CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25660, 24 November 1948, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

A most successful garden party held by the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, Christchurch branch, was officially opened at Risingholme Community Centre yesterday afternoon by the Deputy-Mayor (Mr J. N. Clarke). Stalls for the sale of work done by the blind—toys, baskets, trays, bags—and well-stocked produce and cake stalls were well patronised. A copper trail was also formed. Proceeds will be used for the furtherance of homercraft classes for the blind in Christchurch. Guests «.Were entertained in the hall With a ‘programme of items given by Miss Daphne Close and Messrs Barry Osborne and Boyd (2).

Mrs R. O. Page was re-elected president of the Christchurch Nursery Play Centre . Association, at the seventh annual meeting held last evening at the Teachers’ Training College. Other officers appointed were: vice-presi-dents. Mrs B. H. Gilmour and Mrs R. S. Trevella (re-elected) and Mrs McMeekan; central committee, Mrs R. O. Page. Dr Helen Field, Mrs T. H. McCombs, Mrs M. Morten. Misses E. Borrows, N. Ell, L. Hampton, E. James. M. Reese, M. Suckling. N. Tyndall, Messrs J. S. Allan, C. T. Ford, A. A. Harrison, W. S. Mac Gibbon, G. W. Southgate, and Dr P. C. S. Unwin. Miss M. Reese* Who has retired from the position of secretary, was appointed interim secretary until the appointment of a secretary-organiser. The chairman (Mr C. T. Ford) said that the secretary-organiser would visit centres regularly and be available for consultsriton with local supervisors and committees. Mrs Page spoke of the work of model centres, and Mr A. Btassington paid tribute to the work of Mrs McMeekan, who as Miss Doreen Dolton, was one of those instrumental in starting play centres in Christchurch. Miss Florence Nicholls, a member of the Christchurch Business and Professional Women’s Club, was producer for a Chinese fantasy presented at a social held by the club last evening. The cast for the play, “The Confu» tation of Wisdom.” by F. Sladen-Smith, comprised Gladys Carey, Louise Arnold, Gretchen Murray Smith. George Taylor, Neil Cher Cher, Sill Truman, and Gregory Kane. Miss N. Fitzgibbon (Dominion president of the New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association) will arrive in Christchurch from Nelson on Saturday and will stay with Miss G. Widdowson (lady superintendent of the Christchurch hospital). Miss Fitzgibbon recently returned to the Dominion from London, where she represented the New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association at the international conference of nurses. Oh Monday she Will address a meeting of nurses in Chrlstchdrch. and oh Tuesday she Will address nurses at Timaru.

Presentations to two members of the W.A.A.C., Corporals Dulcie Geary and Gwenda Morris, who are to be married shortly, were made by Brigadier C. E. Weir, officer commanding the Southern Military District, at an afternoon function at district headquarters yesterday. A motion of sympathy with Mr and Mrs Maurice Simes in the death of their daughter was passed by the Christchurch Nursery Play Centre Asspciation at its annual meeting last evening.

The Australian Singer. Joan Hammond. who is a former holder of the Australian and New South Wales women’s golf championships, will fly to Australia from England next year to’ give four concerts to found an international golf fund to take a team of Australian women golfers to compete in the English Open Championship in 1950. Twelve years ago Australian golfers raised money to send Miss Hammond to study in Vienna and London, and she has taken this way of repaying sportswomen for the chance they gave her to achieve fame. Miss Hammond said “I wish to give back to golf what golf and golfers have given me.’* It is likely that she will compete in the Australian Women’s National Championship, scheduled for Sydney in August. New Plymouth has been chosen by the New Zealand Red Cross Society for its annual conference to be held next July. This will be the first time the conference has been held outside the four main centres. The sum of £250 for the St. Albans Plunket Rooms Building Fund was realised at a fair held by the St. Albans Plunket Mothers’ Club on Saturday. Father Christmas paid a visit to the children in the afternoon.