SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 290, 27 August 1918, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Eastbourno Social Club. There was a record attendance of members at tho fortnightly gathering on Saturday evening. A number of patients and nurses, from tho Lowry Bay Hospital were also present. Theprogramme was long and varied, each item being vociferously encored. The following. contributed to the pro-gramme-:-Miases Elton and Lawton n ™ e- H- Mtt3 ; el '' a - de La °y Peake U. Claphani, Eidler, L. Inch, Pierard Hastie H. Downs, W. Bennett, and the club orchestra. Nurse Charnley mid Mrs. M'Donald acted as accompanists. . Should the V/omen Saluto? .Should tho "Wanes," tho "Wrens," and the "Penguins" salute? War Office, Admiralty,- and . Air Force instructions, so exact in other matters of detail, are silent on this point of etiquette, states tho "Daily News." The authorities hold that a woman officer (official is the term they prefer) cannot receive a saluto, because she does not hold the King's commission, but, ae an official said the tho other day, "without a salute there can bo no real discipline." As far as a.mere civilian can ascertain, "Waacs"- salute their officers in camps and hostels, and stand at attention when on duty, but in public discipline is relaxed. Members of tho Q.M.A.A.C. never salute Army or Navy_ officers, it appears, nor do their "officials" receive salutes from service men except the friendly salute of ail officer or a private to a lady acquaintance. I

In France among the Q.M.A.A.C. the salute is customary, between women and officials, in publio as well as iii all offices and camps. Tho girls do not use tho full sweep of tho arm ae in the Army, but raise the hand to the hat in a half salute.

Tho "W.R.N.S. have no saluto." said Mrs. Katharine Furse, their director,! "n Or d 0 our officials receive tho salutes of seamen."

The W.R.A.F. is too much in its infancy for the authorities to have decided what is to he done about saluting.

Tho controllers, directors, and other officials, though they may march with military precision, must, if presented to Their Majesties, curtsey in the oldfashioned way as thoir grandmothers did.

The (Mrs. J. P. Luke) loft yesterday, morning on a visit to "\Vangaiiui. v

The hem. secretary of the Countess of Liverpool Fund .acknowledges the following contributions to tho Parcels Fund and the Mayoress's Christmas Pudding Fund for soldiors:—Ohakune Women's Patriotic League (Parcels Fund), £6 10a., also £10 for Christmas puddings; Bulls Red Gross, £2. From tho schools for Christmas Pudding Fund, per Mrs. Mnrphy (collcct,«1), £21 15s. 9d..j Maraeknknko, 65.; %tore, ds.j.Otaki, £G (for parcels); Mrs. Vosh, £2 Bs.; Foxtou Patriotic League, £16 145.; Mrs. Post, proceeds of, children's dance, for puddings, £4 Ids.; Huiiterville, £18 6s. Bd. (200 puddings); Mrs. Campbell, 55., parcel.

A pioneer band of American Sisters of Charity (insisting of ten Sisters, a dietician, laboratory assistant, secretary. and ninety Red Cross nurses) has arrived in Now York from Birmingham, Ala., on the way to France, states tho Now York "Herald" of Juno 11. Heading tlio. unit, was Sistor Chrysostom, chief nurse, who will lead it into the front ranks of the war zone, where already 15,000 members of the orde.r in France are on active duty. St. Vincent's Hospital, Birmingham, Ala., organised tho unit which will bo known as Base Hospital No.-102.

Contributions to Red Cross equipment havo been received at tho Mercor Street Depot, from the following:— Women's National Reserve, Brooklyn Branch, Dannevirke Red Cross Committee, Ladies' Guild, Rangntaua, Stratford Bed Cross "Workers, New Plymouth. Rod Cross, Foxton Ladies' Guild.

• Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Rose are in town and are staying at the Hotel Cecil.

Miss Ethelwynn Williams, only daughter of tlia late Mrs. R. V. Williams, of Napier, is engaged in war work in France.

Mr. and Mrs. Basil Cotterill have returned to Dunedin from a visit to Hawke's Bay.

| On Friday evening, at the Wellington Girls' College, a very successful concert was held in aid of the Pundita Ramabai Mission in India. As a result of this effort the Social Committeemembers of the teaching staff and girls —the sum of £46 was raised. The demand for tickets was so great that a j larger hall than the College Central ! Hall could easily have been filled. An [attractive sweets stall under the direcI tion of Miss Dull: and Miss Kennedy, .aud a flower stall under Miss Rainforth and Miss Collins, did a brisk trade. The programme, which ; was supplied entirely by girls of tho college, proved very interesting. To Miss Ward and Miss Allan (accompanist) was due the success of the songs given by tho Glee Club; a Shakespearean scene, a comedietta, and various recitations gave evidence of the'careful training given by Mrs. Hartshorn, the teacher of elocution. These items, togethor with drill by the senior girls, gamea by the juniors, a quartet, a duet, a violin solo by Frances Henry, provided a bright and varied entertainment.

A special service was held at the Sailors' Friond Society on Sunday evening to render thanks for the help received which enabled the eocioty's work to be maintained for another year without bazaars or anything of tho kind. The missioner (Mr. James Moore) spoko from John, 12.32. Miss Marjorie Jones was the soloist of the evening. Tho committee, Mrs. Williams, and the missionor are very grateful to all donors who havo helped to make the, society independent of bazaars, etc. The anniversary meeting of the society will bo held this evening.

French War Correspondent in a N.Z Hospital.

Of his stay, through sickness, in the New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Franco, a French war I'orrespondent writes as follows in "Hai Tiaki , ," tho Now Zealand nurses' journal:—"Separfited from my 'eompagnons d'existence,' 11 seemed to bo an exile, an isolated i Frenchman, unable to speak a word of English, surrounded by hcd-fellows so distant, as I thought, rogarding points of view and language. My sadness, however, was quickly dispelled by courteous and sympathetic smiles;'kindhearted interest became tho iink, As a dumb, yet so eloquent, language by which my companions in misfortune and myself began to mi'larstfind ono another. Some of thorn could speak a few words of French, and thus was the medium with which our mutual cordiality was cenieritod. I, being French, jovial by birth, of a race with a gallant reputation, did not wish to remain in tho background with those young amiable British officers, so rebellious against thei:' hard luck, so averso to being ill, rebelling against it as against-the enemy,, with all their heart and soul, as would be expected from their resolute and tenacious spirit. "My stay in this atmosphere of New Zealand lias cured me of two dislikes of which I imagined I should never rid myself: fears of fresh air, and abhorrence of gramophones. In Franco ivo have tho deplorablo habit of keeping out doors closed; too .much in some cases, and not enough in others. I am i thinking of the Huns, who, before the war, overran our country ,ib though it was their own. In such cases our doors : should be forever closed; wo will have paid dearly enough to bang it in their faces. But on tho other hand, we shall have tho advantages of living with our doors open, no longer study, but loving the good fresh air and light, which fills up tho lungs with strength and health. Here in Ward A3, as all over the hospital, tho doors are open night and day, during all weather. At first I objected, now I breathe. I am no longer frightened of air; the breozes circulato around me; I glo;\v in them, I feel mysolf free, airy, light as a feather. As for the grainophono, I bog its pardon; before this I used to look upon it as a nuisance, a worry, fit only to annoy calm and quibt folks with it's rolling nasal twang. To-day 1 know exactly how much it is tho friend c f man. I owe to it many agreeable moments of distraction and forgetfulnoss. It has left in ■ my memory little rippling melodies, which, though mostly English, have become none the less familiar.

"There only remains to me, in gratitudo to my hosts, to praise the fare. Six meals daily in the hospital, meals served on little tables, as in the most luxurious' restaurants of London or Paris, aud through which I should soon regain my lost strength. In a few days then I, shall bo away, to make room for others in this wnnll corner of heaven, where . I have enjoyed three splendid weeks of charm, rest-, and tlio most cordial hospitality possible. This stay in New Zealand will live, I may say, for over amongst tho most agreeable memories of my life, as a war correspondent."