HERE AND THERE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 45, 21 August 1930, Page 15

HERE AND THERE

Social Club Concert. Au interesting programme was given at the Brymay Club recently by a party of visiting artists. The audience was entertained with a variety of items, and at the conclusion- a member of the.club thanked Mr. H. Jackson and party for their efforts. Supper was served, by the members of the club. The following contributed to the programme:— Mesdames Preston, Staite, Jackson, and Bossittcr,'Misses Nora Greene, M'Guire, M'Lines, Beynolds (2), and Evans j Messrs. Burton, Brown, Stairmand, Patchott, Surley, Smith, Jackson, and Carbin. The accompanists were Mesdames Stairmand and Kossitter, and Miss Brown, Messrs. G. Luff, Turner, and Burton.An Interesting Evening. The Literary and Discussion Circlo of-the Pioneer Club held an open evening recently, when Mr. Byron Brown gave an interesting lecture on New Zealand poets, including Mr. J. C Andersen, Mr. A. Adams, Mn Will Lawson, Mary Colburne Veel, and Dora Wilcox. Mr. Brown received an enthusiastic reception from a large audience, and was warmly invited to give another lecture. Mrs. Martyn Williams assisted by reciting Bracken's "Not Understood" and several other poems. Miss Swap (president of the Literary and Discussion Circle) thanked Mr. Brown and Mrs. - Williams, and supper brought a very pleasant evening to a close. Gift Acknowledged. The secretary of the Wellington Hospital acknowledges with thanks the gift of a gramophone for the Children's Hospital,'and a number of records for tho General Hospital, from Miss.M'lntosh.. ■■■ ,'': ■ '.-.' •-. ' A State Banquet. ' ; Tho King and Queen gave a. State banquet at' Buckingham Palace recently ..in Jiohour of Prince and Princess Takamatsu of Japan, who .were returning last year's visit to Japan of the Duke of Gloucester and'were Their Majesties' guests at the palace (says the "Daily Mail"). The throne room, in which the banquet took place, v was a wonderful picture in scarlet and gold. The magnificent horse-shoe table, with the seats of tho King and Queen at the top, was laid with the gold plate used on those occasions. Gold vases were filled with choice red and whjlte flowers out of compliment to the " Japanese guests, whose national colours-these are, and scarlet hangings, draped behind tho golden thrones used for ceremonial functions, gave an additional note of splendour. Yeomen of the Guard, in their picturesque uniforms, were stationed at. intervals round the room, and in the gallery above the Guards' band played selections of music chosen by tho King' and Queen. Obituary. ■ . The many friends of Mr. T. J. Burton, late of "Tavistock," Wobnrn road, Lower Hutt, will regret to'learn of the death of Mrs. Burton,, which, occurred oh the 16th August, news ,of which has been received by cable froni Melbourne. Previous to, his departure for Melbourne Mr. Burton was managing director of Messrs. Lever Bios. : (N.Z.),.Ltd., and also president of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association. '/Toe Emma" Functions. ; Tbe League of Wonien Helpers- in* "Toe H.," commonly known as the "Toe Emmas," held a "bring-and-buy" party in the "Toe H," Booms, Wakefield Chambers, to raise.funds to help their various activities. A most successful -evening resulted, members and friends : generously doing their part. The buying arid selling was under the very capable management of Mrs. Harrison^ (head of the house committee), arid proved a great success. Delightful music by Mr. Bay Kemp and Mr. Barling, and Misses Ballingor and Purdie, together with community singing of "Jerusalem" (the Toe H. hymn) and a competition, kept everyone pleasantly occupied. Mrs. Wrigley (chairman of the brahch3 gave a short talk for the strangers present on the aims and objects of L.W.H., and read a list of the various works in hand, the chief aim being "service," in whatever form it presented itself. These works included regular hospital visiting at Victoria and Children's wards; monthly concert parties to Victoria wards; assistance to the British Sailors' Society in their street day, and also with a concert party. Various members regularly attended St. John's Hostel and the Levin Children's Home, helping with serving;. they also made 40 mattress covers for the Toe H. Christmas camp for boys. A future job 'would bo the undertaking of the sweet stall for Senior Padre Toe H. Eoilden Taylor's bazaar next month. Besides these various modes of work, clerical work had been done for the Y.W.C.A.; babies' clothes collected, made, and • distributed to families and institutions; and. a voluntary offering of money earned by individual members for L.W.H. resulted in &5 7s being handed to the treasurer. When it was remembered that most of the members were girls whose days were occupied, it would be seen how fine was the spirit of service operating in the branch. The meeting opened with the "Ceremony of Light," and closed; with "Family Prayers" as used in the "Family of Toe H." throughout the world. "Washing Day" in China. The Chinese have ideas about."washing day" which to us seem the reverse of hygienic (states an English writer). As everyone knows, the "washer wonien" are men. They wash the clothes in laundry houses built detached from dwellings. Many parts of the country abound in high rocks, and on these the washing is spread, and pounded with force enough to wear out flimsy fabrics, but, mercifully, theirs are woven tv endure and stand great strains .Then the garments are sterilised by boiling, as in Western countries., \They are next carried, all steaming, to the edge of the river, and plunged in. The river is not the pure little brook of the British countryside. On the banks of the huge, 'broad rivers of China (larger and dirtier than the Thames or Mersey at their worst) live, in filth and squalour, a large percentage of -"China's millions." Chinese notions, even now, of sanitation and everyday cleanliness are incredible to Western folk who have not lived there. Fortunately, they are great believers in hanging clothes (washable or not) out in the fresh air and sunlight; thus those that have been washed are purified from germs collected in the river-dipping process.