CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22519, 29 September 1938, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

Mrs Geoffrey Hamilton (Fendalton) has left for Auckland, where she will be the guest of Mrs Jack Kingston, St. Heliers. Mr and Mrs William Bond (Dunrobin, Southland), who have been spending a few months in Canterbury, have left for the south. Miss D. Anderson (Armagh street west) is visiting Mrs T. Hunter, Heretaunga. A cable message received in Christchurch yesterday reported that Mr and Mrs Ivan Wood, Beverley street, who are visiting England, and who are leaving this month on their return journey to New Zealand, have left London and are staying with Mr and Mrs F. J. Savill in Devon until their ship sails. Mrs J. M. Fraser, president of the Christchurch Central Townswomen’s Guild, and Mrs R. H. Smith are attending a conference of the New Zealand Union of Townswomen which is being held at Wellington this week. Mrs Sunckell (Akaroa) is spending a holiday in Christchurch. Mrs J. Ramsden (Christchurch) is visiting her daughter, Mrs G. R. Kingston, Timaru. Miss Hope Pinckney, who has been staying with Mrs C. H. Tripp, Timaru, has returned home. Miss Eileen Stewart (Masterton) is visiting Timaru. Mrs Gerald Murray (Glenmore Mackenzie Country) has returned home after spending a few weeks in Timaru. Mrs Herbert Elworthy (Craigmore) has returned from a visit to the North Island. Miss E. A. Chaplin (Christchurch) will be asked to edit the History of the National Council of Women of New Zealand. This decision was made at the annual meeting of the Dominion council of the National Council of Women held in Wellington this week. Mrs C. Coleridge Farr returned from Wellington yesterday after giving evidence before the Parliamentary Health Committee regarding mental hospitals. At a meeting of the Dominion executive of the National Council of Women held this week in Wellington, a motion of sympathy was passed with the relatives of the late Miss Jessie Mackay, a foundation member of the council, and for_ a great number of years one of • its most enthusiastic workers. “On the eve of her retirement, Miss L. Pike, matron of the Essex Home, has a wonderful record of service, and hundreds of mothers must owe her a debt of gratitude. Her place will be hard to fill,” said Mrs Kent-Johnston last evening when giving a report of the maternity services in New Zealand to a meeting of women. •ff'A' ’ At the conclusion of the reception held yesterday by the Travel Club an opportunity was given members of contributing to the fund which is being raised to enable Master Alan Loveday to go abroad to further his studies. The sum of £lO was contributed by members. A very enjoyable evening social was held at the Villa Sunnyside, where the Addington burgesses entertained the Villa Social Club. The euchre match was won by the Addington burgesses by 122 J games to 94J. The president (Mr F. Miles) congratulated the patients on their card-playing ability. Dr. F. J. Turner, lecturer in geology at the University of Otago, and Mrs* Turner will leave to-morrow for Wellington, where they will spend a few days before joining the Niagara at Auckland on October 4 en route for the United States. Dr. Turner has been awarded a Sterling Research Fellowship at the University of Yale, and will there continue his researches on structural petrology, with particular reference to the schists of Otago., Mrs Turner, as member of the Dominion executive of the Federation of University Women, hopes to see something of the working of the American Association of University Women. Visits will be paid to the universities of Michigan, Chicago. Harvard, and the geophysical laboratory at Washington as well as to Cambridge, England, on the return journey. The Christchurch section of . the Australian and New Zealand bridge Olympic was played at Crockford’s Club last night, the players being Mesdames Vernon Stapp, G. Johnston, F. Moginie, J. M. Turnbull, Moray Smith, H. C. D. van Asch, G. B. Morgan, A. Lawrence, Wyles, R. Renton Bell, Noel Laver, M. Clark, H. S. Fox, K. Stewart, G. W. C. Smithson, A. Rose, E. Wharton, F. Banks, M. M. Bayne, Harvey Cook, A. Cook, H. H. Wauchop, P. H. Powell, Misses Bromley Cocks, Barbara Gould, I. Hughes, Professor P. H, Powell, Dr. F. A’Court, Messrs D. T. McCormick, J. J. Ardagh, E. F. Stead, H. P. V. Brown, and E. R. C. Anderson. FAREWELL PARTY A farewell party was - held at the D.I.C. tearooms to honour Mrs W. J. Minogue, a member of the North Canterbury Post and Telegraph Women’s Association. Mrs W. H. Smith, president of the association, expressed regret at Mrs Minogue’s departure from the district. A pyrex dish and floral shoulder spray were presented to the guest of honour with the good wishes of fellow members. ' ~ , Among those present were Mesdames W. J. Minogue, W. H. Smith, Furby j Brent, Bergman, Roberts, Chapman 'Loose, Tullett, Tierney, Campbell, Leem--1 ing. Flewellen. Dunne, Burn, Henderson, ! Hill, Lawford, Marshall, Richardson, Gibson, Collett, Grossman. Cummins. Sloan. Wimsett, Drummond, Bruce, Wilkinson, Thomas, Misses Masters, Duncan, and Wrigley. GIFT PARTY A gift party was held in the East Eyreton Hall to hopour Miss Alice Higginson. The time was spent in games and dancing, music being supplied by Mr and Mrs B. J. Sanders, Mrs T. Giles, Mrs J. Higginson, Miss C. Martin, and Miss P. Giles. Among those present were Mesdames T. Giles, R.’ Bennett, M. Forrest, R. Smith, A. Proudlock, W. Martin. F. Beal, J. Hancock, J. Higginson. C. Higginson, R. Cherry, B J. ganders, H, Clothier, E. Shirlaw.

DOMINION EXECUTIVE

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN ANNUAL MEETING IN WELLINGTON The annual meeting of the Dominion Executive of the National Council of Women of New Zealand was held in Wellington this week, with Miss Mildred Trent (Christchurch), Dominion president, presiding. Others present were Miss Frances L. Cooper (Dominion secretary), Mrs E. McNair (Dominion treasurer), Miss G. M. Hemus (Auckland), Mrs B. L. Dallard (Wellington), Mrs Benson (Dunedin), Mrs W. E. Gofle (Gisborne), Mrs A. Wilkinson (New Plymouth), Miss A. C. Tizard (Wanganui), Dr. S. R. de la Mare (Hamilton), Mrs Kemshed (South Canterbury). Miss Trent extended a welcome to delegates and briefly outlined what had been accomplished during the year. She suggested that branches should form emergency committees which would offer to help the civic authorities, if needed, in the event of war. She mentioned that the National Council of Women had been very fortunate in being represented at the international conference at Edinburgh by such a capable member of the council as Miss I. M. Jamieson (Christchurch). During the year the Government had decided to appoint women police, which the National Council had been requesting it to do for the last 25 years. The council’s representations regarding the restriction on the importation of pernicious literature had resulted in the stricter censorship of literature coming into the country, and that representations regarding housing were receiving -avcurable consideration. During the year a new branch ot the council had been formed at Ashburton, and arrangements were being made to form a new branch at Whangarei. It was also hoped to form a branch at Napier. A vote of thanks was passed to Miss E. A. Chaplin (Christchurch) for her work as editor of the National Council’s page in “Woman To-day.” The president urged branches to endeavour to arrange broadcasts in thqir districts. Several suggestions were received regarding the part that it was felt the National Council should take in the centennial celebrations. It was decided that at the end of the Pan-Paciflc Conference in January, 1940, a National Council of Women day should be arranged, to which the council members attending the conference would be invited. It was decided to ask Miss Jamieson, who is now in England, to represent the National Council at a meeting of the International League Against War and Fascism. The resignation of Mrs Cocker as convener of the peace and disarmament standing committee was received with regret. It was decided to ask Mrs Milligan (Christchurch) if she would be convener of this committee. The Parliamentary watch committee presented an interesting and comprehensive report, which showed that this committee has been very active. A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Dallard (convener), and the members of her committee, for their valuable work. It was decided to urge the Government to coMsider the reversal of its present policy of exclusion, and to admit a reasonable number of selected refugees from Europe into New Zealand. Remits dealing with various subjects were discussed. Mrs Dallard, president of the Wellington branch, was thanked for her kindness in making arrangements for the meeting room and for arranging a visit to the Girls’ Borstal Institute, Votes of thanks were passed to the president, Miss M. Trent, to' Miss F. L. Cooper, Dominion secretary, to Mrs McNair (Dominion treasurer), and the honorary auditor, Miss A. Basten (Auckland). In her report, the Dominion secretary reviewed the year’s activities, and spoke of the subjects that councils have studied. Early in the year the national council had made a strong protest to the Government against drinking in dance halls and in motor-cars outside, and the fact that some hotels, even of good repute, provide facilities for young people to meet, sometimes after dances, to indulge, in further drinking. The Government and local authorities had promised their co-operation in an effort to combat this evil, and in many districts representations have resulted in the law being strictly enforced, and in greater vigilance on the part of the police and local authorities. Other matters on which the Government has been approached included; Control of the sale of contraceptives and abortifacients, particularly to juveniles; the problem of criminal abortion; Borstal institutes and’ the treatment of young offenders; treatment of habitual offenders and destitute persons; occupational centres for backward children; abolition of the restrictions against the employment of married women as such, particularly teachers; treatment of women under the social security scheme, i.e., pensions for single women. Branches had studied and interested themselves in a wide variety of subjects, including broadcasting, housing, treatment of patients in mental hospitals, motherhood endowment, domestic training schools, the law as it affects women, divorce law, abuses of the hire purchase system, necessity for a woman justice of the peace being in attendance at police courts presided over by a justice of the peace, where there re women offenders and children, the economic position of women, septic abortion, women on education boards. A special committee had been set up by the Auckland branch to study the McMillan report, and a copy had been circulated to branches. The report concluded:—“ The table showing our strength makes us realise how far-reaching our efforts could be, and that we could, if we wished, and went about it the right way, have a much greater influence in national and civic affairs. Our membership in the National Council of Women of New Zealand gives us privileges, but also obligations which we cannot ignore. As this report is being compiled, the fear of war- shadows the world. On picking up a newspaper, one reads a quotation of Ruskin—an accusation that might well be voiced at the present time: ‘There is not a war in the world, no, nor an injustice, but you women are answerable for it; not in that you have provoked, but in that you have not hindered.’ ’

Descriptions of weddings may be inserted at the rate of five shillings (ss) per column inch, with a minimum charge of One Pound (£1). and photographs of wedding groups at the rate of five shillings (ss) per single column inch, with a minimum charge of Two Pounds Two Shillings (£2 2s). —C

Misses A. Higginson, J. Higginson, C. Martin, P. Giles, A. Merrill, M. Shirlaw, and R. Piper.