WOMEN'S WORLD.

Auckland Star, Issue LVII, 1 March 1926, Page 17

WOMEN'S WORLD.

SOCIAL JOTTINGS. Miss S. Henderson and Miss G. Buddie have gone to Omiha, Waiheke for a month's holiday. Miss Watt, of Wanganui, is staying with her sister, Mrs. Marsack, Omahu Eoad, Remuera. Mrs. H. M. Marler and Miss Ivy Gregory have left on a motor tour of the°North Island. Miss M. E. King, of Auckland, accom-Da-nied by the Misses Babbage, of Sydney, is travelling on the Riviera, writes a correspondent from Monte Carlo. Mr. and Mrs. John Hardley and Miss Ethel Hardley, of Remuera, are leaving by the Niagara on an extended visit to Sydney and Melbourne. Mrs. Watt, of Sydney, who has been staying with her sister, Mrs. W. F. Stewart, Victoria Avenue, Remuera, returns home by the Niagara to-day. Miss Marjorie Stewart accompanies her on a visit. Miss Beryl J. Parlane, of Christeturch, who has just obtained her M.A. degree with first-class Honours in botany, -will leave that city soon to take up a position as assistant mycologist at the Cawthron Institute, Nelson. Miss Parlane was the dux of the West Christchurch District High School at the age of 11. At the same age she obtained a Junior National Scholarship. Hater she gained a Senior National Scholarship and passed the matriculation examination at 14. At the Christchurch Girls' High School she gained several prizes for Latin and English, and gained a University National Scholarship at 10. Last year she obtained her B.A. degree. She is now 21 years of ago. Mrs. W. F. Stewart, Victoria Avenue, Remuera, gave a charming bridge afternoon on Thursday last, as a farewell to her sister, Mrs. Watt, of Sydney, who is returning home by the Niagara. Among the guests were: Mrs. Stringer, Mrs. C. Nathan, Mrs. C Brown, Mrs. Purchas, Mrs. Louisson, Mrs. W. Colbeck, Mrs. Eathbone, Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Vaile, Mrs. E. Firth, Mrs. Robertson, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Didsbury, Mrs. Ferguson, Miss L. Gorrie, Miss A. Lusk, Miss 0. Lusk, Mrs. Kingston, Mrs. McKay Grant, Miss Watt, and Mrs. Upfill. ENGAGEMENT. The engagement is announced of Verna Myrtle, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. K. Gilliam, of New Lynn, to Charles Hector, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Crawford, of Heme Bay. N.Z. Y.W.C.A. CONVENTION. The first Dominion convention of the nine local Young Women's Christian Associations of New Zealand opened at Warrington, Otago, on Tuesday, February 23. Delegates have come from Whangarei, Auckland, New Plymouth, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. Mrs. MeClay, president of the Wellington Association, called the convention to order. In her opening remarks Mrs. MeClay noted that it was an occasion to which many people had looked forward; affiliated to the Australian movement for nineteen years, the New Zealand associations had made great strides. In this young country, with great possibilities of increased population, there was a need for long vision, and for strong vision. New Zealand now had to take on its own responsibility. Mrs. Bowron, acting president of the Dominion Committee, was elected president of the convention. Vice-presidents elected were Mrs. G. H. Wilson (Auckland), Mrs. J. C. Dickinson (Auckland), Mrs. Begg (Dunedin), and Mrs. Pearson (Wellington). After roll call, to which every association responded, the following committees were set up:— Constitution (Mrs. Bowron, chair), resolutions (Mrs McLeod, chair), finance (Mrs. Wilson, chair>, nominations (Mrs. Dickinson, chaii,, hospitality (Mrs. Wiseman, chair), girls' work (Miss D. Dempsey, chair), world fellowship (Mrs. Begg, chair), membership (Miss Little, chain-), service (Miss Eraser, chair), music (Miss Barron). Greetings were received from Lady Alice Fergusson, from Mrs. J. S. Ross, president of the Dunedin association, from the Singapore, Adelaide, Auckland, Gisborne, Melbourne and Christchurch associations, and from the Australian national movement. Among the fifteen delegates from Auckland are Mrs. G. H. Wilson, Mrs. J. C. Dickinson, Mrs. Wiseman, Mrs. Chas. Smith, Mrs. Morrin, Miss Jean Stevenson, general secretary, and Miss D. Dempsey. On the 24t.h inst the session opened with a devotional period led by Mrs. Bowron (president). The main business of the morning was the discussion of the constitution of the New Zealand Y.W.C.A., the most important matter to be dealt with by this convention. At 4 p.m. the delegates were addressed by Dr. Marion Whyte, of Dunedin, who spoke on "The Place of Health and Recreation in a Girl's Development." In a most interesting address she held up before members the ideal they should hold up before the girls, a vigorous, vital womanhood, full of the joy of living, the joy of serving their fellowcreatures, the joy of glorifying- God. The need for better living conditions for girls gave rise to considerable discussion, and was further dealt with by Miss Dunlop (general secretary, Wellington YJW.C.A.), who spoke on the practical health programme of the association. She referred to the fact that two of the associations had instituted holiday homes for girls in need of change and fresh air, and suggested that this was a development that might well be followed by other centres. Wellington had lately opened a health school in the association under a committee of the medical and nursing profession, where girls under skilled physical directors receive a training specially suited for them. LEAGUE OF N.Z PENWOMEN. The general meeting of the League of the New Zealand Penwomen for the month of February was the occasion for a lecture by Mrs. G. M. Cluett (Isabel Maud Peacocke), vice-president of the league. There was a large attendance of members. The president, Mrs. A. S. Boyd, was absent and Miss Elsie K. Morton took the chair. For the subject of her lecture Mrs. ( luctt chose "The Child in Fiction." Her place in the literary world entitles Mrs. t'luett, perhaps better than any other writer, to speak with that inner knowledge and understanding of child life that enables her to bring before her audience a convincing mental picture of the little hero 3 and heroines made famous by their celebrated creators. With the keen interest she feels in child

life generally, and her own powers of drawing mental pictures of flesh and blood boys and girls Mrs. Cluett can speak with assurance on this absorbing topic.

Children, said the speaker, have a definite place in literature. In books of the Victorian age they were, no doubt, stiff and unnatural. It is a rare thing to find a natural child-like child in books written forty or fifty ago; even Dickens, with his love of children, made them too serious and sedate. In "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Topsy is a real child, Little Eva is utterly unchildlike, but Lewis Carroll, in "Alice in Wonderland," made Alice a true flesh and blood child. George Eliot wrote of real boys and girls like Tom and Maggie Tulliver. Louisa Alcott gave us some very natural young people. All readers love Jo, who, like Maggie Tulliver, wept when her hair was cut short. Mrs. Cluett then instanced several American books, which presented children of a more natural type than the English publications. Other writers who have created child characters of convincing naturalness are Rudyard Kipling, "Wee Willie Winkie"; Tarkington, "Penrod"; Kenneth Graham, "In the Golden Age" and "Dream Days"; Sir James Barrio, David in "The Little White Bird," Peter and Wendy, and little Michael. Referring to Antipodean writers of child life Mrs. Cluett instanced the work of Katherine Mansfield, clever child studies hold a worthy place in literature. Ethel Turner in "Seven Little Australians" wrote of very real children. Speaking from her own experience, as author of such well-known and wellloved books as "My Friend Phil," "Dicky. Knight Errant," "Patricia Pat," and a dozen other favourites, Mrs. Cluett stressed the fact that to write successfully of child life and character there must be no self-consciousness, no straining after effect; the writer must resist the temptation to put smart sayings into the mouths of children. The child in fiction should not be made impossibly good; in real life the child is the centre; of its own consciousness, and most children are selfish. A child friend once said to the lecturer, "Please write another book about bad boys, and make them badder than Micky and Mac." Fond parents had also written to Mrs. Cluett saying they had greatly enjoyed reading "Patricia Pat," because the little heroine was so real to them and so like theif own little girl. When asked if her child characters were drawn from life. Mrs. Cluett replied that they were all drawn from life, but not from the study of any one particular child. To write of children as they are it was necessary to put oneself in the child's place, and not to have grown so far from one's own childhood as to have forgotten the feelings of young people. A little friend, paying unconscious tribute to Mrs. Cluett's power of entering into the thoughts and feelings of little people, once remarked, "Well, you're not a bit like a lady—you're just like a big sister." At the conclusion of Mrs. Cluett's interestiner address, Miss Morton voiced the thanks of those assembled, and presented the speaker with a bouquet of magnificent dahlia blooms. Afternoon tea was served in the charmingly furnished clubroom. WAIKATO NOTES. During their visit to Hamilton, his Excellency, General Sir Charles Fergusson and ~Lady Fergusson, were at the Hamilton Hotel. Sir James and Lady Parr, of Auckland, were in Hamilton over the week-end. Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Campbell, of Hora Hora, are away on a motor tour in the Hot Lakes district. Mrs. Reed, of England, has been staying in Baglan with her daughter, Mrs. Downs. Miss Heywood, of Remuera, has been the guest of her niece, Mrs. A. English, Hamilton. Dr. and Mrs. Cash-; more, of Raglan, are away on a visit to Nelson. Mr. and Mrs. White, of Cambridge, are spending a holiday at Tauranga. Mrs. C. O. Bennett, of Pio Pio, is staying at Matangi with Mrs. J. Ranstead. Miss Swayne, of Cambridge, has been staying in Raglan with Mrs Ranstead. Mrs. J. Short, of Remuera, is the guest of her sister, Mrs. E. H. TD'Meara, Hamilton. Mrs. Kibblewhite has returned to Hamilton from a visit to New Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. N. Garland, have returned to Cambridge from a trip to Rotorua. Mr. and Mrs. W. West and Miss West, of Cambridge, have left on a visit to England. Mrs. C. Recce, of Hamilton, is staying in Wangahul with her sister. Mrs. T. Wells, of Cambridge, is staying in Wanganui on a long visit. . Miss B. de Renzy, of the staff of the Frankton school, has left on a visit to England and America. Mr. and Mrs. Ridge, of Wellington, were recently staying in Cambridge. Mrs. W. J. Hunter, of Hamilton, is enjoying a holiday at Milford' beach. Mrs. G. Hall, of London, is the guest of Mrs. Dalzell, "Pupuke," Hamilton. Dr. and Mrs. F. M. Spencer have returned to Hamilton from a motor tour in the Taranaki district. Miss A. McDonald, of Kiwitahi, is on a visit to the South Island. Mr. and Mrs. F. Bullock, have returned to Hamilton from a visit to Mount Egmont. Mr. and Mrs. H. Lever, of Auckland, have been staying in Cambridge. • During the visit of their Excellencies, Sir Charles and Lady Alice Fergusson to Hamilton, several functions were given in their honour. On Wednesday at the home of Mrs. H. Valder, "Edingthorpe," a luncheon was given to Lady Fergusson by the wives of the executive of the Rotarian Club. Mrs. Valder received Lady Fergusson in a rich frock of blue crepe de chine, with Eastern embrodieries. Lady Fergusson was wearing a frock of royal blue marocain, and a small hat of brown with blue velvet.. Others present were:—Mesdames J. A. Young, brown crepe de chine, brown hat; D. Hay, paisley marocain, small hat; C. L. MacDiarmid, rust georgette, and rust hat; G. Boyes, grey frock, mauve hat; O. R. Farrer, grey crepe de chine, small hat; A. L. Yule, black silk, gold hat; E. P. Cowles, navy georgette, blue hat; J. R. Fow, navy crepe de chine, navy hat. On Wednesday afternoon the lady auxiliary members of the R.M.C.A. entertained the vice-Regal party at afternoon tea. Her Excellency was presented with a beautiful bouquet by Miss Lorna Velvin. The large gymnasium was artistically decorated, and the afternoon tea was very dainty. The ladies present were:—Mesdames J. R. Fow, (Mayoress), R. T. Gilmore, E. Purdon, E. V. Stace, A. W. Green, Watson, W. F. Mason, H. Beebe, A. B. Collier, H. Clark, F. C. House, N. Johnson, Duthoit, Dickson, Velvin, Elmsley, Coles, Miller, Mears, R. Madill, Morton, Porter, Hughes, Lonsdale, Bradley, Tendall. A farewell bridge evening was given for Mrs. E. P. Cowles on Thursday night at the home of Mrs. W. D. Ross. The hostess wore a rich frock of black lace over satin. Miss M. Ross, delicate green and gold georgette frock. Those presen. were:—Mesdames E. P. Cowles, A. F.

Meldrum, P. E. Stevens, Harper, C. Gibbons, A. L. Sheppard, E. K. Gresham, F. Wilson, T. F. Jolly, Merthoner, Miss .Steven*.