CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

At Deaths last evening members of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Federation of University Women entertained at dinner the graduates of Canterbury University College who had been “capped” in the afternoon. Mrs F. J. T. Grigg-, president of the. branch, welcomed the guests and emphasised the great help being given by the Federation in Great Britain to European university women who were refugees. Miss Martha Steven, on behalf of the guests, thanked the-federation for its hospitality. A. spray of flowers was presented to each graduate by Mrs A. E, Flower, wife of the chairman of Canterbury College Council.

Sunday, September 19, will be the fiftieth anniversary of the granting f women’s franchise in New Zealand. A meeting of representatives of women’s national organisations, held in Wellington recently, discussed plans for celebrating the jubilee fittingly, and submitted a number of suggestions for the consideration of the Christchurch branch of the National Council of Women. This body, at its annual meeting on Thursday evening, supported the suggestion of holding a thanksgiving service and expressed itself in favour of each centre carrying out its own celebrations. One member mentioned that 50 years ago there were, on the Statute Book of New Zealand, only seven laws relating to women and children; now there are more than 50. a direct result, it was claimed, of the granting of women’s franchise. The following passed in the intermediate hygiene and sanitation examination, held recently by the Red Cross Society:—Mavis Anstiss, Gladys Ayres, Kathleen Bradley. Anita Bridge. Mary Brown, Sibbley Brueton, Ina Cartwright. Lilian Crewe, Margaret Dann. Violet Gale, Kathreen Gee, Mary Goodall, Helen Gunn. Noeline Hamilt n, Joan Harrison, Betty Harrison. Norma Harper. Fairlie Horsley, Dorothy James, Minnie Jarman, Beverley Jensen, Nola Jarden. Margaret Lawrence. Myrtle McCartin, Judith Macfarlane, Anne Macfarlane, Joan Mahoney. Abbie Mahoney. Esther Nevin. Christina Paul. Florence Raxworthy. Mona Riley, Alice Smythe, Joyce Steele, Iris Steel, Lilian Wills, Ethelwyn Wilson, Nancy Worrall. Dorothy Wreaks, Phoebe Wreaks. A South island conference of Women’s Institutes would be held in Christchurch early in August, said Miss E. L. J. Davies at the annual council meeting of the South Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institutes. She urged all institutes to be represented.

Replying to a question at the Labour Party conference as to whether he would endeavour to have hospital nurses’ wages raised to the level of nurses in mental hospitals, the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) said that would be determined by what the nurses were prepared to do for themselves. If they could form a union and press their claims they would have a better chance of improving their position. The Somerfield street residents gave £8 to the patriotic fund and made seven balaclavas and eight pairs of mittens this month.

That girls when being called up for war work should be given the opportunity to undertake domestic work (a) in farm households; (b) in homes where there are young children; (c) in cases of sickness, and, when possible, to train for this work, was a remit carried at the annual council meeting of the South Canterbury Federation .of Women’s Institutes, and will be forwarded to the forthcoming conference of women’s institutes. Another suggestion made was that to save material and facilitate making and cleaning girls’ gymnasium tunics should be made with flares, instead of pleats.

The engagement is announced, and the marriage will take place shortly, of Joan Stewart Fenwick (V.A.D., overseas), elder daughter of Mrs D. Eardley Fenwick, Lower Hutt, and the late Dr. Fenwick, to Brigadier Kenneth MacCormick, N.Z.M.C. (overseas), of Auckland.

Mrs Margaret Jane Hacon, of Wellington. whose death occurred recently in her ninetieth year, was the widow of Dr. W. E. Hacon, who pioneered vaccination and had much to do with goitre research. She was born in the Nelson district and was a sister of Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, one time AuditorGeneral. Mrs Hacon leaves one son, Mr A. C. Hacon (Wellington).

tVaste paper collected in Wellington city and suburbs and sent to the Whakatane paper mills has now reached the amount of 50 tons a week. The whole metropolitan area is contributing about 100 tons a week. SOLDIERS’ PARCELS. For the next few weeks Ethne Tosswill is delighted to inform the public 'hat she is able to supply some Sol diers' Parcels. Call HEREFORD COURT (or by letter). —6