Women in Print.

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 57, 5 September 1917, Page 9

Women in Print.

Notwithstanding the many calls, that are made for patriotic purposes, the tea at the Levin Memorial Home, Berhampore, this year was as successful a-s in years past. People aiTived in large numbers, with parcels of all shapes and sizes.' Bags of sugar, oatmeal, and flour had been r sent previously, and these, with eggs, jams, etc., made an imposing array on the table in the hall. Material and donations in money were also brought. The gifts in money amounted: to over £31. Eighty yards of material and 3601b weight of groceries were re-1 received, so it can be seen that the cause of the children is not forgotten by the i friends of the Levin Home. Miss Greenwood, Miss Archibald, Miss Mprrah, and Miss Jolly (the matron) received tho guests, and Mrs. Flux, Mrs. Wm. Christie,, and Miss D. Greenwood; showed the visitors owr. the home. Spring flowers were in great profusion, anemones, violets, lilies, and narcissi of every variety. Mies Elaine West had charge of these, and the Bale of them realised £5 5s 6d. They were sent from .ChristchuEch, the Warratapa, and Porirua, as well as Wellington. Miss West was assisted by Mrs. Guy Fulton, Misses Murray, Archer, and Geddis. Misses Young, Barry, and Bobieson, who -were helped by Misses Dawson, Wheeler, and Maelaurin, and Mi's. Archibald and Mis. Longmore, dispensed tea. The .dining-room, which has been enlarged, looked especially bright and sunshiny. Here Miss Gwen Shepherd had arranged a programme, to which the following contributed: Miss Doris Little, songs; Miss 0. Neill, violin solos - X Miss Gwen Shepherd, recitations and monologue; and Miss Huia Shepherd, piano solo. The children, under Miss Leighton, also gave two-songs. All the items were much appreciated, and the bright sunshine and pleasant surroundings made the tea a great success. The children playing games in the garden triado a pretty picture. They looked happy, and comment was mode on all sides at their good behaviour. *'

The Day's Bay residents have always been successful in their patriotic efforts, and a good day may be expected at the Wellington Red Cross Shop on Friday, when they will be in charge. Homemade goods, novelties in the way of needlework, and very beautiful flowers are among the attractions to be offered, and visitors will find the shop well worth a visit.

The splendid work of Red Cross nurses was mentioned at the executive meeting of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association recently. It was decided that a recommendation be sent forward to the next conference that the consitution be amended to admit nurses to membership.

Mrs. Porter, organising secretary of tho .W.N.8., left this morning for Feilding on reserve business.

Miss Drummond, oi Greytown, isvisiting Mrs. A. M. Johnson at St. Paul's Vicarage. . . ■

Miss Mitford, of Auckland,, is. staying in Wellington at present.

The monthly meeting of the Wellington Victoria League Executive Committee took place at Miss Coates's residence yesterday, when Miss Coates was in the chair. Correspondence concerning members of the league in England, and with regard to the medical comforts and hospital clothing for tile troopships, and other league matters, was read. It was ■decided to call a meeting of the league's Bed Cross Committee to make arrangements for tho next day at the shop.

Members of the Soldiers' Mothers' League, and all interested, are notified that the lion, secretary, Mrs. Marmont. will be. in attendance at Room 5, Hannah's Building, on Thursday mornings from ID to 12.

A 33^ yards breast stroke race was held ' st evening by the Ladies' Swimming and Life-Saving Club. The result was as under .-—First heat: Miss Ayling, 4sec, 1; Miss Edmondson, 7seo, 2; Miss Bacon, Ssec, 3- Also started: Mrs. Thomson osec. Second heat: Miss Aitken, lsec, 1; Miss Donnelly, 3sec, 2; Miss Buckmaster, scr, 3. Final: Miss Ayling, 1; Misses Edmondson and Aitken, dead heat, 2. In the swim off for second place Miss Edmondaon secured the honour.

Miss G- M. Webster, who has been appointed by the Defence Department as hospital instructress in such industries as basket and raffia: work, is now at Hanmcr, instructing the soldiers at the Queen Mary Hospital. The. Wellington Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Oversoas' held a practice last evening in roller bandaging. Many women a-re deeply interested in the success of the effort in aid of the Cripped Soldiers' Hostel. The.committee of ladies assisting in the work is anxious that those women who have tickets and are interested in the drawing of the art union should reserve the seats beforehand if they wish to have _a good view of tho ceremony. A splendid concert lms been organised by Sir. H. F. Wood, the programme'being supplied by some of Wellington's best talent.

, In expressing appreciation of the welcome accorded her by members of tho Grammar School 'Board at the last meeting, Mrs. B. L. Baume, recently appointed to a seat dn that body, - made reference to the fact'that Miss Edgar, the first «oman in the British Empire to receive a university degree, was an ex-pupil of the Auckland Grammar School. Forty years ago, said Mrs. Baume, the only 'institution in New Zea-' land where a etudent could keep _ terms was Canterbury College, and in view of the hao-dship this entailed upon North Island students an arrangement was made under which, they could keep terms at the Auckland Grammar School. Miss Edgar, an old Grammar School girl, thereupon kept terms, and later on announced her intention of sitting for her degree. A storm of opposition promptly greeted her resolve; no woman in the Empire had ever done such a thing before, therefore it was unthinkable. However, Miss Edgar maintained her point, and the Senate finally conceded her the right to sit for her degree.

Nurses Lange, Perrin, Port, and King have resigned from tlie Wellington Hospital staff. Nurse Perrin, who recently came second in the Dominion and State examination, is joining the staff of tho Thorndon Private Hospital.

"Ladies of the jury" are being asked for in some directions in England. Some business men complain greatly because of the. time taken up in Court attendance, time which they^ can ill afford, as there i<s often no responsible personable to undertake their duties. One remarked: "And of cootbo the jury did nothing very good. The work that mattered suffered neglect while I unwound red tapeand attended a meeting at which my wife might quite easily have taken my place." Some of the Magistrates who would have opposed women jurors bsforo the war would no longer do so, as women have

proved themselves so capable, and, also on account of the loss and inconvenience to business men, which, should, of course, receivu consideration. .

Her Excellency Lady Liverpool has promised to open a "Maori Par" Bazaar at St. Thomas's Hall - tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. The 'bazaar will also be open in ithe evening, and again on Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings. The stalls will be numerous and varied. Mr. Turner's String Band, and the South Wellington Orchestra are contributing to the musical portion of the entertainment, and various friends and children will provide several items. !

I The questions and complications with regard to ■women's national service are dealt with by Mrs. Heitland in an Eng- | lish paper. She feels that though a. I good deal has been said and done, much stall remains to make things clear and satisfactory for women. The educated' capable girls are willing to be up and doing, indeed the majority are occupied in various ways. They wish intensely to help through the last, and most critcal stage of war. But they are- in doubt if they will help most effectively, py making a complete sacrifice of all their previous training and education and going on the land, or by making further preparation at colleges and training centres to become scientific investigators, inspectors, industrial superintendents, chemists, organisers, and utilisers of trained mental powers. The question of training for important work is rankling a good deal and for various reasons. The objections offered by professional bodies of "lawyers to the entry of women into their profession; the opposition of London taxi-drivers to licenses being given, to qualified women; the curious hindrances encountered by women who try to learn certain well-paid trades^ — all these hindrances explain themselves readily. Years ago women workers were assured that "there was plenty of room at the top," but when the space, was reached they were apt to find that the place was reserved. The speakers' at the great Albert Hall meeting gave little encouragement -to highly - educated women, the call being chiefly to the land Or for temporary position in munitions, etc. In agriculture the Scheme of training is only in tolerable working order and the extremely low rate of pay is a distinct difficulty. The value of money declines weekly, and it is reckoned that 18s (which is an ordinary wage) is only worth 10s 6d. Most women will not cavil about the nature of their work or the amount of wages, provided that two conditions are met. First, that they shall work for the benefit of the nation at large, and not- to yield an extra war profit to an individual employer. Secondly, that they, as workers, are put fairly on an. equality with men, and are given good opportunities for training and subsequent promotion. In short, the fear of exploitation 'must be banished. The training and knowledge gained by women should never be thrown away, as such would be a bad national policy. It would mean the remaking of slums and refilling of workhouses, and a great loss to many skilled trades and their output.

In speaking. of the National Baby Week_, the London Observer says:—The council vehemently protests against the idea that their object is to persuade the rich to patronise- the poor, or by amateur interference to invade in any way the privacy of the home. The appeal is to citizens rich and poor alike. The appeal is as much ta women of the upper and middle classes, who, for selfish or economic reasons, shirk the burden of motherhood, as to those poor women who bring children into the world, and yet, through no fault of" their own, lisa them in appatling numbers. The present destruction of vigorous male lives in battle must have a serious effect on the population of #he next generation. It is a racial necessity that the infant life of'the present moment must be scrupulously preserved. Every child bom tuid trained to live in mental and bodily health is a vital factor in the future of the country. The death of every child is ah irreparable disaster. Ten. out of every 100 babies born in 1916 died before they were twelve months old. Many thousands of these children were killed by inability, to obtain treatment, by filth and preventable disease,- and by conditions induced by' poverty. It is the nation's duty, if it is to'exist as an efficient nation during the generation, to come, to ensure for every child born such conditions as will enable it to develop into healthy manhood or womanhood. It is obvious that tfie poor. er classes rather than the richer suffer from lack of such conditions. It is the nation's duty, therefore, to see that every mother hoa adequate medical skill and hygienic surroundings; at childbirth; that during tho tender months of her.child's infancy every mother shall have the opportunity of receiving elementary instruction in mothercraft; that she shall be within reach of a .pure and cheap milk supply; that she shall have tho advantages of good housing and sanitation; and that she shall have facilities for immediate medical advice in case of sickness.

New reduced rations of food have recently come into force in Prussia, says a writer in an English paper. Those ration regulations are, of course, not like our own, voluntary, but are compulsory in Prussia. The other States'of Germany which have larger stocks of foodare at present still on the old scale, and Ithe differienqio batweefi the stringent regulations in one part of Germany ac compared with another does not tend to cement German unity. As compared with our own 41b of bread and 21b8oz of meat a week, with unlimited use of butter, eggs, and fish, and as,many potatoes as we can get, the Prussian rations are as follow:—Bread, 31b 9oz; butter, 2oz; margarine, loz; potatoes, 5Ib;" ■ meat, lOjiOZ; sauerkraut, 8oz; eggs, 3; herrings; 1. It is very remarkable to note the unanimous feeling of nervousness which appears in the German press, of which, perhaps, the Yossische Zeitung, of Berlin, is the most frank. • There is a. greaA outcry about the necessity of .preserving the "determination, to conquer," which is characteristically German. This tendency of the Germa.n to maintain" his resolution by mental concentration is a. side of his character I which we find it difficult to understand.