CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24053, 15 September 1943, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

The death has occurred of Mrs G. B. Shaw. Mrs Shaw’s maiden name was Payne-Townshend. She was married to Mr George Bernard Shaw in 1898.—London, September 13. Mrs Colin Mac Donald, of Blenheim, formerly of Christchurch, has been advised by the U.S. Legation at Auckland that her daughter. Miss Nedra Mac Donald, has arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, where she has been appointed to a secretarial position in the American Legation.

Once again, Miss C. E. Robinson, Girls’ Vocational Guidance officer, is finding great difficulty in obtaining suitable board near the city for young girls who are working in Christchurch or attending the training college. She would bfe pleased to hear from anyone willing to take one of these young girls into a private home. A very well-attended meeting of the, executive of the forthcoming Te Waipounamu fair was,held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon. The Mayoress, Miss E. Couzins, presided. Mrs H. Wyatt, organiser, reported that stalls had been allotted and that stall-holders were keenly interested. The fair will be held in Caledonian Hall in October. The Travel Club reported that it was arranging a bridge party in aid of the funds of the fair, and it was decided on the' suggestion of Mr John Stewart, who attended the meeting, that trade organisations be circularised with a view to obtaining their support.

Knitters willing to make pullovers will be welcomed at the Navy League’s wool room, corner of Worcester street and Oxford terrace, where they may receive supplies of wool. This was announced at a meeting of the women’s auxiliary of the Navy League, held yesterday morning. The president, Mrs H. Wyatt, who presided, asked for further volunteers to collect in the street appeal, to be held next week in aid of the local branches of the Navy League and British Sailors’ Society. It was reported that the league’s spinning circle had supplied 321b of wool during the month, that 435 garments had been handed in by knitters, and that cases of woollen comforts had been sent to headquarters in Wellington, Members undertook to help in the sale of health stamps beginning on October 1. and at the fair in the middle of October for Te Waipounamu Girls’ School. It was announced that £32, the proceeds of an afternoon party, had been given to the Mayoress’s Parcels Fund. Representatives of most of the women’s organisations in the city attended a meeting of the local area committee for the sale of health stamps, held yesterday in the City Council chambers. The chairwoman, Miss M. Enwright, who presided, said that already many orders, some from overseas, had been received for the new health stamps that would be for sale in the vestibule of the Christchurch Post Office from October 1 until February next year. The stamps, she said, were the first triangular stamps to be issued in New Zealand; the 3d stamps bore a picture of Princess Elizabeth and the IJd stamps a picture of Princess Margaret Rose. It was* decided that first-day covers, which were being issued in conjunction with the health stajnps, should.be for sale at Id each before October 1 and that the stamps should be sold at each suburban post office one day in October and one day in February. It was reported that Mr Hughie Evans had organised a dance and had given the entire net proceeds to the stamp fund. Many methods of raising money, other than by the sale of stamps, were discussed and it was explained that a substantial government subsidy would, be paid on all funds so raised. A small sub-committee was appointed to. gb into the matter of obtaining public support for the campaign. A roster of stamp-sellers for the next three months was drawn up and approved by the meeting.

' Mrs Warden (Dunedin), organising secretary of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, was the guest of Mrs J. Mann, the Manse, during her visit to Akaroa. Mrs Warden addressed the Sunday School scholars on Sunday morning, and at the evening service in the Presbyterian Church delivered the address on the work in various mission stations. She also spoke to members of the Presbyterian Women’s Mothers’ Union. Mrs Warden will soon relinquish the post of organising secretary and leave for Wellington to take up social work.

Further representations are to be made by the Auckland Hospital Board to the wages commission# of the Economic Stabilisation Commission for authority to grant an increase of £l3 a year to nurses in training, trained nurses, sisters up to and including the first assistant lady superintendent at all its institutions, matrons of subsidiary hospitals and nursing aids at the Franklin Memorial Hospital, Warkworth Cottage Hospital, and Wilson Home for Crippled Children. The board decided early this year to make the Increase, but unsuccessfully applied to the commission for the necessary authority on April 12.

To celebrate the golden jubilee of the women’s franchise in New Zealand, a thanksgiving service will be held in Wellington on Sunday. The speakers will be Miss Kirk, whose subject will' be the fight for the franchise, Mrs Knox Gilmer, whose father, the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, was Premier when the bill was passed, and Miss Katherine Ford. At the thanksgiving service in Christchurch on Sunday, the speakers will be Miss C. Henderson, who will review the past, Miss M. G. Havelaar, whose subject will be “Taking Stock of the Present,” and Mrs Leicester Webb, whose address will be on “Looking to the Future.” “The ladies took possession of the polling booths immediately on their opening to the almost entire exclusion of the sterner sex.” said “The Press,’ on November 29, 1893. the day following the first election after the enfranchisement of women in New Zealand, the first country in the British Empire to entrust women with the vote. “Ladies filled the side walks leading to the various polling booths,” the report continued, “and streamed over , into the middle of the road, whilst the avenues of the polling booths resembled a gay garden party or ‘a bit of a dance’ rather than anything to do With so prosaic and dry-as-dust a subject as politics.” The pretty dresses and the smiling faces of the women were commented upon and the occasion was described as the women’s triumph. Mehtbers elected for Christchurch on that occasion were the. Hon. W. P. Reeves, Mr G. J. Smith, and Mr W. W. Collins; Mr J. Joyce, the sitting member, was returned for Lyttelton. Mr G. W. Russell and Mr W H. Montgomery were new members for Riccafton and Ellesmere, and Mr D. Buddo was elected for Kaiapoi.

SOLDIERS’ PARCELS. For the next few weeks Bthne Tosswill is delighted to inform the public that she is able to supply some Soldiers’ Parcels. Call HEREFORD COURT (or by letter). —6