CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25483, 1 May 1948, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

Miss D. E. Dolton, a member of the committee of the Christchurch Nursery Play Centres’ Association and supervisor of several nursery schools in the city, will leave New Zealand at the end of May for- a short vis?, to England. While there she will study developments, and new trends in nurserv education. Miss Dolton’s place at the Avonside Nursery School will be taken temporarily by Mrs E. Dalmer.

To honour Mrs N. Mclntosh on her promotion from lady divisional superintendent to lady corps superintendent of the St. John Ambulance 'Brigade, an evening social was held at the ambulance headquarters recently. Mrs McIntosh was presented with a. silver cake dish bv the Beckenham Nursing Division in recognition of her service to the division The triennial convention of the Young Women’s Christian Association concluded in Dunedin on Wednesday. At the final session. Mrs Mackie Begg, summing uo the results of the convention. said that delegates had gained much useful knowledge from hearing informed speakers, and had been strengthened by the knowledge that young members were prepared to take responsibility in overcoming the problems of to-day. These young members felt strongly th?*i the solutions lay in the holding ant? practising of Christian ideals. The school would celebrate its jubilee in the near future, said the headmaster (Mr Colville), when speaking at the monthly meeting of the ParentTeachers’ Association of the Sydenham School recently. Dental hygiene was discussed, and two nurses who had spoken on the subject answered questions. Supper was served, and a programme of games and competitions was enjoyed. “Your frying pan we call a skillet, your pot is our kettle, your kettle is our tea kettle, and your bucket is our pail.” said Miss F. Bedell, of Boulder. Colorado, when comparing New Zealand and American expressions in a talk recently. Miss Bedell arrived in Nev/ Zealand in February to take up a lectureship at the Home Science School of Otago University. The Wellington Labour Club’s queen carnival will be concluded .with a coronation ball in June. The carnival raised about £3500 for the club’s funds.

A women’s section of the Marlborough Hospital Board’s Old People’s Home was opened this week. Accommodation is provided for six inmates in the newly-decorated and refurnished quarters.

There was housing problem in Cape Town just as in all cities to-day, said Miss Irene Spidy, formerly of Wellington, in a letter from South Africa. She added that the suburbs of Cape Town were crowded with beautiful privately-owned homes, very stately in their Dutch Colonial architecture. These suburbs had lovely, rich-sounding names, such as Rondebosch, Kirstenbosch, Wynberg Muizenberg. and further out of the city the historic names of Stellenbosch and Paarl. Generally speaking, these old homes were inconvenient to manage.. being built more for beauty than convenience, but with no shortage of servants this really did not matter. “I can’t imagine these homes set in New Zealand, with their high ceilings, spacious rooms with parquet floors, and furnished with stinkwood, imbuia? and massive teak chairs, tables, and cabinets which have to be oiled regularly once a week to keep them fromi cracking with the heat.” she wrote.

An account of a two-day trip to Vera Cruz,-in the Gulf of Mexico, during a holiday in Mexico recently, is given by Miss Patricia Townsend, formerly of Christchurch, in a letter to a New Zealand friend. She saw the famous volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihual, and later from the village, Fortin de las Flores, the mountain Orizaba, named after the Indian girl who is said to have aided Cortez in his conquest of Mexico. There was actually nothing at Fortin de las Flores, but a lovely rambling hotel and all the orchids and gardenias imaginable, she said. A visitor could not move a step there but some little Indian girls threw garlands of flowers round her neck. The principal place of interest on the way, she said, was the village of Cholula, a town composed entirely of churches. There were 365 churches, including one built on the top of a pyramid. The story was that the Aztecs had shrines erected on their gods and when Cortez went through on his conquering tour he destroyed the temples and said he would build a church for every one he destroyed. He kept his word and built a church for every day of ttye year. Miss Townsend is a member of Sir Carl Berendsen’s staff at the New Zealand Legation in Washington. More than 500.000 women earn their living bv typing in Britain, according to a statement made at the silver jubilee of the Typewriter Trades’ Federation in London recently. _ The Girl Guides’ medal of merit, awarded some months ago by Imperial headquarters. London, for her outstanding service during the last 18 years, was nresented to Miss M. I. Skinner, Taranaki provincial guide secretary by the World Chief Guide. Ladv Baden-Powell, during her visit to New Plymouth this week. Several other presentations were made. Miss R. Hind and Miss Edna Morris, two well-known teachers of Marsden School, Wellington, will retire a + the end of the present term.

The Lady Editor of “The Press” gratefully acknowledges magazines for patients in the Sanatorium from Mrs F. M. Homersham and Miss O. Topping and Miss Leslie. Fur Coat Alterations and Repairs. A. S. Cantrell for satisfaction. 205 High street (Opp. Knight’s, Butcher). —Advt.