SOCIAL AND PER SONAL.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 137, 27 February 1918, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PER SONAL.

The Balkan peasants. i In the course of iier lecture in the Concert Chamber of the To mi Hall last fl'veiiing Dr. Bennett described something of the life of the people in Mace-' doniiv, where her hospital unit was stationed for a time. In that country there was a great mixture of races —Greeks, Bulgarians, Turks, etc. Curiously enough thoy did not mix, but kept their own communities distinct. * Life was primitive to a degree, and might be summed up briefly in the growing of corn, the care of flocks of sheep and goats, and spinning and knitting. In tlie summer weather the flock's would feed in the open country, with shepherds to see that they were not attaoked by wild dogs or taken off by marauders, and iu the winter they were taken into the houses. It was reminiscent of Biblical pictures to see tbem with their convoys of shepherds, and one realised jvst how difficult it was to divide tbe sheep from the goats. In. the villages all the houses were closely pressed together, with a view to scouring some measure of protection. Were the Serbs given the ordinary privileges of civilisation, protection, freedom from fear, and tho ordinary circumstances of life in a civilised country, which we tako so much fot granted, they would he a very fine people. As it was there war. much to admire about them, but with deep suspicion of their neighbours, with fear always dogging their footsteps, some of the corner-stones of civilisation were missing. Dr. Bennett illustrated her lecture last evening with 'some very fine lantern Blides, showing the work of the hospital, the country people, and many ether interesting matters. Peikling Notes. A most successful day was held on Friday, when • the Parcels Fund Committee he'd a children's procession and entertainment in the Square. Amonj; the most noticeable were a party ot small boys on tricycles, decorated with red, white, and blue nags, a team of Miss Spain's school children en bicycles decorated witli pink and black, a small boy as a "Bobby," a rooster, John Bull, Japanose girls, follies, Chinaman, swaggers, the Fcilding "Star," Belgian and French girls, besides children on ponies, decorated trollies, and motor-cars. The most striking performoncfo of. the entertainment was the Maypole dance. The children performed excellently, and great credit is due to .Airs. Balthrop and Miss Bramwell, who were icsponsible for it. During tho afternoon over £100 was collected, principally by ihe children. Mrs. Atkinson is in Wellington. ' Mrs. iStewart has gone' to Kolorua. Mrs. Fry is visiting Tauno. Miss .Millar is staying in Wellington. Mrs. Fitzgerald has returned from Wellington. Miss Fitch is visiting T?otorua. Their Excellencies the GovernorGeneral and the Countess of Liverpool gave a garden party at Elinwood on Saturday afternoon.

Tlie Mayoress (Mr*. J. P. Luke) Ims received the sum of £85 from Mrs. Vivian R.iddiforc'l to lip divided :i 1110115 llio..Mo)v : .u&Jiin.cis; i £jjQ to the Blind•cd Soldier*'- and Sailors' Fund, .£25 for the Red Triangle Fund (Y.M.C.A.). ami .fill for the Nurses' Mpmorial Fund. Mrs. Luke lias also received nn amount of £25 for her Soldiers' Gift Parcels Fund, the result of the hutch, ers' art. union. There is a still further amount to 'lie revived as the result of a day's sports. .

In connection with the Red Triangle Day appeal to raise £100,000 for the benefit of the men at the front during the noxt twelve months, "Wairarapa's share in the amount was set down at £10,()C0. It is stated by the general secretary of the Masterton branch of the association, reports the "Age," that over £5000 of this has already been subscribed.

A Roman Catholic Girls' Hostel and Club was opened in Cashel Street, Christcliurch, on Sunday by His Lordship Bishop Brodic.- The building, which is situated on three-quarters of an acre of land, contains 22 rooms and is considered to he extremely suitable and convenient for the purpose in view. Among those present were Dean Reguault, Dr. Kennedy, Rev. Fathers Hurley and Caliill, and Mr. George Harper, president of the Hostel Committee.

A unique record came lo light at the "at home" for old folks on Friday afternoon in connection with the Rev. Val. Trigge's mission at the Waolston Methodist" Church, when inquiries brought forth the claim from one old lady present of having no fewer than 148 grandchildren and great-grand-children. Mr. Triggo has conducted over 100 similar gatherings throughout tho Dominion, at all of which inquiries were made concerning the number of grandchildren represented by those present, but he confessed that the lady he met on Friday beaded them all.

Women and New Year HoiiourE List,

Tiie New Year list of honours is probably the most miscellaneous which the country has had presented to it for many years (states "The Queen" in the course of an editorial article). While it contains a largo proportion of rewards for war work, chiefly to prominent men of business who have sat on important controlling or advisory committees, it also takes in with a wide sweep cotton and shipping magnates, newspaper proprietors and journalists, two well-known literary men, two artiats, and a distinguished architect. There are apparently only two medical honours, which seem to bo rather an inadequate reward for the tremendously important services of that profession during the war. We cannot help remarking, in a ladies' newspaper, that in another year there ought to he a reformation in the direction, of awarding honours also to women, whoso services are becoming more and more valuable and conspicuous as time goes on. The reading public must] reflect that a really substantial injustice has been done to women by excluding them from any but hereditary honours. At least a dozen women in literaturo alone during the last century have deserved a title in tlieif own right. At present there is hardly any way of paying honour to a successful or public-spirit-ed woman. In exceptional casos, such as those of Florence Nightingale and Nurse Oavell statues have been ereoted. It was also said, we believe by tho late Lord .Acton, that "George Eliot," if it had not been for her irregular relations: with the philosopher Lewes, would probably have earned a tomb in Westminster Abbey. Is it not now time that this injustice should be corrected! 1 Why cannot an accomplished authoress like Mrs. Humphry Ward bo granted a baronetcy in her own right, allowing her husband to have a courtesy title and her son to succeed? Now that women have taken their part in the war and are preparing to share in the government of the country, and before iong to enter all the professions, some path to public honours should be opened to them. It is sad to reflect that so distinguished a woman as Mrs. Garrett Anderson should have passed away without any public recognition of her valuable career.

Miss L. Stanley, chocolato and candy expert, has arrived in Wellington from Australia, and will instruct ladies in the art of sweetmaking. An advertisement appears in this issue.

Mrs. M. M. Macphail, Assistant-Pro-fessor of Modem Languages at Victoria University College, whose death took place in Port Chalmers on Monday, was the widow of a Presbyterian minister, and had been connected with the staff of Victoria College for about seven years, for the first four of which sha was assistant to the Professor of Modern Languages. On the retirement of Professor von Zedlitz two iw a half years ago, she was appointed lecturer in French. In that position she did oxcellent workj and earned the esteem and respect of the students. She was of a retiring disposition, and during the past two years had been debarred by failing health from participation in general college activities.

"Why cannot bakers employ women?" asked Mr. H. Bruce, at the Conciliation ' Council at Christcliurch • when the hakers' dispute was under consideration. Mr. Bruce • explained that there was some work in connection with a bakehouse that women could not do—lifting sacks of flour owises of butter and eggs. It seemed strange that they could not employ women, especially now that labour was so scarce, while I auks and other business people employed them. The commissioner (Mr. W. If. Hagger) replied that in the previous agreement between the parties there was no provision made for the employment of women, and the employers were asking for the continuance of that agreement. The union's proposal, which was accepted, provided for the employment of women, but stipulated that if they were employed in the manufacture of goods for sale they should be paid the same rate as inert.

Mrs. Chapman Catt, president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance and president of the National American Women Suffrage Association, and the Rev. Dr. Anna Shaw, chair: woman of the American Woman's Committee of the National Council of Defence, will be among the first enfranchised womeis in New York State.

Airs. L. Wilkins, 0.8. E., of the Women's National Land Service Corps, and Mrs. M. J. Jenner are at present the only women members of the Agricultural Wages Board (states ''The Queen"): Mrs. Jenner has been elected to represent the workers. The decisions of this newly established board must have a great effect in determining the extent to which the country can increase its home-grown supplies of food. j