MRS RATCLIFF ENTERTAINED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 2

MRS RATCLIFF ENTERTAINED

Presentation For

Birthday

A pleasant prelude to a busy and varied week-end for Mrs Nora Ratcliff, the English tutorproducer and playwright now on a training tour of all areas of the New Zealand branch of the British Drama League, was a morning tea reception arranged by the local area committee and held at the home of Mrs G. W Skellerup. Desmond street. The area president (Mr W. E. Cook) extended a welcome to Mrs Ratcliff and to the guests, including the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G Manning) and Mrs Manning visiting officers of the national executive, and more than 40 persons closely associated with amateur drama in the city. Mrs Ratcliff later attended the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting kt Addihgton. and on Saturday evening judged the divisional finals' festival at the St James' Theatre.

At the end of the programme it was announced that it was Mrs Ratcliff’s birthday The Dominion president (Mr D. S. Campbell), of Wellington on behalf of the national executive, presented Mrs Ratcliff with a memento of New Zealand—a musical box of a Maori meeting house which plays a Maori melody. Last evening Mrs Ratcliff was guest of honour at a function arranged by the Active Members’ Club of. the Canterbury Reper-

tory Theatre Society. Mrs Ratcliff will judge divisional finals of the drama league at Alexandra on Wednesday. On September 17 she will address women members of affiliated clubs and societies at ' “Maryknoll” in Christchurch. On September 18 she will conduct a class in drama in schools with 40 members of the Christchurch Teachers’ College and the Christchurch Kindergarten Training College On September 19 and 20 she will attend a week-end school for actors and producers at the W.E.A. centre. Gloucester street, and on September 21 will take classes for secondary schools' drama groups at the Christchurch West High Schoo! On September 22 there will be a farewell function for Mrs Ratcliff given by members of affiliated clubs and societies at the National Party Club rooms.