RECEPTION AT TAKAHE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26847, 27 September 1952, Page 2

RECEPTION AT TAKAHE

CANTERBURY DIVISION OF B.M.A. More than 160 guests attended a particularly pleasant reception held yesterday afternoon at the Sign of the Takahe by the Canterbury Division of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. The holding of such a party was an innovation and proved a great success.

In previous years, members of the division met annually at a golf match at Shirley where they played for the Foster Cup and the wives of members attended in the afternoon, and with the players were entertained at tea by the president of the division and his wife. This was one of the chief social gatherings of the year when members’ wives met one another informally. This year the golf match will be played as usual but it will not be followed by a party and the gathering yesterday was arranged to take its place. The members, their wives and other guests were received by the president of the division (Dr. C. L. E. L. Sheppard) and Mrs Sheppard. Mrs Sheppard wore an elfin green suit, mastic blouse and mastic hat with upstanding feather mount.

The guest of honour was Professor C. G. Rob, of St Mary’s Hospital, London, who was warmly welcomed. It had been hoped that Professor C. H. Best of the University of Toronto would be present at the party, but he has been delayed in Australia and has not yet reached the Dominion.

Those who enjoyed the division’s hospitality included the widows of former members of the association, matrons of hospitals and sanatoria, of nursing homes, convalescent homes, Plunket Society, Karitane hospital, the Jubilee home, a representative of the Nurses’ Association bureau, the secretary of the St John Ambulance Association and the secretary of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. In making the smoothly running arrangements for the party, the president had the help of Dr. E. W. Duncan and the secretary (Dr. L. H. Cordery). PARENTS’ UNION Mrs Norton Francis (president) presided at the monthly meeting of the Parents’ National Educational Union, held last evening at the home of Mrs George Francis, Desmond street. A letter was read from the mother of the Greek child sponsored by members expressing sincere thanks for the helo given to her delicate child, who had died, and asking if the branch would sponsor another member of the family. This members had agreed to do immediately on hearing from the Save the Children Fund of the death of the sponsored child. Members undertook to sell health stamps in the vestibule of the Chief Post Office on October 14. The speaker at the meeting was Mrs Elsie M. White, who briefly traced the history of art and culture through the ages and gave an informative talk on miniature painting. Mrs J. Foster thanked Mrs White.