For WOMEN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23881, 25 February 1943, Page 2

For WOMEN

CURRENT NOTES

Tribute was paid by Sir Hugh Acland at yesterday’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board to the services of Sister Jones, wlm will retire on February 28, after serving for „0 years on the staff of the Christchurch Public Hospital “Sister Jones has been one of the most outstanding servants this board has ever had,” said Sir Hugh Acland. The board decided to place on record its appreciation of h'-r work, and to write to Sister Jones and thank her.

Mr and Mrs F. R. Dudley (Christchurch) have received cabled advice t’ nt their youngest daughter, Natalie Mary Dudley, has become engaged to Lieutenant B. D. Q. Mclntyre, R.N., D.S.C., son of Mr and Mrs M. B McIntyre, Athole Garden, Glasgow. Miss Dudley has recently been promoted to officer in charge of the W.R.N.S at naval barracks in Port Glasgow. She was formerly third officer of the H.M.S. Ganges. . “When the Order of St- John established a hospital in Malta centuries ago, patients were, for the first time, fiven each a bed to himself,” said the ion. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, speaking last night at the opening of-a miniature of St. John voluntary:' tftat hospital in Malta, he^-added.”plates and cups made of silver were used, as they were easily cleaned and would not break, and, even at that distant date, mosquito nets were placed round the beds. Sir Heaton Rhodes recalled that in the early centuries, both the nurses and Knights of St. John wore red uniforms, but after the Order was driven out of Rhodes, they all wore black as a sign of mourning. “I notice that the wearing of red is creeping back among the nurses,” he said, “while we men are still in black.”

Last Thursday, in “The Press,” an appeal was made to older women asking them, as a war-measure, to help mothers in the country, many of whom could find no one to mind their homes while they were in hospital or in maternity homes. Mrs J. W. McLeod, of Loburn, secretary-treasurer of the Women’s Institutes’ Domestic Help Scheme, at whose request the appeal was made, yesterday reported that, as a direct result of the article in “The Press” she had had offers from five excellent women who, as a patriotic gesture, are prepared to go to the country and take charge of homes and children while the mothers are in hospital. One js already installed in the home of a young woman, who is in a nursing home. Mrs McLeod is greatly pleased with the result of the appeal and hopes that other kind-hearted women may decide to respond to this urgent call.

Out of 37 candidates who sat from the Christchurch Public Hospital for the preliminary State examination for nurses recently, 36 passed, three with distinction in nursing technique, and one obtained a partial pass. Sir Hugh Acland, when commenting on this information at yesterday’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, .said it was a record of which the hospital might well be proud. The lady editor of “The Press" gratefully acknowledges receipt of £1 from “A Sailor’s Daughter” for comforts for men on minesweepers overseas, a scarf and pair of mittens for men on minesweepers from Mrs Mounce, Springbank, and a large parcel of clean rags from M. Jones, St. Albans, to be forwarded to where they are most needed. Since the opening of the comforts wool room at the City Council Chambers. about 10 tons of wool have been knitted into comforts for servicemen. This does not include the wool made up by residents of Timaru, Waimate, and Geraldine. The value of the wool was nearly £IO,OOO. In addition, in 21 months, 4017 dozen pairs of footless stockings were finished at the wool room and returned to the mills.

A small issue of working uniforms has been sent direct from Wellington to a number of Southland Land Girls. The issue includes overalls, straw hats, socks, and badges. Volunteers are required to pick tomatoes for canning for the American and New Zealand forces in the Do* minion and overseas. Pickers will be required to bring their own cup and lunch, but morning, lunch, and afternoon tea will be provided. Remuneration 1/3 an hour. Apply to Miss A. Buckley, W.W.S.A., Regent Buildings, Cathedral square, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. —1 No dry, sunburned, rough skin for you this summer. Get LEMON GLISCO, the all-lemon Skin Emollient. Sold everywhere. PRIMROSE ' PTY., Colombo st.. Christchurch. —1

REPERTORY SOCIETY

About 40 members of the Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society attended the annual meeting, held last night in the society’s rooms, Bedford row. The president. Dr, J. Right, welcomed several new members, and the recently-appointed producer, Miss P. Robins, who has begun her work for the society. He congratulated members on the success of last year’s activities and thanked all who had contributed towards that success, particularly Mr Douglas Dali, who had acted as producer during the year. The election of officers resulted as follows:—Patron, the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes; president, Dr. Right; vice-presidents, Mrs H. G. Cotterill. Mrs Robinson E. Hall. Miss Ngaio Marsh, Mr T. W. C. Tothill, and Mr Roy Twyneham; committee, Mr Dali, Mr C. Davies, Miss Nonie Enright, Mr C. L. Moody, Miss Joyce Osmond Smith.

OBITUARY

MAN A PITAMA The death occurred yesterday at the Christchurch Public Hospital of Mana Te Hipa Te Hauraraka Pitama, aged 61, the widow of Wereta Tainui Pitama, of Tuahiwi, and a leading personality among the Ngai-Tahu of the South Island, Of distinguished lineage, she was connected with Ngai-Tuahu-riri, Ngai-Te Rangiamoa, and NgatiHuirapa, leading hapus of Ngai-Tahu. Hoani Maaka, her father, was a prominent ' genealogist, and Maori advocate before the land: courts of last century. Both Mana Pitama and her husband, who died in 1930, came of the fighting stock of Ngai-Tahu, and were descend-' ed from the defenders of Kaiapohia Pa.

Recognised as a public speaker, she exercised a wide influence in tribai affairs, and .particularly in recent years in the councils of the Ratana Church in’both islands. At one time Mana Pitama lived in Wellington when her husband was in partnership with the late Hopere (Billy) Uru, M.P. Acknowledged as an authority of tribal history, she was the only woman called to give evidence before the Royal Commission on the Ngai-Tahu land claims in 1925. Her home at Tuahiwi was a hospitable centre for the people of both races, and many visiting celebrities were entertained there.

The surviving members of her family are —Te Ari Pitama, Hoani Maaka Pitama (secretary to the Tuahiwi rununga), Paora (Paul) Tuhea Pitama (who was invalided home after serving overseas with the Maori Battalion), Whitu Pitama, Henare (Henry) (recently wounded with the Maori Battalion). Mrs J. Riwai. Mrs N. Tau, and Misses Hinehaka and Hutika Pitama. Sergeant Tahumataa Pitama, the fifth son, was killed at Alamein, and was posthumously awarded the Military Medal. .

The tangi will begin at the Okaihau marae, Tuahiwi, to-day, and the burial will take place at Tuahiwi on Saturday. It is expected that there will be a large gathering of tribesfolk from all parts of the South Island.

FOUR-BED HOSPITAL UNIT

OFFICIAL OPENING AND DEDICATION

"When you become proficient in nursing, you are carrying on the tradition of our Order, for, as far back as 603, Sisters of the Benedictine Order nursed the sick in Jerusalem, and, down the ages to the present day, the Order of St. John has given nursing service in many parts of the world,” said the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, Knight Commander of the Order of St. John, when officially opening a fourbed hospital unit last night, at St. John Ambulance Headquarters. Sir Heaton said that, during the last war, a joint committee of the Red Cross Society. St. John Ambulance, and the Territorial Association, was in charge of the voluntary aids, who, in 1917, numbered no fewer than 110,000. He knew from experience, the wonderful work the voluntary aids did at that time and he was proud to think that the St. John aids, both overseas and in the hospitals of the Dominion, had again won high praise during the present war.

The Dean of Christchurch, the Very Rev. A. K. Warren, dedicated the unit, which is fully equipped and will be used for the training of St. John voluntary aids. Already nearly 300 have been trained since 1939, and more than 100 attend regularly in their divisions or detachments.

Mr B. J. McKenna, secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association, presided at the meeting. He said that the voluntary aids had attained, in their work, a very high standard, and the training they received would be valuable to themselves and others, not only during the present crisis, but during their whole lives. “The establishment of the new hospital unit,” he added, “has been made possible Ijy the generosity of Sir Heaton Rhodes and another benefactor."

The voluntary aids, in uniform, formed a guard-of-honour for the visitors. Before the opening ceremony, a song was sung by Miss Beryl Gough and afterwards the unit was inspected and supper was served. Among those present were Major J. R. Crampton (assistant commandant for Canterbury and Westland), and Mrs Crampton, Mrs T. E. Wiltshire, provincial commandant of voluntary aids, Mrs M. Cordy, lady superintendent, Lieutenant Rudd, senior district superintendent, Sister G. Fenwick, commandant for Sumner, and Sister H. M. Thyne, commandant for New Brighton. DRAGE3’ "HOME-i J LANNING” CENTRE, cr. MANCHESTER and TUAM STS. The Home of Quality Furniture. Furniture worthy of you and your home—and which you can obtain for Cash or in the easiest way on our Friendly Credit. Furniture which will give you lasting satisfaction. D 1641-3