WOMEN IN PRINT

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 10

WOMEN IN PRINT

In order to make a good programme of work for the winter, a special meeting of the Navy League Auxiliary and Girls' Branch was held yesterday afternoon at the league rooms in Woodwardstreet. Mrs. Hosking (president) was in. the chair. A valuable work in the way of making garments for sailors' families and dependant has been instituted. A quantity of material is in hand, and will be cut out, and on Wednesday afternoon next Miss Kennedy will be at the league rooms to give out the work. It ia hoped thai the girl members of the branch (which is numerically very strong) will take a good share of this work. The necessities of the poor in England are so urgent, and ii is undoubtedly "up to" those who are fortunately far from such sufferings to give generously of time and trouble. A committee consisting of Meadame3 Carter, Larnaoh, Pockley, Breda, Montgomery, Buxton, Hammerson, and Harding (Petona) is to take charge of this work. Mrs. Bayfield will supervise the packing,"'etc., when the goods are ready for despatch. Mrs. Bradney Wil Hams is in charge of a knitting branch, with help from Mrs. Murray Gardner. With regard to the hospitality work of the auxiliary, Mrs. Darling suggested that members should adopt ships that came into port, either one or more as they felt inclined, for the purpose of entertaining the cadets. The suggestion was favourably roceived, several of those present offering to do this. About fifty more offers are required to carry out this work adequately, and Mrs. Darling will be very glad to reoeive the names of members of the auxiliary willing to undertake it. The work is regarded as a very important part of the duties which the auxiliary has undertaken. Wide interest and kindliness towards "other people's boys" who arrive on the merchand service ships, should be aroused, as they are in Wellington sometimes for many weeks complete strangers in a strange land.

Mr. and Mts. KirkcahKe (senior), who have lived for many years at "Kinnoul," Thompson-street, have taken up their residence at Kelbum, close to the tramway terminus.

Miss Joan Porkhis is visiting friends at Palmerston North. . >

Mrs. W. G. Stead and Miss Stead have returned to Hastings after a visit to Wellington. , . ' Miss Amy Kane's many friends will be interested to hear that she was lately staying at Monte Carlo, en route for Rome, and ?s expected to be back in England in April.

Mr. and Mrs: Harry Lyons and their small daughter have returned to Wellington aitei.* a lengthy visit to the South Island.

The engagement is announced of Miss Jessie Lewis, daughter of Mt. and Mrs, Joseph Lewie, Oriental Bay, and Mr. J. C. Montgomery, son' of Mi's. Montgomery, Wallasey. Liverpool, England.

The usual devotional meeting will be held'in the Y.W.C.A. Clubroom at Her-bert-street at 4.16 p.m. on Sunday. Miss D. Johnstone will specially address the membera of tho Girls' Department.

The engagement is announced of Miss Dora Cooper, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs., J. Cooper, of Hastings, to Mr. Bertram A. Sanders, second son of Mi". and Mrs. L. M. Sanders, of London, England.

The monthly meeting of the Ladies' Auxiliary Committee of the Wellington branch of the Navy League will be held on Tuesday in the league's offices, Wood> ward-street, at 3 p.m.

While invitations are being issued for the annual meeting of the St. John Ambulance Association, jt is hoped thai all who are interested in the fine work of this society, or tho»e who are desirous of joining any branch, will attend the meeting. The function will be held at' the Concert Chamber on Thursday next, at 8 p.m. The Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, Director of Ambulance for New Zealand, will take the chair. A good programme of music and recitations will be given after the business portion of the meeting, and for that reason those who have received the invitation cards are asked to bring them, as the items are thereon. Programmes will be issued to others attending.

There passed away at Wellington on Tuesday last an old identity, Mrs. Susan Gaskin, second daughter of the late Mr. John Daysh, Taita, Hutt, who arrived in Wellington in the ship Gertrude in 1841. Mrs. Gaskin leaves five children— Mrs. W. Bowater, Sandon; Mrs. J. Kinniburgh, Wellington; Mrs. D. Galloway, Paraparaurim; Mr. M. Gaekin, Martinborough; and Mr. J. Gaskin, Eketshuna; also 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Gaskin, whose age was 86, was buried beside her husband (who predeceased her by 54 years) at the Taita Church Cemetery on Thursday last

A writer in the Gentlewoman pleads for the inclusion of some definite instruction in "manners," to be included in the ordinary school curriculum. The writer alludes to the fact thai scoutmasters are successful in inculcating some sort of good manners in their boys, which are extremely pleasing in a somewhat mannerless world, and there is no doubt that there is a great lack of the pleasing "oil" which lubricates the machinery of the world at present. There aTe parts of the said machinery which "squakket" horribly, because of the lack of smoothness; but it must be said that manners want improvement from the. top sections, where* opportunities aiid facilities are provided by the best education and surroundings, and then the other sections will most likely follow readily. • A competition essay, "Woman's Future as a Wife," was instituted by the Society of Women Journalists last year, and the second prize essay, by Elsie Grange, deals partly with the economic side. In her introduction she says :— "At last women have crossed the stile leading into fields broader, faireT, and not less fertile than those to which hitherto they were confined. It has been a long, slow journey and a difficult stile to climb, beset by a myriad obstacles, donbts, prejudices, scoffs, and scorns. But the mounting is ended—the land of promise is open and free to all who desire it. The State claims, for its own use, a fixedi sum from the income of its people, It knows better than, to leave the amount to their caprice. Why should not a wife have a legal claim to a fixed sum ? At present she must accept that which her husband deems fit to give, be he generous or miserly, be the dole sufficient or insufficient. We have made marriage spell pauperism for the wife — a relic of heathen chattel slavery, of which as Christians we should be heartily ashamed. Perhaps the fairest meteing out of a man's capital and earnings would be that, after all joint household expenses have been met, the residue should be divided equally between husband and wife. The matrimonial state, with its duties and responsibilities for the woman as for the man, ought not to m»an for the woman a' state of chronic fina-ncial pauperism. To beg, to coax, to nag for money from the man she marries— which money, by her wifely attentions and counsel, she has-assisted him to earn—is not in "keeping with an intelligent and progressive civilisation. No more must the individuality of the wife be sunk" in that of her husband. In addition to her improved financial position, and to her retaining her own nationality, she must hold a social status made by herself. No longer must she be. content to shine by'the light of her own husband, taking her chance whether it be a blaze or a flicker.