SPILT INK CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 18

SPILT INK CLUB

Despite inclement weather ;there was a good gathering of members at the first meeting of the Spilt Ink Club for 1937, held recently in the University Women's Club rooms, when Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Andersen were the. guests for the evening. Mr. Kufing, before introducing the speaker, mentioned that this was1 the fourth year of the club's existence, stating that it had made steady progress. In an interesting 'manner Mr. Andersen entertained with incidents.from the recent conference of the world-famous P.E.N. Club held at Buenos Aires, giving sidelights on the delegates from all nations who had attended it, and also several short biographies. - ■ Mrs. Andersen spoke briefly on their tour abroad, and during the evening Mrs. Parata Olsen, accompanied by Mrs., O. M. Shakespeare, sang one of the latter's own compositions in Maori. A pleasant evening was concluded with supper.

the British warship which had taken the Abyssinian Emperor, Haile Selassie, to refuge. Of England, she told of her tour" of 800-years-old Windsor Castle, and described the picturesque beauty of the surrounding countryside—of the view.of twelve counties from the Castle Tower—Kew Gardens, and the changing of the Guard-ceremonies at Windsor and at: Buckingham Palace. Mrs. Bennie was.particularly, struck with a wonderful .gift . presented to Queen Mary some years-ago, and which was now on view to the public. A serious attempt to express the modern age had been represented, when Sir Edward Nugent... designed a typical twentiethcentury ; home in miniature, and presented it' to. her Majesty. Many ; people had exercised much patience in producing this-doll's:house, which was perfect in every detail, with electric lights which really worked, and taps which ran real water. Mrs. BennieV talk ended with a vivid description of the dank Baron's Cave, in Rygate, Surrey, where the Magna Carta was drawn up.

Mrs. R. G. C. Fiitch, who attended Y.W.C.A. conferences in India, found her visit most intriguing, and-discover-ed much of tliat oft-told- fascination of the Orient for herself. She told entertaining stories with a note of humour, and her difficulties in making herself understood to non-English-speaking natives were fully appreciated by her audience. At one time she was the only guest in a luxurious bungalow. Native boys waited on her, and a chauffeur and car were placed at her convenience. At the end of her stay, when the day of reckoning had come, she discovered that she was not, as she thought, staying at,a Y.W.C.A. hostel, but was in reality a guest of the British Government. She described her sensations when she was told that she" was the first white.woman many natives in a certain part of India had ever seen. She was impressed -with the number of babies she. had noticed in the various villages. *'Tt is easy to understand," the speaker said, "why the population of India stands at approximately 600 to the square, mile." ; ■ A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speakers and to Miss Mavis Chamberlain," who sang two numbers.

The hostesses, Mesdames H. F. Rule, ,W. E. Hay-Mackenzie, H. E. Avery, W. Burge, H.:. Ainslie, and .W. Burton, served afternoon tea, and an informal chat concluded an entertaining afternoon.. ... .. ' ,'.. .; ■. -..'.'