SOCIAL JOTTINGS

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 58, 10 March 1927, Page 19

SOCIAL JOTTINGS

The Misses M. and L. Fazakerley of Sydney are staying at Brent's, Rotorua. # • t • Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Whitiey, senior, who have been touring in the South Island, have returned to Auckland. • • * • Mrs. Norman Brett and Miss Rona Rainger were passengers by the Daylight Limited to-day, en route to Christchurch and Dunedin. • » - • The youngest air pilot in England is Mrs. R'anald, wife of a British submarine officer, who has taken her certificate at the age of 19 years. ■ • * • Mrs. R. Pearson, Miss J. Pearson and Mr. J. Pearson, vistors from Wellington, and Mrs. Tailbv, of Raratonga, are the guests of Mrs. A. W. Perkins, Remuera. • » • • Mrs. Alfred Kidd, who has been attending the Hospitals Conference in Christchurch, as an Auckland delegate, returned to Auckland on Tuesday morning:. • ♦ • • M. Forrest, the Queensland woman writer, is feeling a very cheerful woman these davs. Her third novel, '"Hibiscus Heart," has been accepted by Hutchison, and her previous effort, '"Gaming Gods," is selling well. Admirers of the writer s verse will also be pleased to hear that there have been inquiries from America with the object of bringing out a collection of the latter in book form.

Mrs. X. E. Ferner, who has been attending the National Council of Women, in Christchurcli, and at the same time taking, as ever, a keen interest in the welfare of children, said, when talking to a press representative that she had been impressed with the provision whereby one side of the school was open so that there could be plenty of fresh air without draughts. On the day she visited the Cashmere Hills scltool it w-as a very bleak day, yet the atmosphere in the school-room was more than j comfortable. "The separate bungalow ] school-room,*"' Mrs. Ferner said, '"strikes | quite a new note, and the idea of providing a separate little home for each class make a very strong appeal to the mind. The peace and quietness obtained by this method Is very noticeable. While at Fendalton I was in one room at the time when the scholars in the room alongside were turned out for a run round after a lesson; yet, if I had not been told. I Would not have noticed that this had occurred." Mrs. Ferner thought it was an excellent idea to let the children have a run round after a lesson as it enabled them to have more movement and activity and avoided over-long periods of sitting still. Mrs. Ferner also said she was veTy muc-li impressed by the healthy appearance of the pupils and also with the placid expression on the teachers' faces as compared with the all too frequent harassed looks on the faces of njanr teachers of the older type of school. One of the Fendalton teachers, w ho has been teaching for many years, told her that nothing would now induce her to take up teaching in the old type of school.

Mrs. Fraer, who was elected president of the National Council of Women of New Zealand, is the wife of the Rev. C. A. Fraer, vicar of Phillipstown, and sister-in-law of Mr. A. V. Fraer, of Auckland. She is a native of Dunedin, and a daughter of Sir George McLean. At present, she is vice-president of the Christchurch Mothers' Union and a member of the executive of the Christchurch branch of the League of Nations Union. Before she came to Christchurch, she was engaged in the Maori Mission in the South Island.

The Maori is a lover of demonstrative ceremony at all times, and the action of a native chief at the Wanganui Railway Statfion, although rather outside the bounds of Royal etiquette, proved a delightful incident and pleasing relief to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. When introduced to the Duchess, the chief in question graciously bent over and kissed her hand. The unexpected move brought smiles to the faces of the Royal couple.

The Sydney National Council of Women have made arrangements for the Royal reception on March 29. The function will take place at 4 p.m. in the Union Building of the University, concurrently with the conferring of a degree upon the Duke in the Great Hall. The Duchess will be received by Lady de Chair and Lady MacCallum, president of the N.C.W., and escorted to the Union where representatives of the council and of its 50 affiliated societies will be awaiting Her Royal Highness. An address expressing the loyalty and welcome of the women's organisations represented will be presented to the royal guest, a short musical programme will be rendered, and representative women will be presented, after which tea will be served.

An interesting visitor to the Dominion at present is Mrs. Jensen, a Danish lady, who has produced a large numlvr of books in her own country, and is a member of the board of directors of the Danish Authors' Organisation. Mrs. Jensen is a lady of wide interests apart from her authorship, and is a member of the Birth Control Committee of Scandinavia, and on another for sexual hygiene; the creator of associations of housewives, and a correspondent of newspapers in Denmark. Norway, and Sweden, taking a special interest in politics. Mrs. Jensen was a visitor at the Wellington Lyceun Club, and was much interested in hearing about the efforts of New Zealand women in social service. She was particularly pleased to hear of what was being done in this country for girl and boy delinquents, also for poor mothers and their families. She made special inquiries about maintenance and illegitimacy, regarding recent legislation here as being on fine and sound lines for the benefit of humanity. Mrs. Jensen leaves for Australia, but hopes to return to New Zealand and spend a much longer time in the 'country, with which she is most favourably impressed.

Women nowadays buy their garments with a view to journeys by air as well as by land or sea, and it is with this end in view that specially quilted satin petticoats are being designed, giving extreme warmth.

Mss Grace Hutton intends leaving by the Nagara on April 12, for Californa, where she will take a course of physical education at the Sumer School at Berkeley. Miss Hutton s the drill and games mistress at the Epsom Girls' Grammar School.