had £100 at Christmas to divide amongst a membership of 150. The money had been carefully and gradually put away week by week in sma.il amounts

Water in overwhelming quantity usually forms the basis of English soup or stew of those in modest circumstances. But why the stock-pot should bo regarded as the exclusive property of tho well-to-do is not easily explained, especially now that pots of French earthenware are so very cheap, and so easily kept in order. Paterfamilias may, of course, be allowed his chop or cutlet Avith bone attached, but when serving children it is more frugal to put all bones aside for stock Crusts of bread, baked and finely crushed, help to thicken soup. Remains of cold potato, scraps of cabbage, cauliflower, or other vegetable, unSAveetened rice or macaroni, bread sauce or other savoury sauce, no matter how small in quantity, are all' consigned to the thick soup or steAv by the thrifty French housewife. And Avhy not? Such economy is commendable. Though probably most English seiwants would deem such use of scraps the extreme limit of meanness, even in times of scarcity.