WOMEN IN PRINT.

The attendance at the Returned Soldiers' Club last evening, on the occasion of a farewell to Captain Donald Sim son, was, as might be expected, very large and enthusiastic in doing honour to a man who has accomplished so much in forwarding the interests of returned men. The greater part of the evening was taken up in dancing, most inspiring music being played by members of the club. {During an interval Mr. Harper, the new president of the club, presented Captain Simson with a gold badge, of the same design .as that worn by tho members, which .is to be followed later on by an illuminated address. Tlio Mayor °I Wellington, in a very happy speech, commended the work Captain Sinison had done, and invited all present to take part in the. farewell arranged at the Town Hall on Monday afternoon. Mr. A. P. Whatman and' Mr. Hugh Morrison, of Masterton, and." Mr. Snod^ grass, of Nelson, all interested supporters of the club, were present, and, at the request of Mr. Luke, .made, short speeches, expressing their kind feelings towards the guest of honour, and appro: ciation of his work. In returning thank? for the presentation made to him, Captain Simson spoke of the difficulties which had been surmounted,, and thanked* all those who had given such valu? able assistance with, the old club ancj the new one. He mentioned the work of the ladies in particular, and hoped that they would continue to help, and that the club would meet with "liberal support. from the citizens and friends outside as, well.. The excellent and conf i tinuous work of the Mayoress (Mis. J. P. Luke), not only for returned soldiers, but those, who were in training here, and the sick and well men at the front, was greatly appreciated by members of the club, and Captain Simson handed Mr. Luke a handsomely-framed picture of the. Anzac Beach, as a token of their appreciation aiid admiration. Another presentation was that of a silver coffee service.* given, to Mr. Mansfield, a meiUT ber who had taken a keen interest in the club, and who was. soon to be married. During the various speeches' cheers were given, with musical honours, for eacli speaker, Capt. Simson getting a specia} ovation. Supper was served downstairs, set on. ni^ny snoall tables which, have lately been,given to the club. Lady Gihbes provided the flowers and super: intended the decorations, which were in excellent taste. Tlie chaperons present werre Mesdanws C. Earle, A. Gray, Ward, and Fox, and among those pro: sent, were Mesdajnes H. Morrison, H. Kirkcaldie, Mea4pwcroft, M. Smithy and njany others. "...

On Tuesday evening the Wellington Nursing Divisiqn of the St. John Ambulance. Overseas held their annual inspection. Mr. H. fi. Sped, assistant com-: missioner, inspected * the diyision.

A meeting took place yesterday of tha Women's Committee of the British Red Cross Order, of: St. John, when, in the absence of Mrs. Luke, Mrs. W. Nathan presided, elt was stated that the sum of £10 had been received front the Stratford Red Cross Branch, and £10 from the Kelburn Ladies' Presbyterian Guild. This amount of £20. iv all, with £5Q from the Wellington Women's Committee/ is to be set aside for the .purchase of meat extract for forwarding to England for the men in/hospitals. Another sum of £50 was voted by the committee to purchase therewith the regulation ward suit? for the men in hospitals. This was done because it was not known out here what material or what shade of blue, was used in making these suits, and the aim of the hospital authorities is to keep these ward suits alike in both these details, as well as in the. make. It was reported that during- the month of August 9450 garments and 22.905 bandages and surgical dressings had been sent away from the depot at Mer-. cfer-s.treet in, different directions where they were, required.

An attractive musical programme was. tendered to Mr. and Mrs. T. Black, of the Hotel Bristol, on Wednesday evening. Tlie String Quartette (Miss E, Russell and Mr: Clarke, violins; Mr. Hil-. liker, 'cello; Mr. King, piano) played tlie overture. Songs were very successfully rendered by Mrs. Black (" Slumber Sea"), Mr. Black ("Annie Laurie"), Miss Omerod ("I'll'Sing Thee Songs of Arabv " and " My Little Grey Home '") Mr. 'Melvin ("Parted"), Cpl. r>ilk» ("Love's Serenade"). Mr. Hilliker played some 'cella solos very artistically; Mr. Clarke gave a very fine rendering of Bach's "Air on the. G String," followed by "Auld Robin Grey"; Miss Russell and Mr. Clarke played a violin duo, Tpur's " Symphonique " ; Miss E. Russell, violin, gave a pleasing mterpre-. tation of Dvorak's " Humoreske," and a vocal.duet, "Watchman, What of the Night!" was given by Messrs. Clarke and Melvin Eucores were numerous, and a dainty supper was served, ,Mr. Clarke, during the .evening,- made complimentary references to Mr. and Mrs. Black, and thanked -those who had assisted with the programme.

Miss Wylie returns to-morrow *om a visit to Napier and Hastings.

Miss Clarke Johnson returned from Hawkes Bay this week.

Mrs. W. Kennedy is paying a visit to Wanganui.

Mrs, Trimnell is visiting Christchurch.

Mr. Tom M'Lamie and his wjfe (Miss Beatrice Nicholls), two members of the American stage, who. have jfist completed an engagement, with J. C- Williamson, Ltd., in Australia, came across from Sydney on Monday last on their way to America.

A concert party (taken by the official visitor, Mrs. Schoch) visited tho Pprirua Mental Hospital on Tuesday. Among the performers were Mesdames Wiggs, Gardiner,, King/and Carlton, Misses Martin, Marjorie Wiggs, King, Gibson, and Wiggs (2), and Messrs. Feelaii and Carlton. The concert was most successful, and every item was much appreciated by the patients.

In order to augment the -funds of the Red Cross Society, the ladies of the Marine and Inspection of Machinery Department organised and held a private dance in the Wellington Naval Boating Society's Rooms last evening. The da-nee was a great success socially, and after all expenses were paid the sum of £4 10s lias been handed over to the Red Cross Society _ for the benefit of our wounded, soldiers. The committee desires to thank the pianist (Mr. Andrew Williams) for his excellent rendering of the dance music, and' all thoso who in any way contributed to the success of the function.

The treasurer of' the Women's AntiGerman League acknowledges a donation of £50 from. Mr. G. P. Donnelly, Hawkes Bay, also 9s from Miss Lucliie, from Hastings branch.

The Kelburn branch of the War Victims' Relief. Committee has a' box nearly ready for 'despatch, and will welcome contributions of new garments, or sound and useful ones that have been worn. The need among our Allies particularly will be very great this winter; The help we send is distributed most wisely by the Society of Friends. The Colonial Carrying Company kindly collects any parcels and forwards the box to England. Parcels should bo sent- to Mrs. F. Barclay, 12, Upland-road]• Kelburn.

The Petone Fire Brigade held 'its annual "social" and dance on Wednesday and in spite of the unfavourable weather thero was a large number of guests present. The prizes awarded in the progressive euchre tournament were as follow : Ladies: —Miss Parrnnt Ist, Miss, O'Donnell "booby"; gentlemen—Lieutenant Young Ist, Mr. P. Taylor ',' booby." The following contributed items: Messrs. Medhurst, J v Campbell, and Isaacs. Mr, Head presided at the piano. "" ' -->■'"

A Sydney lady doctor writes of the British %*! Cross Eest-House on Boulogne Station :-—" They have a corner of the station which is roughly, marked ou,t, by barricades of packing cases, into four parts,.. There is a kitchen, an e-ating room, a store room, and a sort of office. There is not one piece of real furniture, but the whole is so. sparklingly" clean and cosy and neat. The three girls on the night ' shift' ware as pretty as pinks, and the quartermaster, a quiet, keen woman, with a' pleasant voice. I sat in a chair made out of half a barrel, and the others on packing-case chairs, all made very comfortable with backs atr tached. The seats lift up, and give receptacles for stationery, books, or kitchen towels. I was much diverted by the tin mui^s. They lost all their first supply of real mugs, and now they aro made out of condensed milk tins. One of the Red Cross orderlies is a lame man, who, in ordinary times, is a • plumber of Girton College, and he smooths out the tins and puts handles on. them. There are hundreds of clean ones packed in trays, and covered.with a clean clotli waiting for a rush. > Cocoa, is made in bnlk, and is always ready. Coffee and tea are made as required in big, cans. Soup, is always on tap, but ' cocoa and sandwich' is - the. favourite requests Thoi^e are books in shelves all round the room, and they send these out in dozens. The stuff of the ambulance trains come for them and pass them on when read.1 There were parcels waiting to go up on the nest 'leave' train,, taking--hack the daily contingent of returned men.. Some army veterinary men came along fqr drinks—rthen stretcher-hearers and odd soldiers, in twos ancl threes—then, *■<"> ™y j°y. about eight Australians. They were so dusty and so lost. They were gojng to England on 'leaf.' Tl{oy had" coffee served out in big bowls. While I stayed in their ' (lay.' rest room, about, six nurses came in- from tlie Hospitals) in the neighbourhood for a. bath. They pay for a towol and have a' lint bath whenever they can get into Boulogne."

The King and Queen fill ■in any spare hours of their busy lives in visiting th o ' hospitals, says a writer from London tci an Australian paper. For instance, out*, day recently they visited the" new South' African Hospital in Richmond Park. The buildings wero. put up in. fourteen weeks at a, cost. of £38,000. The whole of the cooking, is car-vied out by six women cooks, the ovens, kettles, niilk sterilisers, and soup coppers being heated by gas or electricity to.save labour. The olficer^ are loud in'their-praises of, the women's work. Thoy aye not' always asking for, fatigue ptti-tias. «s, is the' custom with army male cooks. They do every th big, from the cleaning of the windows'to the Scrubbing of the floors. The operating theatre is one of the most, \ip-to elate in the world, and the King a«d Queen spent an hour and a-half* inspecting tho new appointments