WOMEN IN PRINT.

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 75, 26 September 1916, Page 9

WOMEN IN PRINT.

Sister Anne, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Deamer, who, with another inmate of a convent in Belgium, Mother Brendon, was fortunate enough to get safely out of that country, has arrived in Australia, greatly to her parents relief aud that of the community to which fche belongs. Just before the arrival of the two ladies by the. Osterley, Mrs. Deamer received a letter from her daughter, tho first for two years. They had waited from January till June for their passports, and but for American intervention would not have got them. They were the only two British subjects in the convent. No letters had been received by Sister Anne for two years, and on arrival in Holland she found a pile awaiting her, and was able at last to get news of her relatives. She was delighted to be back in the sunshine of Australia after tlie gloom of Europe, where the constant cannonading results in almost constant rain.' Great care had been taken of all in the community, and Sister Anne and Mother Brendon arrived looking very well, and knew far less of the dreadful happenings than people far off from them. At first there was a good deal of excitement, the village was shelled and taken by the enemy. But fortunately the convent escaped injury, and the Huns in possession of the village were a fairly decent lot, as there were no murders or atrocities in the village. For a while the convent was full of wounded, and even the aisles of the chapel were tilled with mattresses; the sisters gave up theirs willingly, and the older sisters did invaluable work in nursing. At first there was an inconvenient shortage of food, but the country folk managed to send them supplies, so they were never actually in want, and were even able, to help the poor who came to their door for relief. On the way out of the country there were many sad sights, fields full of soldiers' graves, and terrible desolation.

■Mi's. Kobin Deck, daughter-in-law of Surgeon-Major Deck, who is in charge of Victoria Military Hospital, is leaving for England on Thursday. Lieut. R. Deck was killed at Gallipoli, and Mrs. Dec£ intends to offer her services" at Home for war work. She would be very pleased to personally convey any messages from relatives of soldiers in New Zealand, to those men in Walton-on-Thames or Brockenhurst, as she will be visiting both. In addition to this, Mrs. Deck will undertake to write to any relatives who give her an address, reporting as to the condition of any particular soldier. Anyone wishing to avail themselves of this kind .offer before next Thursday should call, upon Mrs. Deck either this evening or to-morrow evening, at her residence, 242, Tinakori-road, or writ© to her at once.

Mrs. Luke has received 15s from two little girls, Misses Price and Meade, the result of a sale of work in aid of *the Christmas Pudding Fund. Mrs. Luke is desirous of obtaining a piano for the use of the nurses at Trentham, many of whom are musical, and would greatly appreciate the pleasure and recreation a piano gives. She has received a few subscriptions for this object, and would be very ..glad to have some more.

Much interest is being taken in the annual meeting of the Y.W.C.A. which takes place to-night,. when the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken will be in. the chair. There are so many, opportunities for work for women amongst women, and the various reports from committees will give a good idea.of the progress made. The election of board members will take place, and a report of the progress of the new building fund will be given.

Fortunately the weather was fine yesterday,'and the holiday-makers on the occasion of ""Dominion Day were able to enjoy themselves. The march-past of the remainder of the 17th Reinforcements was of great interest in the afternoon,' and as usual there was a- crowd of onlookers to wish them well. During the afternoon a bevy of twenty-five young ladies from the D.I.C. sold flags for the soldiers, a great number of whom were soon seen wearing them. The result of the sate was most gratifying, being £37 for the two hours' work. This, with the £160 from Saturday's sale of flowers, flags, and badges, will make a. capital addition to the Soldiers' Presents Fund.

The Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) wishes to thank Messrs. Cook and Cook, of Petone, for twenty-five new cases, made the., proper size for the Christmas prosent- parcels. These are most acceptable, being reacty for use at once, and as the time for packing is- so limited it makes them of extra value. Mrs. Luke lias received some petrol cases but not a sufficient number, and she and her committee would be glad of help from some carpenters who would be willing to give up time after hour's in altering the cases to a suitable size. No doubt there are many perhaps too old or too young to go to the front, and they could give of their skill and experience in this way, and be of great assistance to tho packers.

Mrs. M'Gill and Mrs. Bacchus, of Seatoun, will take charge of the Red Cross shop in Woodward-street to-morrow.

Mrs. Wilson-, wife of Captain H. A. Wjlson, instructional staff, Featherston, has returned from a visit to relatives in Australia, much improved in health.

Mrs. Warren, of Tomoana, Hastings, is visiting her sister, Miss Hardy, at Wadestown.

Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Lowry are returning shortly from. America.

Mrs. Badley and her three : daughters arrived from Sydney by the Riverina and will spend some time* touring New Zealand.

The late Mrs. Ann Robinson, who recently died at Levin, aged ninety years, was one of New Zealand's earliest settlers, arriving with her parents in the barque Lady Nugent, in the year 1841. That she was a worthy member of the band of strenuous pioneers was shown, when her husband, in the prime of his manhood, was incurably crippled by an j accident. The wife rose to the occasion. I arid, although the mother of a family of little girls and two infant sons, successfully managed a, bush farm, in the early settlement of the Makara Valley Hers was a kindly helpful nature, and for many years her services were always at the call of sickness throughout the neighbourhood. As a- member of the Anglican Church at Makara she was untiring in the work, which never lost interest for her, and up 'to the last year of her life she was always present at the annual baazar, though no longer resident in the district. Her husband, the late Mr Richard Robinson, saw active service in the first Maori war—notably in the battle, with Rangihaeata at Horokiwi. He held the war medal that was awarded to those who engaged in that early struggle.

Miss Corrigan left to-day 'to visit her uncle, Mr. A. E. Jull, at Waipawa.

The women's campaign for the 6 o'clock closing of hotels for the duration of the war and six months afterwards was initiated by the National Council of Women in Australia, and has been going on with marvellous energy. The New South Wales women issued a. paper called " Six O'Clock," and posted a copy to practically every woman in the State; they published about half a million copies of a letter written by Mrs. David, and about 80,000 pamphlets. The committee wrote officially to every member of the two Houses of Parliament, and then every woman connected with the movement wrote to the member of her electorate. The Temperance Union has issued a button whicii bears the figure "6," and these arc being sold at threepence to aid the funds of the movement. It is said that a tram 'conductor, on seeing the button, remarked to a. lady wearing it, "That's right, missis; go for six hours,- six hours of work's enough for anybody." He was not quite so interested when, she explained the significance of the button. A mass meetingof women in * favour of. the 6 o'clock closing was to be held as soon as possible.

The many friends of M,iss Molly Laing, and of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Montague Laing, formerly of Wellington, and now in London, will be grieved to hear of her death at a sanatorium in England. Miss Laing had been working very hard at different kinds of patriotic work, and was much run down, when attacked with the fatal illness. She was a grand-daughter of Mrs. M'Menamen, of Island Ba_y.

A small bazaaj- was held in talminster's Schoolroom on Satin-day. The proceeds, which were in aid of the circuit funds, show that the affair was very successful.

The Wellington Savage Club is holding its annual " ladies' evening" in the large Town Hall on Saturday next. This year these patriotic Bohemians are aiming at raising a substantial sum to hand over in equal shares to the War Relief Association and the Citizens' 'Christ-mas Fund. They are, therefore, keeping down unnecessary expenses, and devoting their whole attention towards putting on a really fine programme of a Bohemian nature. The second half of the programme is to take the form of a trench concert, in a rest trench on the Western front, all the performers being in uniform, and the various items linked up by amusing dialogues and incidents. I'-he Savage Club Chorus, consisting of some thirty voices, -will play a .prominent part, in this scene.

At Wesley _ Church, Blenheim, lately a. special service was held for all people over sixty years of age. The number present (says the Express) filled the major portion of tho ground -floor. A feature of the meeting was the prizes, in the form of bouquets of flowers tied with i-iEbon, for the one who had been longest in Marlborough; the one who had been longest in New Zealand; the one who had been a decided Christian the longest; for the oldest present; ahd for the couple who had been married the greatest number of years. It was ascertained by the showing of hands that there were present 39 over 70; 27 over 75; 9 over 80; 7 over 81; 6 over 82; 5 over 83; 4 over.B4; 3 over 85; 2 over 86; and 1 over 90. There were present, of these who had lived in Marlborough over 50 years, 36; over 55, 20; over 60, 12; over 65, 3; and one who had been born there 83 years ago. Of those who had lived in New Zealand over 60 years, 24; over 65 years", 12; over 70, 7; over 71, 6; over 72, 4; over 73, 3. Of those who had been Christians ■longest, .12 over 50 years; 6 over 55 years; 1 over .60 years; and 1 over 70 years. Of the oldest couple present, 4 had been married for over 50 years; 1 for over 53 years; and one couple for ov*er 60 years.-

Illustrated English papers ha.ye made us familiar <with the. spectacle of women and girls engaged in farming and other war emergency work (says tho New 'Zealand Herald). Tho phenomenon can, however, be seen nearer home. A farmer on the St. Heliers Bay road has lost the the services of his son and a farm hand, both of whom have gone to the front, and has found himself unable to replace them with male labour. His daughter, a giri of sixteen, has, however, been equal to the occasion. She has taken in hand the management of her father's plough team, and last week might have, been seen-driving two horses harnessed to the plough. At the end of the week she had 3j acres of ground turned over, and now she is busy discing the same paddock with a three-horse team.