THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 260, 7 December 1914, Page 4

THE SOCIAL ROUND

Mrs Stafford (Napier) is visiting her mother, Mrs Tripp, Orari, Canterbury. Canon and Mrs. Burton, of this city, « who have been holidaying in England, are now on their way back to New Zealand, and hope to be back in ChHscehurcli for Christmas. Mrs Newenham, who has boon visiting friends in Nelson, returned to Christchurch last week. Professor and Mrs Eankine Brown, who Lave been staying at Kenilworth, Wellington, Hanmer at the end of the v week. Mr and Mrs Hume and their little daughter arrived in Christchurch from Wellington yesterday, and are staying at Warner's. Mr Owen, who, with Miss Owen, came to Christchurch from Dunedin on Friday, lias returned to the South. Miss Owen is remaining in Canterbm*y, visiting friends. Mrs Arthur, wife of the CommodoreEngineer of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co., Ltd., was the only saloon passenger - to arrive in Wellington from London by the Mainari on Friday. She returned to Wellington to visit her mother, whose .health has not been good for some time. v Miss Dolly Castles, so well-kficwn in musical comedy, was a passenger on the Mamari, which arrived in New Zealand t > towards the end of last week. She is on : her way to Melbourne, to take up the girl role in Cinderella, after an absence of seven years from Australia. Miss Lucy Cowan, who lias been conducting classes for the study of elocution in Timaru during the winter months, gave a successful entertainment in the Clioral Hall at that centre on Thursday night, in aid of the Britain and Belgium Relief , Fund. Miss Cowan herself recited " The Pay," " The Fighting Temeraire,'' and • ' 4 Soldier,, My Soldier," her pupils supplying the balance of the entertainment, which included scenes from Shakespearean plays. Miss. Helen F. Barnes, national secretary of the Young Woman's Christian Association for Australasia, is planning , to spend two months in New Zealand, in the coming year. Her programme will include • camp conferences of five to seven days each, for Wellington and Christchurch, and for Dunedin and Invercargill. The Wellington and Christchurch conference camp will take .place about the middle of February, the . #ite not yet having been fixed. Last year, it will be remembered, the conference was held at Diamond Harbour, and was attended by delegates from all the branches of- the association in New Zealand. j .Yesterday a large number of • visitors |>aid a visit to Nazareth Souse, and were shown over the institution by the Sisters. The admirable system on which this huge charitable organisation, which provides not; only for homeless children, but for old people who are destitute of their own as well, drew forth the most admiring comments from, the visitors. . Nazareth House* as well as all other charitable organisations, has felt the pinch of hard times through the war, and the Sisters are making every effort and every sacrifice so that they will be able to go on ■with their fine, work as in times of peace. It is to be hoped that the coneert to-mor-,'row evening will be so well patronised " v jthat. they will be in some measure compensated for the falling-off of financial

help in other ways. An excellent programme is arranged, Lady Clifford being president of tlie Concert Committee, and Miss N. Hay ward organiser. A good stbry of what the Boy Scouts are doing in England was told in a recent London contemporary. It seems a reservoir which was being' watched by some Boy Scouts was visited by the Town Clerk and three other municipal Magnates. On. arriving the visitors saw no one, and for a moment imagined the Scouts had got a bit slack and gone home. They were, however, soon to be enlightened, for quite suddenly up jumped a small Scout from his hiding place among the bracken, and confronting' the men, said: "I must trouble you to tell me your business Jiere. ? ' Quite seriously they replied: *' But. suppose we won't tell you.'' '' Then yon must come along with me, 5 ' was the """"tepHv.-—"But suppose we won't come?" again queried the town clerk. Without replying the boy promptly blew a whistle, with the result that half-a-dozen more Scouts quickly appeared on the scene from different hiding-places, one of whom recognised the visitors, so nothing more exciting happened. But it shows how well these boys are doing »the work entrusted to them. With such keenly-alert guards, Gentian spies would not likely liave much chance of tampering with the reservoirs. "TJVs Weekly" has an interesting page devoted to queries from people who desire friends and correspondence. It is fraught with tragedy, and yet has humorous features. For instance, a gentleman, aged 42, cultured, Bohemian temperament, jseoks correspondence and friendship with broad-minded Londoners, and an Edinburgh mart of 23, lonely in '' digs.,'' seeks friends and correspondence of either sex. A lonely Cheshire lady desires correspondents not under 40, so as, probably, to elim-

inate the idea of any ulterior motive, and an Irishman of broad outlook, fond of ancient literature and outdoor life, whose college friends are scattered, yearns for cheery, 1 ' human'' letters. A Scotswoman of 32, interested in books, and life's quieter pleasures, desires to meet a companion of similar taste, and a young gentlewoman, lonely through loss of friends and uncongenial companionship, would be glad-to hear from others similarly situated. She stipulates the age from 25 to :>5, but does not mention sex. However, she is exacting, for she demands refinement, intelligence, ami sympathy, and roundly declares she has no use for suffragettes, victims of extreme fashion, or dowdies. Most pathetic is the wail of two young business men, "victims of life's solitude," who pant for congenial correspondents, while a young bachelor makes a very vivid similar appeal, urging he is "bored stiff." A sincere note is struck l.y a lady, a book illustVator, whose occupation is lost owing to the war, and who wants a position, her present outlook being very dark. The loneliness of London is emphasised in this column. The "Ladies' Field" lias a helpful article on work for the troops, and especially makes a point of the heelless sock, which is much favoured by soldiers, having no seams to irritate the foot on marches, and having the valuable quality

of being reversible, for the wearfer can turn it back to the front when the original heel is rubbed or thin. It may be imagined these socks are uncomfortable, but it is not so. A man experimented the other day, and found that the heel was made naturally by the foot, and that the sock was quite easy. He utilised for his experiment the upper part of an old pair of golf stockings, and this shows another use these hitherto despised articles might be put to, as well as the little bloomers that should prove so comforting to little Belgian sans-eulottes. A pattern for this heelless sock is extremely simple, being merely a long bag, ribbed at the top, and narrowed and cast off at the foot. • It is much simpler and quicker than the ordinary sock.

Another medical comfort being made by Englishwomen is the bed-shirt that is made ik two parts, open down the entire front and back, along each shoulder, and the outside of each sleeve. All these parts are tied with tapes, so that in helpless or surgical cases the garments are excellent. Soft white twill or Scotch wincey is .fine for these. Flannelette is strongly condemned, being dangerous.