PENWOMEN'S CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 12

PENWOMEN'S CLUB.

J Her Excellency the Lady Bledisloe, who is the Dominion Patroneee of the New Zealand League of Penwomen, was the ' guest of honour of the club at its meeting yesterday afternoon. The- president, * Mrs. Carr Rollett, presided and, with Mrs. Stuart Boyd and members o thn committee, received her Excellency, who was accompanied by Mrs. G. Veal. In a brief speech of welcome, Mrs. Carr Rollett said that the league was one of aspiration to all that was good in literature, art, music and drama, and that her Excellency was with them showed that she was sympathetic towards their ideals. The league esteemed it a great honour to have her present. Mrs. Carr Rollett told her Excellency that no special programme had been arranged for her visit as it was wished that she should see what the Friday afternoon meetings were like. At the conclusion of her speech, Mrs. Carr Rollett presented her Excellency with a small book of original work and a posy of mauve flowers. In expressing her thanks for the welcome extended to her, the Lady Bledisloe said that it was with great diffidence that she ventured to say even a few words to a League of Penwomen, for she could lay no claim to being a penwoman in any sense of the word. "The pen, we aro told," said her Excellency "is mightier than the sword, and I can well believe it, especially after reading in your syllabus of your many activities and interests, which are most varied and far-reaching. Whereas the might of the sword consists in destroying all that comes its way, you, on the other hand, as penwomen, are out for building up, creating and fostering all that is best and beautiful in mankind; inspiring the highest ideals, and through this bringing back what is so lacking in these materialistic times in which we live—the value of tlio spiritual side of life, without which no real or lasting lappiness or prosperity to individuals or nations can ever be attained." Later in the afternoon, Mrs. Mary Brett Neil played two of her own compositions for the piano —an Impromptu and a Nocturne—and Mrs. Harold King sang two original Maori songs, "The Lament of Tangiwai" and "Kotiro Poi," with Mrs. E. McKinney as accompanist. A talk upon "Tho Psychological Complex of Women" was given by Mr. W. J. Lyon (8.A., Oxon). Her Excellency was wearing a frock of ciel blue crepe suede under a silver grey fur coat, and close-fitting hat in samo shade of blue, with pink ornament at one side. Mrs. Carr Rollett wore a black cloth ensemble and small black felt hat. Mrs. G. Veal was in a black and white fur-trimmed tweed coat and black hat, and Mrs. Boyd wore a black satin ensemble with black hat.