SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1144, 3 June 1911, Page 10

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

A Merited Distinction. By the English mail this week, a letter has been received from the secretarygeneral of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, notifying the local authorities that, ?, a ' n , ectlll S °f the Chapter General of the Order, held in London on February ■}}, under tho presidency of the Duke of Coiimiuglit, it was decided to select .Mrs. U. B. lisher for membership, and that, suosequenrly, his Majesty the Xing ] uut sanctioned the selection. This distinction has been conferred on Mrs. Fisher in recognition of gratuitous services rendered on behalf of two departments of the order m Dunedin and Wellington, extending oyer some 15 years. During this time, ..Irs. Fisher has been associated with u number of prominent ladies banded, together to promote hospitaller work, among whom are the names of: Mrs. Kevill, Lady Stout, .Mrs. Rhodes (a Lady of St. John), Mrs. Downio Stewart, and Mrs. Balcombo Brown. The distinction carries with it the eightpointed star of the Knights of Malta, authorised by the Pope (Pascal II) over 800 years ago, and the order is the oldest in Christendom. The prelate of tho order is the Archbishop of York, anil the only clergyman in the Southern Hemisphere who is a member of tho order is the Primate_ of New Zealand (Dr. Nevill), whom King Edward made a sub-prelate some years ago/ So far as is known, only three New Zealand women belong to the order: Miss Hooper, of Dimediii, Mrs. Rhodes, who is a Lady of the Order, and now Mrs. Fisher. The merchants who founded the order, nino hundred years ago, for the succour and protection of the pilgrims making their way-to Jerusalem, aiid harassed at every moment by-enemies, little thought or dreamt of the history that they wero making, nor of the vast supremacy over Christendom that their order was to hold for centuries. A Convent Pupil. The Palmerston North Orchestral So-ciety...eiigiigcd-Miss-M'Fnroe, a pupil of St. ;Mai',v's Convent ,iu Wellington, who but "recently inado;:Jier debut before a Wel:/,iiiJ;t(fn.:.hiitlienoe/as:i'or.er of its soloists at' a'concert-given-oil'Thursday evening. Sho was accompanied by Miss Eva Graham, a clever young pupil of (he Palmerston Convent, and sang tile "Jewel Song," from Faust, responding to an encore with "Tho Last Rose of Summer." In the second Half of the programme, she so delighted her audience with "Caro Nome" that, not content with the encore "Solveig's Song" (Grieg), they still elatnouved lor more. Mr. Maurice Cohen is the conductor of tho orchestra. Another Logan Campbell Gift. Valuable additions to the St. Mary's Home nt Otalmhu, in the shape of a new. wing for.the purposes of a creche and a chapel for tho convenience of the inmates .of the borne, wore'dedicated by the Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Crosslcy) on Wednesday, says an Auckland exchange. There was a large gathering, and amongst those attending were her Excellency (Lady Islington), Archdeacon Calder, and Canon M'Murray. . • The now wing for the creclie, another of Sir J. Logan Campbell's munificent gifts, is situated most pleasantly, and is well sheltered. The night nursery lias twenty-four beds, and tho day nursery is about"as pleasant and cosy a room as one could desire. The outstanding feature of the new structure is that it contains verandahs of extraordinary width, and consequently the infants have plenty of room to play about. In the now wing there aro also bathrooms and nurses' rooms. The chapel, though small, is a very substantially-built edifice, and was erected by the aid of subscriptions, and donations. Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert Rutherford, of Canterbury, arrived in Wellington yesterday' on their way to Auckland. Mrs. Leslie Harris, from Dunedin, passed through Wellington yesterday on her way to Sydney. Mr. and Mrs. Tringham, of Pigeon Bush, are visitors to Wellington. Mi. and Mrs. J. W. Wallace, of Halswell Street, are leaving Wellington today by the Main Trunk for Auckland, where'they join their steamer for Vancouver. Alter visiting a relative at Winnipeg, they proceed to England, and will probably be away for eight months or longer. • Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hume, of Masterton, motored through to Wellington on AYcdnesday, and return to-day. Mrs. F. Armstrong, of Akitio, is visiting Wellington. • Mrs. Arthur Martin (Lower Valley) is spendiii" some davs in Wellington, and is staying at the Royal Oak Hotel. Mr and Airs. G. B, Dall, of Kclburne, leave' on Monday for Napier. They will visit Wangamii, New Plymouth, Jiotoriia. and several other places before returning to Wellington some time in July. The Cherry Blossom Fair of tho Central Mission is being continued to-night at the Herbert Street Hall. Many attractions are provided. The engagement is announced of Miss Nellie Hewitt to Mr. .T. M .Milne, of To Kuiti son of Mr. •!• Milne, Hamilton, and pramNii of Dr. M\ J. Hcotl, Cambridgeshire, England. Yerv niunpecledly, afler a brief illness, the death took place of Mrs. Joseph Filzccrald on Thursday. Mr. l'ltzgerald, who is left with four young children, is a wellknown member of the Hibernian and the S( Vincent de Paul Societies, and much sympathy is felt forjiim. The late Dr. Hacon, of- Christchurch, W"s theiivst Associate of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the Dominion.

Mi.*s Fanny Baliinger was the winner ol the recitation competition, taken part: in' by the members ol the Wellington Callego Old Girls' Association, and held in tlic college yesterday afternoon. At the "ill home" which wiil bo held next Friday evening, the following assist with the entertainment programme:—Mrs. Martin Williams, Mrs. Rouse, the Misses Rash, Flux, Claehan, .Kdmondson, and Baliinger, .the last-named giving the recitation which was the subject of competition. Mr. and Mrs. Alex. Trotter (laic of Wail;mine), who, with their two children, left Auckland by the Maheno on tho lirst stage of a prolonged lour, tranship. pod at Sydney.to the s.s. Oslerley, and so far (writing to their friends from Adelaide) were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Miss Grace Palotla was also on board.