WOMEN IN PRINT.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 67, 16 September 1918, Page 9

WOMEN IN PRINT.

Auckland has distinguished itself by arriving by means of the Copper Trail at Thorndon, thus winning the challenge handsomely. The Auckland people have raised over £93,000, and are to be congratulated on their promptitude and the generosity of many donors in their district. Mrs. Wilford has received a telegram from Auckland stating that they still' hoped to welcome, the Wellington trail in Auckland, and she replied that Wellington intended to carry on until the closing of the Our Day appeal on 24th October. A good many handsome 6ums of money are in sight, and though Wellington district has taken more time to collect than Auckland, the prospects of a good result are very hopeful. The sale of flowers on Saturday realised £6 15s, which will be credited to the Upper Hutt, as the flowers were sent in from there. Another gift sent to the Chalet by Mrs. Scales, of the Lower Hutt, is a beautiful raffia basket, made by a soldier, which has already brought in £142 to patriotic funds/ and which will be raffled to aid the copper trail.

Assistance was given, on Saturday afternoon at the opening of the exhibition of French pictures at the Art Gallery by members of the Mayoress's patriotic committees. Badges and postcard reproductions were sold, 'auso programmes. Madame Rogers, who wore her nurse's uniform, assisted in showing the pictures and explaining points of interest with regard to them. Apart from the fact of the proceeds of 'Ihe exhibition being in aid of blinded French soldiers, the pictures should be seen, as tßey bring before people the realities of war, which are little gra6ped owing to the distance from the central scenes. Among those selling catalogues were Miss Fraser, Miss Luke, and Mrs Bridge:-.

On Saturday evening at the Alexandra Hall! a successful dance took place, organised by a committee of the Public Trust Office staff. There was an attendance pf well over two hundred' dancers, and 1 Cowley's orchestra supplied delightful music for dancing. Balloons were again xised in the decorations with effective results, and the lights were softened with crimson shades. The committee comprised, the following :—Mesdames Masters and Quirke, Misses Gilmour, Hobday, and Henry, and Messrs, O'Sullivan, Millier, Gudsell, Kitching, TMulholland, and Q. M'lnerney (hon. secretary). ■. "'

Many beautiful bulbs which, have been son't down from Hastings are being sold at the Countess of Liverpool Fund! Shop. Lambton-quay, to-day. These we/s shown at the Flower Show at Hastings on Friday, and include over' a hundred varie ties.

Mrs. Luke (Mayoress) had a. very "cheering" reception on Saturday evening, when she appeared at the soldiers' dance at. the Town Hall, after having been absent through illness for some weeks. There was a great crowd of soldiers and friends present, and large though thej hall is, there was hardly enough space for the dancers. The Mayor was present, and^ the Entertainment Committee looked well after the comfort of tho guests. King's Band played excellent music, and the evening altogether was a great success.

The Administrative Committee of the AV.N.R. Wives' Club met last week. In the absence of Mr. David M'LareK, chairman^ Mrs. Porter (organising secretary) presided. Reportsirpm Napier and other sxib-centres were most encouraging, showing growth of the movement. A number of cases had been investigated with very satisfactory results.

. " The'satisfactory sum of £12 was made on Friday at the top of the Kelburn tram route, by the "dressing the soldier" method of raising money. Several Kelbum ladies were in charge, and are to be congratulated on their success, more especially as Friday was one of Wellington's .windy days, and the situation an exposed one.-. ■

A meeting of the Our Day Flag Drive Committee was held on Friday evening, when considerable progress was reported. Arrangements are well under, way for the successful working of the scheme, which will be further discussed at a public meeting to be held at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening next, which all branches of the Red Cross, patriotic soc'-ties, sports clubs, and kindred societies are invited to attend. It was reported that the Commercial ■. Bank had kindly given the use of an office on Lambton-quay, free ,of charge, as a depot. A special vote of thanks to the manager for his kindness was carried, as well as a vote of thanks to Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs for stationery.

The St. John Ambulance Brigade and Red Cross Society, Star Boating Sheds, acknowledges -with thanks hospital goods and donations from the folio-wing:—Te Aro School children; Hukanui Red Cross Society; Anonymous; Hatnua Eed Cross Guild; Pihama Ladies' Patriotic Guild; Bulls Red Cross Society; Girls' Club, Bulls; Otakeho Red Cross; Karapoto School, Upper Hutt; Miss Mary Watson; Mrs. Cairns; Mrs. Adams; Mangapehi Red Cross Sewing Guild, £49 11s; Petone Red-Cross Shop, £24 16s 10d; Petone Red Cross Shop, £15 9s lid; Wellington Savage Club,-£ls; Porirua Mental Hospital, £5 10s; Nireaha Red Cross Guild, £5; MangS.pehi Red Cross, 15s; Johnsonville' W.N.R., Us 6d. ' .

A' viry successful performance of Sydney Grundy's play, "Snowball," was given at Eastbourne on Saturday night, when there was a packed audience. The proceeds are intended to aid the Copper Trail. The Hon. T f M. Wilford and Mrs. Wilford were ■ present, also the Mayor of Eastbourne and . Miss Leyi. Mr. Page was the director of the. performance, a-nd the piece was well acted and staged, while the Social Club's orchestra played the overture and incidental music. The- cast included Messrs. E. M'Millan, H. S. Probert, J. G. Raine, R. Marsden, Misses ElsieVickers, Isabel Chitty, and Mrs. H. D. Wise. Mr. Wilford spoke on the subject of the Copper Trail, and announced that Auckland had "arrived." Still, he said, the work would be carried •on til! Wellington's quota- of £75,000 was accomplished, and he hoped that they would beat Auckland in money, though, not in time, and raise £100,000. The result of the evening's entertainment was that about £56 was raised..

Mrs. J. Wilson, who died last week at Te Kopuru, at the advanced "age of 95 years, had resided in the Northern Wairoa district for 78 years, and was the last survivor of the passengers who arrived at Kaipara from Sydney by the barque Hannah Watson, commanded by Captain Stuart, in April, 1840. Other passengers by the same vessel wore the late Mr. -and Mrs. Alexander Mitohelson, parents of the Hon. E. Mitchelson, the late Sir Frederick Whitaker and the late Mrs. P. Darby.

Mrs; Gooder, Mrs. Dinnie, mid! Mrs. &iied]ey will be in charge of tho Red Triangle Cake Room on Wednesday.

His Excellency the Governor and Lady Liverpool have invited the French Aj't Mission in aid of the Blinded French soldiers to -afternoon toa, at Government House.

A very interesting exhibit is to be seen in the Singer Company's window, showing the possibilities of spinning and dyeing wool in the Dominion. One of the Navy League's spinning wheels is shown, surrounded by spun wool in natural colour, also in orange, brown, tan, green, etc., which are the result of dyes made from the varieties of coprosma and other New Zealand! shrubs and: trees. The dyeing and mamy useful articles for sailors in the form of socks, mittens, etc., are the work of Mrs. Lever, of Wellington,, and Mrs. Harris, of Dunedin. A "Shetland" shawl and a mat of home production are shown also, and are to be raffled. The exhibit altogether is quite a surprise to most people, and should encourage the good old art of spinning.

To-morrow night at the Town Hall there will be a plain and fancy dress masque ball,- beginning at 8 o'clock. Prizes will be given for the most original dresses worn, as well as for the best fancy dresses. Special trams- -will leave the hall after the dance for Thorndon, Newtown, ani. Kilbirnie (via tunnel). This is one of the efforts in aid of the Italian Bed Cross. The chief attraction on Wednesday night is at Island Bay Town Hall, where some Gallipoli soags and stories will be given by Major J. G. Hughes, C.M.G., D.5.0., and Corporal Henare Tiwhiwi, of the Maori Main Body, and other artists. Thursday and Friday are to be devoted' to an Italian market, which will be held in the Town Hall. Very attractive stalls are being arranged. Friday will also be a street day, when special attractions will be arranged. The Italian Red Cross badge. is a gaily coloured one, bearing the national colours'of Italy.

Very few people realise the possibility and importance of the New Zealand wool and dyes. A most interesting display of handspun wool is to be seen in Singers Co.'s window, in Willis-street. Specimens of the wool spun at the Navy League's Rooms and dyed with coprosma and other New Zealand vegetable; dyes, in shades of green, brown, orange, tan, etc., are shown, and the brilliancy and clearness of the colours are remarkable. ■Some socks, gloves, mittens, etc., made of these home-dyed wools,, are the work of Mrs. Lever.

In reference to Princess Mary's V.A.D. work, an English writer^gays ::—What-a lot of useful tilings this war has, taught young English aristocrats," and what splendid wives and mothers it should make them in times to come! War marriages, by the way, are by no means confined to army men. Of late there has been an amazing marriage epidemic in the tanks of the junior Civil servants. Most of them have wed girl clerks in the same departments; riot a few girls having bigger salaries than their husbands. In one case a husband is earning £2 10s a week, while his wife, aged 22, lias £3 and a war bonus in addition. So the coming of the working woman has not wholly resulted in a decline of matrimony, but rather the reverse. The girls' wages have enabled' an early marriage to take place, which might hays been deferred for several years.

Aro we going to escape the dread Spanish influenza bacillus? says a London writer in an exchange. The creature is the smallest microbe known, but he works in the inverse ratio to his size. Having exercised his capacity for mischief in Madrid and elsewhere, he has come to London. Scores, hundreds, and thousands of Londoners are hourly falling victims to the scourge. A cold in the head, a sore throat, and, lastly, fever, are the symptoms. The only cure seems to be bed—though doses of eucalyptus, cinnamon, and quinine are- useful in the early stages of the complaint. But the real object in sending the invalid to bed is to prevent the spread of infection. The smallest microbe known is a. terror for perpetuating his kind. A conscientious patient should remain in a lonely bedroom for at least five days. Unfortunately there are too few conscientious patients, or they become conscientious too late. The latest influenza, outbreak is proving remarkably contagious, and it ia estimated that 8,000,000 people may be laid low before tho epidemic ends. If so a hundred thousand working 1 years will be lost, having a monoff value of over £20,000,000, not to mention the cost of medicine and doctors' bills. And all this on account of "the smallest microbe in the world." Fortunately the epidemic is mild in' character. A day or so in bed and a day or two more of isolation usually effect a cure. In these timest of stress and overwork, there are worse evils than a. few days' enforced holiday.