HERE AND THERE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 139, 15 June 1931, Page 13

HERE AND THERE

Y.W.C.A. Directors' Meeting. :; The president,' Mrs.' 11. Pearson,/pre-i sided at the recent meeting of the board of directors of the Young Women's Christian Association. Mrs. Gardner, convener of the "Street Day" Committee, reported tho arrangements being made for 26th June. The Pioneer Club, W.C.T.U., Women's Social Progress Movement, St. John Ambulance Brigade, Bed Cross Society, National Reserve, After-care Association, and the National Y.W.C.A. notified;, that- -'they would assist with; this.v.efEort,£and; the Y.W.C.A. appreciates the spirit prompting this co-operation. The report of the Friendly Service Bureau wa3 received with gratification. It was stated that the success of this effort was in a measure due to the publicity given it by the Press and; the; two wireless stations.Bride Serenaded. : Donna Diana Bordonaro, the .bride of the Italian^Ambassadorin London, was serenaded as she sa.t at supper with her husband and a large party of friends at the Italian ball at the Savoy Hotel (Sta.tes the "Daily Mail")- Tlie leader of the Tzigane Orchestra, which had been playing its liveliest. Hungarian music, suddenly left his pl^ce, and, standing opposite Donna Diana, raised his violin to his shoulder and drew from it the seductive strains of "The Dream Ldver." There was silence for tho first verse and then the whole gathering, numbering several hundreds, and including notable members of the Italian social circle in London, joined in tho refrain. Donna Diana, ; a beautiful figure, with fair hair, in a magnificent white lace gown, was radiant with happiness, and bowed her thanks as -the violinist returned to the stage. Earlier in the evening the Ambassador and his wife were presented with a- beautiful leather-bound volume containing the names of the Italian colony as a wedding gift. District Nurses? Appeal.' . . ■ The district nursps of St. JohiV wish to bring before the public the fact that urgent cases of necessity which come to them for relief cannot all be attended to on account of shortage of. funds. Within the past fortnight the nurses have distributed 435 articles of clothe ing, 2 bedsteads, 3 mattresses, 6 pillows, 13 blankets, and 10 pairs of shoes. Two gallons of soup are distributed daily to those in dire need of nourishment, while groceries and coal are supplied to people in great need also. These cases are all investigated personally, and overlapping is guarded against; therefore, every case is justified. The nurses would be very glad if old friends and new of the district nurses of St. John organisation would make a special effort in this wintry time to further assist the poorer brethren. All contributions will be gratefully received at the depot, 106, Courtenay place. Concert at Hospital. A delightful concert was given recently in tho women's ward of the Victoria Hospital by Mr. Moore anil party, assisted by Miss Hazel Martin and her pupils. Songs, fancy and national dances, and recitations were much enjoyed by the patients, and their thanks were extended to tho performers by Mr. Codric Campbell. Thanks were accorded also to Sister Bradshaw and tho nurses. League of Mothers. An interesting address was given by Dr. Platts-Mills'at the recent meeting of the Wellington Central branch of the League of Mothers. There was a large attendance of members, and Mrs. 1\ 11.I1. Clarke was in the chair. Dr. Platts-Mills stressed the importance to tho individual of exercise, sleep, and fresh air, pointing out. particularly the need of fresh air for the newly-born infant. She gave many useful hints to the young mothers present regarding the treatment and correct training of their children. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Dr. Platts-Mills, ancl afternoon tea was served by four Karori members, . ' . Scarcity of Girls. Girls are so scarce in the villages of Baulking, Sparsholt, and. Kingston Lyje, in tho middle of the BerkshireDowns, that young men liavo to go many miles to do. their courting, states, a correspondent. In Baulking, which has a population of about 150, there are only two eligible girls. At the other villages the position is just as bad. But Baulking Likes being a. village of bache-

lovs. One of them said lately:—"Wo don't want a crowd of girls here; where there are girls there is always trouble, and the beer is good, so why rhould we worry?" There was a wedding at Baulkin a year ago lust Christmas, and tho people have not finished talking about it yet. Children, too, are scarce, and at the village school, which costs the County Council over £200 annually, there are only seven scholars, not once, of whom lives in the parish. A Pet Mongoose? , Some people keep very queer pots. One would not have imagiued that a mongoose, for instance, would ever be companionable, but it seems that a good many people have found it possible to domesticato the. snake-killor, states tho "Daily Mail." Mr. Andrew .-Wilson, -F.Z.S.,1 "who organised the Living Picture Zoo at tho "Daily Hail" Ideal Homo Exhibition, which opened at Olymjjia recently, says that a .mongoose he procured i'or tho late Sir William Harcourt became tho statesman's constant companion. Among present .owners of this sort of. pot is Mr. Solly Joe], The mongoose resembles the terrier in. one way at least? —its remarkable-p-opehsity' for ratting. A-.tame--mou-' goose called Mony was shown at the exhibition. ' A Niece of Barrie. An interesting happening took place during Easter week at . Kirriemuir— Barrio's "Thrums" (states a correspondent). A niece of .the playwright, Miss Mary Barrio, has. written and produced her first play, "Queen Margaret of Scotland." If- was presented ■with great success by Girl Guides and Brownies in tho Lyell Memprial Hall there. ''I have previously written fairy playottes for Brownies, but this is my first full-length play," said Miss Barrie. "Please do not run away with tho idea that I was about to embark- on a career as a play wight," she. added. : "S.ir James Barries genius may have had its effect on us, for my sister "and I are very fond of play-writing.- I write to Sir James and tell him of- the plays I am writing and producing; .and he: Ja very interested.?'' '-. ■ "--' ■ ".'•." New Zealand in Sydney. .: The annual meeting of the New Zealand Women's Association' took place at Farmer's, Sydney, when the annual report was road by Mrs. L. 'MaeDonald, also tho balance-sheet, which showed a credit, and stated that £196 had been sent to the Lord Mayor's Fund for Now Zealand Belief during the past few months. Mrs. Stanley Hempton. was re-elected president, and the patronesses for the year chosen were Lady Julius, Lady Braddon, and Mrs. L. G. Sehmitt. Mrs. MaeDonald was re-elected hon. secretary, and Miss J. Turribull. hott. treasurer. A bright .morning tea was arranged to greet the New Zealand University footballers, and ; Mr. G. P. Stuekey, in extending: a welcome to the 'visitors, thanked Mrs. Hemingway (president of the women's committee) for arranging a dance, which was held at tho Torii Cafe. Victoria League. .. ' Final arrangements wero made at a meeting of tho Victoria League Committee for tho annual "Book Tea," which will take place this week. The usual excellent tea will be served, and Mrs. I. Levy is arranging a musical programme. Mrs. Beryl Jackson,: M.A., who attended the last London conference as a delegate, from New Plymouth, will give an account of the event, which has much interest attached for all New Zealanders. It was mentioned that there will be three delegates from Wellington at the meeting this year, Mesdames J. Mackenzie, Doctor,, and :N. Jones. A request had been made to-'the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, to accept a seat on the Victoria League Council, and he wrote in reply that he would'be glad to assist in the work of the league. The days appointed for the league to take visiting duty at Wellington Hos-

pital were stated as from 15th to 26th June. Mrs. Pow.was appointed to represent the league at tiio July meeting of the Women's Hospital Auxiliary Committee. It was suggested by Lady Buckleton that the best way for Victoria League members to .assist-in. the efforts to relieve the.troubles of the unemployed was for each member to do all slio could foi- tho relief work in her own district. A'number of letters wore received from people who had received kind attention from hostesses appointed by the league. Lady Buckleton presided at the meeting, and there was a good attendance of members of committee.