CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25450, 23 March 1948, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

The first of a series of lectures arranged by the Marriage Guidance Council was given by Professor L L. G. Sutherland to members of the Young Contingent of the Victoria League last evening. His subject was “The Importance of the Family in the Community.” The family was the. oldest and the most universal of human institutions. Professor Sutherland said. The family centred round the children and it was the function of the parents to protect and cherish them and to prepare them for life. ‘’The family is too deeply rooted for anything to happen to it or for any fundamental change to occur in it,” Professor Sutherland said.

On her way to the United States to represent Australia at the International Conference of Social Work, Miss Lyra Taylor, a former New Zealander, arrived at Auckland from Sydney by Tasman Airways Skymaster on Saturday. She is administrative officer of the social work and research section of the Commonwealth Department of Social 4 Services. Miss Taylor is a graduate of Victoria University College. She took up her post in Australia three gnd a half years ago after doing social work in Canada. The international conference is normally held every four years, but because of war conditions this will be the first meeting since 1936. It will be held in Atlantic City early in April and representatives of Government social services and voluntary services from more than 17 countries will be present. Conditions in the last 20 to 30 years have lowered paternal status and brought the mother to a new position in the family, according to a speaker at a recent meeting of the Federation of Mothers’ ‘ Clubs in Victoria, Australia. These conditions arose from the fact that the community now provided health services, continued education, vocational guidance, and organised recreation, formerly the responsibility of parents, and particularly of fathers. For the most part this was a change for the better, the speaker claimed. But it had made the father a less significant figure in the home. The music circle of the Canterbury Women’s Club held the first meeting of the year in the club’s rooms recently. The director of the circle is Mrs Anita Ledsham. Mrs G. H. Watts, president of the club, welcomed members and wished them a successful year. Songs were sung by Mesdames Ledsham, C. Hunter, H. G. Norris, Fogg, A. Wildey, and J. Scrimshaw, recitations were given by Mesdames A. Evans and Hollingham, and piano solos by Mrs Witte.

Miss Agnes Mcßean has been appointed to the staff of the Christchurch Girls’ High School. She is at present on the staff of the Lincoln District High School. A croquet match between senior players from the Elmwood and United Clubs was recently played on the United greens. After some evenly contested games United won by five games to three. 'The players were as follows: Elmwood, Mesdames G. Nicholls, J. Gillanders, J. Johnston, Osman, Miss Angell, and H. Neutze; United, Mesdames J. Palmer, E. A. Smith. H. Penn, T. Grant. M. Roxburgh, and Miss G. Dunn.

The monthly meeting of the Papanui branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union was held recently. Mrs Tillman presided over a good attendance. A quantity of soap was collected for China in response to an appeal from CORSO. Mrs Black, of the district executive, gave an informative report on the Dominion convention held recently in Wellington.

Mrs Gilbert Clifford and Miss Clifford, who arrived in ’ New Zealand from England recently, have been staying with Mrs Bruce Douglas, Greta, North Canterbury, and are now the guests of Mrs George Macdonald, West Eyreton. Before coming to the South Island they visited Mr and Mrs Roger Clifford, Dannevirke.