WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2533, 6 August 1915, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Continued from page 2.) Mobilisation of Women. The feminist journal "La Francaise" states that the mobilisation of women to replace men-, in the public services goes on very satisfactorily. Five women were appointed during April in the Department of Bridges, Roads, and Mines, while, "thanks to. tho wise and abundant provisions of the Minister of Agriculture," women . have taken in their hands the plough and tho seed bag and admirably performed their duty." From one district comes an account of a wife oarrying on her husband's profession as veterinary surgeon—just.one example out of many of tho ways in which women are filling men's places. Frenchwomen, says ''L'lntrausigoant ( " just as much as the men, aro throwing their whole heart into the national effort. Mrs. H. Barrett and Miss Lydia Barrett gave a very enjoyable little party on Wednesday night, the guest of honour being Mr. George Little (Takapau), who is going into camp at Trentham shortly. Those present were: Mrs, J. Barrett, Miss Harriss, Miss Violet Johnson, Miss K. Maciver, Miss Una Mocre, and Miss E. Stevens, and Messrs. Edgar Wallace, L. Roberts, Finlay, Maciver, Walter Wood, and Penlington. A number of vocal items were contributed by several of the guests, and a pleasant little function was brought to a conclusion with the singing of "He's a jelly good fellow," "Auld Lang Syne," and cheers for the guest of the evening. Mrs. Burns, wife of the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and' Mrs. Edward Anderson, wife of the vice-president, are visiting Wellington. At Greenwich (England), on June 13, Morris Edgar Marples, Lieutenant Army Service Corps; younger son of the late Mr. William Marples, of Birkenhead, was married to Mary. Purcell, younger daughter of tho late Mr. John Purcell, of Wellington, New Zealand, states a London correspondent. Mr. .and Mrs. Allen (Blenheim) are staying at tho Empire Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. T. Page (Eketahuna) are staying at the Windsor Hotel. Mrs. Nosworthy left for the south on Wednesday evening. Mrs. Fitchctt was the hostess at the Soldiers' Room last evening, and a very cheerful time was passed by tho soldiers, who aro finding out how comfortable a place the room is. Mrs. Massey was a visitor to the hall' last evening. The committee who organised a danca in the Boulcott Street Hall a_ short time ago for the benefit' of patriotic funds intends organising another,_ which is to he held on tho 30th of this month to -raise funds for the -Military Hospital Guild. .- ..■ ITALIAN WOMEN ATTHE FRONT Enthusiasm for war is intense among all classes in Italy, and the Italian authorities have had much trouble with the numbers of women who have endeavoured to find their way to tho firing line disguised as men (states a writer in an English paper). The practice of assuming military uniform with the object of going to the war has become so common, among women that the mililary authorities are employing special dotectives at all the principal centres, whose duty it is to scrutinise carefully all the soldiers, with a view to detecting, by gait, manner, or bohaviour, any women who may bo masquerading among them. The most interesting case of this misguided enthusiasm' occurred at Genoa, where a tall, handsome "soldier," one among a thousand'just about to depart to the front, aroused suspicion. Crossexamined closely, the .confession that the "soldier" was a woman was eventually extracted, a confession coupled with the explanation. that she was anxious "to do something for Italy." She explained, that, swept away in the wave of enthusiasm, she had volunteered for service as a Red Cross nurse, and had been, told to wait a littlo while. Impatient at the thought of inactivity, she- bought a uniform, sacrificed her abundant black tresses, assumed a martial air, and insinuated herself among the. troops at the railway station. "Why do you prevent an Italian woman doing her duty?" she asked, indignantly, as she quitted the railway station under escort. > ' 'At ljst night's meeting the City Council sympathised with Councillor W. J. Thompson, in the fact that pne of his sons, Sergeant B. Thompson, had been wounded at the Dardanelles. Coun- i cillor Thompson said that news had been received that his son was shot in tho leg, and was progressing satisfactorily. I

WOMEN'S POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE 'ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Wellington Women's Political HnWin League was held in tho Theosopiu •; Chambers last evening, and was presided over by the president, Mrs. C. Earlc. Tho first matter to be dealt with was the election of officers for tho ensuing year. Mrs. C. Earlo was re-electcd president (unopposed), and Mesdames Hadfield and A. Crawford vice-presidents (also unopposed). The following committee was appointed; Mesdames Badham, Burton, Dawson, Guyiner, Lang; Peat, and Swanson, Miss Barry and Miss Richardson. Miss Speed presented the balancesheet, which showed tho league to be in a very satisfactory financial condition. In moving its adoption, the president said that during the past year the sum of £102 had been paid out to various patriotic funds, and the league was now contributing to such purposes at the rate of £10 a month, and would continue to do so until tho end of the war. She also referred to the Voluntary Nursing Sisterhood, and congratulatory reference was made to Sirs. Hawson, who has taken up work with that association. The fact that so many members were taking an active part in the various patriotic movements was very gratifying to • the league. The year showed an increase of membership. A vote of thanks to the retiring committee was carried by acclamation, and to Mrs. Earle and Mrs. .Ernest Hadfield, who had been presidents during the year, Mrs. Earlo succeeding Mrs. Hadfield, who had resigned from the position. After the business part of the evening had been dealt with, Mr. Young, M.P., in the absence of the Hon. Dr. Pomare, gave an interesting comparison between the Natives of New Zealand and those of Polynesia (Samoa, Rarotonga, Fiji, Tonga, etc.), touching upon' similarities of language and customs that seemed to point to the fact that , they were all at one time connected. Iu moving a vote of thanks' to the speaker, Mrs. Guymer remarked, that she had been specially interested in the references that had been triado to Captain Cook, as she came from the same place as he' did, and as a little girl she had drunk at the same well and played on the hearthstones of his old home. The vote of thanks was carried with much heartiness. A resolution proposed by Mrs.: Hadfield and carried it the meeting was as follows:—"That this meeting of the Women's Political Reform League desires to place on record its appreciation of the readiness shown by members of the Reform Ministry to make the sacrifices entailed in the formation of a National Cabinet; and congratulates both the Government and the Opposition parties on the course taken te secure unity of action i ntliis time of national crisis." THE DOMESTIC PROBLEM At the beginning of the war numbers of servants were thrown out of employment owing to the fact that most households immediately reduced their expenditure (states an English writer). Now the scarcity of servants has become acute. The proprietress of a well-known registry office in South London says that for some months past the number of girls applying to her for situations has decreased, by 50 per cent. Many girls feel that they ought to bo doing some war -work,_ and they are now in munition factories <>r taking a man's place in eonie business establishment. Other girls who used to bo available for day work are being kept at home to help with the houso work and the younger children, as their fathers are earning higher wages and trcir own earnings are 110 longer, needed. The shortage is further accentuated, by the number of young domestics who have married soldiers.