WAR NOTES FOR WOMEN

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 60, 11 March 1915, Page 8

WAR NOTES FOR WOMEN

.{From Our Lady Correspondent.).

LONDON, January 22.

CANADA AND THE EAST END.

"Voluntary helpers have been busy for several days in the East End cutting up and distributing the munificent gifts of food sent over by Canada for the poor of-London. Each parcel, given away contains lib-of cheese (riches to people who buy a pennorth at a time), 71b or 81b of potatoes, a tin of salmon, and a Christmas card bearing the Canadian flag and an appropriate inscription. In addition, the recipients are handed tickets, which can he exchanged for half-a-quartern loaf of bread baked with flour sent over from Canada for the purpose. i ' I GERMAN WOMEN'S IRON GROSS; i A German woman doctor , who has I been driving a motor ambulance has 'been decorated wuth the Iron Cross. I WOMEN AND" LUNACY. The London County Council annual I asylums' report, published thirs week, 'shows that the largest number of cases of lunacy in and around London are found amongst women of no occupation '(outside housework), these being double ;thc number of those exclusively occupied 'in housework (domestic servants), a number also nigh. A GRACEFUL GIFT is to be shortly presented to the Queen of the Belgians by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners in the form- of the original cartoon, "'Unconquerable," which appeared in "Punch" fuiio months back from the pen of the famous cartoonist. Mr. Bernard Partridge.

In this -the Kaiser and the King of the Belgians appear, the former saying triumphantly, '-So you see, you've lost everything,'* to ■ which King Albert replies; "Not my soul." The drawing- was { secured through the generosity of the I Master of the Company, the purchase 1 money going to the Belgian Relief Fund. The drawing is to be. enclosed in an "oak I frame, made-of one. piece, and bearing a suitable inscription. SUFFRAGE IN ICELAND. I Owing to a . constitutional difference having arisen between the Althing and the Danish Cabinet the Bill providing for the enfranchisement of Icelandic women ("which has already successfully ipassed both Houses of Parliament), has, iin common with all bills, been hung up, temporarily it is hoped. [. HISTORY PROPERLY DIGNIFIED. , An example that might well be followed ia English schools is that of' a Polish Saturday school in Whitechapel, where exists a very well organised Polish colony, just now very keenly interested in. the prospects war may open up for their country. From Monday, to Friday. the children go tf> English schools, on : Saturday to this special school, where they are taught the life and history-of Poland. ' HYGIENId CLOTHING FOR POOR '.• .-.An. interesting scheme 7 war? evolvedby 'Mrs. Despard, Jthejdistinguished prsV. sident of the Women's. Suffrage National Aid Corps, in opening "a workroom in Nine Elms, a huge slum .outside London, for the employment of women and girls out of work owing to the war A consultation of mothers was called, and the advantage of more hygienic clothing than the heavy overloading of garments ust-jil in poor quarters was put before them so successfully that the workrooms were set to make outfits (which the present writer has been shown) of a kind not - uncommon amongst thinking people, but altogether novel in Nine Elms. - These tunic dresses or, suits, as the case may be, a pleated skirt on to a warm flannel or flannelette bodice, covered with a plain loose tunic for a little girl, the only difference for! a boy being trousers, still attached to a warm'top. Wincey, art serge, and'similar materials are used for' the garments, and. bright bits of yelvet, silk, or cloth for cuffs,. belts, and collars. ' Arrangements were. then made by which the mothers are allowed to pay for these by small weekly instalments, and- the scheme- has been found to work' admirably. .'■ .. ,- : V •."

" . COURAGEOUS NUNS. 7 . The nuns' of St. Charles, near Nancy, have' sheltered > and nursed more than a thousand- wounded- since August, in spite of being'under heavy fire and in. a deserted town. .-Sister : Julie, the Snjperior, baa been awarded the-Xiogion of Honour, and received a personal message of thanks from T the President of | the Republic.'■ ' 7 j . WOMEN .DOCTORS AT THE \v*AR;. I No less than five. hospitals at the [front are supplied and maintained entirely by women. '■ • .'.■ .■.

THE WOMEN OF KENT? are justifying the legend as to the splendour of "that garden-county whenever England has been in trouble in.the-past. In one small town a woman's committee, assisted by local medical-' men, does practically all the work of the hospital. School teachers, -shop' assistants, housemaids, and charwomen give up a portion of tliefr.-'small leisure for the patriotic call. The wives of men .employed in the factories. devote" part of theu\ morning to the washtu'b at the hospitals, while others overhaul and repair -the clothing of the patients." *rv p*'.- 5 TKNTTTING TRAINS. v ■ Recent "news from Eetrograd states that the Russian Ministry of Communications has' arranged for . cars to be coupled to all long-distance trains, with material for making jerseys, waistcoats,' stockings, and- other warm garments for the troops, so that this can be supplied to lady "passengers who "desire to work during their journey. ' ' .. ; '' i — : FLORENCE NIGHTK*GAI«E. j . The statue of Florence Nightingale has new been erected in' Waterloo Place, the! large Crimean memorial having been moved up the hill a little, to make room for it, the idea of the authorities being j j'to make - Waterloo-Place a symmetrical 'arrangement of Crimean statues.- j

The statue of' Lord Herbert, .-of -Lee, who was" at the War Office during the Crimean War, is to be brought out of .the War Office, quadrangle to balance the new addition. Mr A. G. Walker, the sculptor, has depicted Florence Nightingale, limp. in- hand, - as. she visited - the wounded of the Crimean fields in-those .first days of nursing. , Panels round the statue. give ' views of her work, and ■in one of them she is speaking to a group of modern nurses, her spiritual descendants. r '7,'