Canadian Renews War-Time Friendships With N.Z. Airmen

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27405, 19 July 1954, Page 2

Canadian Renews War-Time Friendships With N.Z. Airmen

NEWS FOR WOMEN

Miss Isabel Paton, of Winnipeg, well known to many New Zealand airmen w’ho were stationed in Canada during the war, visited Christchurch during the week-end. She is expected to leave this morning for Queenstown, Dunedin, and Invercargill. Miss Paton is on a world tour. While she is in New Zealand she hopes to renew her friendships with many of the men who staved with her between 1940 and 1945.

Miss Paton was a member of the Women’s Air Force Auxiliary and a director of the Airmen’s Club in Winnipeg. The club served more than 1000 meals a day, and arranged accommodation for the men in private homes. All the workers were volunteers. . Each week she entertained three airmen in her own home. “It was just wonderful to have the boys and be able to do something for them,” Miss Paton said in an interview. “Many of them

still remember me and send me greetings at Christmas,” she added.

Although Miss Paton has spent only the week-end in Christchurch she found dozens of her war-time friends. During the interview, she was paged for a telephone call and a visitor. As she rose to accept these calls her face lit up in a smile—across the lounge she recognised a former airman she had known in Winnipeg. During the afternoon Miss Paton was visited by the president of the women’s section of the Air Force Association (Miss Maia Aston) and the secretary (Mrs N. Bruce). They conferred on her life membership of the section, and also presented her with its badge in recognition of her hospitality to the airmen. On Saturday morning Mr J. A. Stanley (secretary of the Air Force Association) and Mrs Stanley entertained Miss Paton at tea.

After leaving New Zealand Miss Paton will visit Australia, where several of the airmen she knew in Winnipeg have arranged trips for her.

MR V. C. PETERS HONOURED HARMONIC SOCIETY FUNCTION Members of the Christchurch Harmonic Society Ladies’ Auxiliary arranged a party to do honour to Mr Victor C. Peters, conductor of the society’s choir and to congratulate him and his choir on the success of their recent visit to Auckland. The party was held on Saturday night at Elizabeth House, where the president of the auxiliary (Mrs M. E. Lyons) welcomed nearly 130 members and guests. Mrs Lyons said that the society as a whole, including the ladies’ auxiliary, was exceedingly proud of the warm praise that Mr Peters and his choir had received when they presented “The Dream of Gerontius” at the Auckland Festival a few weeks ago. and of the complete success of their visit. On behalf of the auxiliary, Mrs Lyons presented Mrs Peters with flowers and Mr Peters with a speciallyprepared album. In thanking members for their appreciation of his work and of the gift, Mr Peters gratefully acknowledged the

strong support always given to the choir by the auxiliary, and gave ah account of some aspects of the visit to Auckland.

A talk on impressions he had gained overseas was given by Mr Clifford Cook, and a musical programme was presented by Madeline E.anafin, Edna Boyd-Wilson, and Carl Smith (songs), and Clifton Cook (violin). The accompanists were Mr Keith Newson, Mrs W. E. Olds, Mrs J. Scott, and Miss Margaret Neilson. The artists were thanked by Mrs Lyons.

CHURCHGOERS’ ! DRESS Strict Regulations At St. Peter’s • (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) ROME, July 17. The busy season has started for the Swiss Guards at the door of St. Peter’s Basilica, who have to turn away women improperly dressed. More and more women tourists are being barred as the weather in Rome becomes belatedly warmer. A notice outside the basilica’s main entrance says: “Men must wear suitable clothing. Women must wear clothes suited to the sanctity of the church, with sleeves reaching at least to the elbow and high necklines.” However, women still try to slip into the basilica in sleeveless dresses, trousers, or shorts. The Swiss Guards, dressed in yellow the red 16th century uniforms, soon pick them out, and politely turn them away. Women with bare shoulders and arms can buy a shawl round the corner and thus satisfy propriety. A woman tourist last year tried to enter in a daring off-the-shoulder blouse and brief shorts. A month ago a Swiss woman was barred for wearing slacks. As she turned away she shouted: “This is a war against women.” Men are rarely turned away for being improperly dressed, as only shorts, bare chests, or singlets are barred. The biggest problem for the Swiss Guards came this month when a group of Scotsmen arrived wearing kilts. The guards reluctantly admitted them when the Scots said their own bishops did not bar kilts in church.