CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23715, 13 August 1942, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

Their Excellencies Sir Cyril and Lady Newall have consented to accept the office of patrons of the Sunlight League of New Zealand. Mrs T. Bourke and Miss Maureen Bourke (Wellington) are visiting Christchurch and are staying at Warwick House.

Mrs Emrys Thomas (Invercargill), who is visiting Christchurch, will return south on Saturday. She is staying at the Clarendon Hotel. After the Travel Club’s reception yesterday morning, members of the club’s executive and of the entertainment committee met to say good-bye to Mrs Horace Cogan, who will leave to-day to make her home in Wellington. On behalf of members of both committees. Mrs H. T. J. Thacker, chairwoman of the entertainment corm mittee, thanked Mrs Cogan for the work she had done on the entertainment committee and presented her with a handbag. Mrs Cogan also received a parting gift from the women's auxiliary of the Navy League, the presentation being made by the president. Mrs H. Wyatt. Mr J. A. McPherson, superintendent of the Botanic Gardens, was the speaker at a meeting of the gardening circle of the Home Economics Association, held yesterday afternoon. - His subject was “Pruning and Spring Planting.” Mrs G. J. H. Carton, convener of the circle, presided, and welcomed several new members. Mr McPherson was accorded a vote of thanks.

In a recent report of the activities of the Women’s Auxiliary of the British Sailors’ Society, it was stated that in July 623 woollen garments had been handed over to the Seamen’s Institute at Lyttelton for men of the Navy. This should have been for men of the Merchant Navy, the word “merchant” having been inadvertently omitted.

“In Arab society it, is bad manners to show the soles of your feet, and it is bad manners to talk when you pay calls,” said Mrs D. P. Dickinson, when speaking at the Travel Club reception yesterday. She described a visit she and her husband. Major-General Dickinson, had paid to the Queen of Iraq at the Royal Palace. The floor of the reception room was covered with beautiful Persian carpets, the furniture was covered with magenta satin patterned in white fleur-de-lys, and the guests, after paying their respects to the Queen, sat round the room silent but smiling. It is good manners, too, Mrs Dickinson said, to have two cups of coffee after dinner; the coffee, highly concentrated. Is served in metal cups. To have only one cup of coffee is an insult, to have three is greedy. "Lemon Glisco” all Lemon skin beautifying emollient soothes skin tissues—prevents wrinkles and sore chapped hands. Ask for Lemon disco from McKenzie's. Woolworths, and elsewhere. —5

TRAVEL CLUB

A description of life in Bagdad, “the romantic city beyond the stars,” was giveri at the Canterbury (N.Z.) Travel Club’s reception yesterday morning by Mrs D. P. Dickinson/ who lived for some time in Bagdad while her husband. Major-General Dickinson, who had been lent to the Iraq Government, was engaged in reorganising the Iraq army, “Many New Zealanders think that Iraq is a very hot country," said Mrs Dickinson, "but it is not always hot; icy blasts blow over its flat surface from the Taurus mountains, fogs hang over the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab, and dust' storms lasting from half an hour to two days are not infrequent.” Mrs Dickinson described a visit to a harem, the dress of the Arabs, their processions on feast days that followed periods of rigid fasting, and the bazaar, which in Bagdad was 10 miles long. While she was in Iraq, she said, an electric light system was installed in Bagdad, camels were no longer allowed in the streets, and a bridge was built across the river, where formerly'there had been only a bridge of boats, which divided once a day to allow through traffic to pass. The contract for the new bridge was let to a German firm, and at that time both the German and Italian Embassies in Iraq spent money very freely. Before Mrs Dickinson s address songs were sung by Miss Marjorie Nelson, for whom Mrs J. H. Cocks was the accompanist; Mrs J. D. Fairhurst and Mrs Horace Cogan were hostesses, and Mr C. G. McKellar presided.

ENGAGEMENTS

The engagement is * announced of Ann Margaret, only daughter of Mr and Mrs H. E. Kennett, Hardwicke street, Sumner, to Sergeant Pilot Neville John Callan, R.N.Z.A.F., elder son of Captain and Mrs F. J. Callan, Bluff.

The engagement is announced of Irene Charlotte, only daughter of Mr and Mrs W. H. Stoddart, “Willow Farm,” Willowby, Ashburton, to Sergeant Roy Johnstone (2nd N.Z.E.F.), son of Mr and Mrs R. A. Johnstone, Wills street, Ashburton.

CROCKFORD’S CLUB

The last round of a three night Mitchell contract bridge match, played at Crockford’s Club, resulted as follows:_ North and south; Mrs G. Cowper and Mrs A, McDowell 1, Mrs A. Rose and Mrs E. A. Summers 2, Mrs Noel Laver and Miss Bromley Cocks 3. East and west: Mrs G. B. Morgan and Mrs R. Renton Bell 1, Mrs G. W. C. Smithson and Miss N. Williams 2, Mrs P. A. Ardagh and Mrs S. A. Wade 3. The best final results were as follows:—Mr J. Bruges 1, Mrs G, Cowper 2, Mrs E. A. Summers 3, Mrs H. H. Wauchop 4, Mrs G. W. C. Smithson 5, Mrs A. McDowell 6, Mr A. Hunnibell 7, Mr D, T, McCormick 8, Mrs Noel Laver 9, Mrs C. Ring 10.

PERIOD FURNITURE

MAHOGANY AND WALNUT. GOOD INVESTMENT. Collectors of good Mahogany and Walnut furniture have found their Investment truly profitable. To use fine old furniture and see it grow in value has been their Happy experience. Attend to-morrow afternoon’s Auction at H. G. Livingstone and Co.’s. Rooms, 109 Hereford street, —6