CURRENT NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26662, 22 February 1952, Page 2

CURRENT NOTES

Six of the 13 area federations of the British Drama League, New Zealand branch, will be represented by women, delegates at the three-day annual meeting of the Dominion body which will begin in Wellington to-day. All the women are active in Drama League affairs in their areas and some have produced plays or acted in them in the centres where they live. The patroness of the New Zealand branch is her Excellency, Lady Freyberg, who accepted the office last year. « The secretary of the Cholmondeley Memorial Children's Home (Miss N. A. Houghton) reported yesterday that the scheme to replace the bedspreads at the home was well under way. Twelve new rose pink ones had been completed for the girls’ dormitory, and it was hoped to obtain the same design in a gold shade for the boys’ dormitory as soon as funds could be obtained. Miss Houghton also reported that 76 bottles of preserved fruit were now in stock for winter use. The Rev. Father J. Johnston, S.J., was the guept speaker at the first meeting for the year of the Catholic Nurses’ Guild, which was neld at the Lewisham Hospital. ’Miss M. Neads thanked the speaker." The hostesses were the Sisters at Lewisham. Sister Evelyn Taylor, the new deaconess of the Methodist Central Mission, was received at an induction service held in the chapel on Wednesday evening. The service was well attended by members and friends, and was conducted by the Rev. A. K. Petch and the Rev. A. F. Collins. The Rev. H. J. Odell presided at a social gathering after the service, and several officials of the mission also expressed their welcome. Sister Ada Lee, a missionary who is returning to the Solomon Islands, was bidden farewell and presented with a floral bouquet and a leather writing compactum. A short programme was presented by Mrs H. Middleton and her concert party. The hostesses were members of the Ladies’ Guild. The February meeting of the garden circle of the women’s section of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association was held yesterday at the home of the president (Miss A. L. Smith). Those who contributed to the musical programme were Mrs S. Johnston, Mrs Jessie Hosking, Miss Tui Uru, and Miss Ngaio Chapman. Mrs W. E. Olds was the accompanist. A competition for an apron was won by Miss M. G. Brown. Results of the monthly competition for a shoulder spray were: A class, Mrs J. Annand 1, Mrs A. E. Cooper 2, Mrs C. E. St. John 3; B class, Mrs B. Yates 1, Mrs H. Packer 2, Miss Brow‘n 3. There was a large attendance of members at the Canterbury branch of the Royal Empire Society at the first monthly buffet luncheon meeting for the year at the Mayfair Lounge yesterday. After welcoming the members the president (Mr Wilfred Peers) spoke of the death of King George VI, who had been a president, and latterly patron of the society. Members stood and observed one minute’s silence as a mark of respect. The speaker, the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) briefly outlined the history of the Royal Family from the reign of Queen Victoria to the accession of Queen Elizabeth 11. Sir Erima Northcroft also spoke, and thanked Bishop Warren for his address. Mrs E. Neilson, of Napier, celebrated her ninety-eighth birthday on February 11. Mrs Neilson was bom in Melbourne and came to New Zealand with her parents in the sailing ship Alhambra in 1862. Her family settled in Oamaru, where she spent her youth. During the early part of her married life her home was in Waimate. Still cheery, mentally alert, and interested in current affairs, Mrs Neilson spends a great deal of her time reading, writing, and tatting without the aid of spectacles. She has a family of four daughters, and one son. There are 12 grandchildren, and 10 great-grand-children. A new play by an Australian dramatist, Dorothy Bluett, entitled “The First Johanna,’’ is to be shown in London in April. The Borovanskv Ballet Company opened at the Empire Theatre, Sydney, on February 1 with “The Sleeping Princess.” This was the first presentation in Sydney of the full-length ballet, which is in three acts and a prologue. There is always something tasty for morning and afternoon teas and for lunches, at “Ethne’s” in Hereford Court and the Ethne Tosswill Cake Shop, 123 Cashel street. —Advt.