SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Evening Star, Issue 23657, 17 August 1940, Page 18

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Tko fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin Business and Professional Women’s Club was held at the Tudor on Monday. A very interesting talk on a trip to‘England via Suez, with special reference to parks and gardens, was given by Mr M. R. Skipworth, superintendent of reserves. Various ports of csJl— Colombo,, Bombay, Tangier, etc., with their colourful settings, tropical fruits and flowers —were vividly described. England proved a delightful country, with gay flowers, lovely parks, beautiful countryside, and an equable summer climate. The return journey across America was full of interest, the parks deserving special praise, being utilised to the utmost with facilities for pleasure and educational purposes. Details of toe journey were still so vivid to Mr Skipworth that he seemed to carry his audience with him every step of the way. Miss Todd proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of the club. On Saturday, August 24. the club will be in charge of the Dug-out in aid of Red Cross funds. Donations of cakes, fruit, vegetables, jams, pickles, etc., will be gratefully received from members and friends.

St. Hilda’s Old Girls’ Association. The annual meeting of the St. Hilda’s Old Girls’ Association was held in the Somerset Lounge. Savoy, last Monday evening. The retiring president, Mrs R. W. S. Dotting, was in the chair. After the annual report and balance sheet had been read and confirmed, the following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year;—President, Mrs E. L. Buttle; vice-presidents, Mrs Allan Gray and Miss Mondy; secretary. Miss Huia Pa rata : treasurer. Miss B'lyth; committee —Mesdames Barling, Fairbairn, and Paterson, and the Misses Christabol Conn, Audrey Meek, Colina

Falconer, and Joan Buchanan. Tho evening concluded with a social hour and a delightful supper provided by Mrs Barling. Travel Club. The Travel Club will meet next Wednesday morning at the Vedic, when hostesses for the occasion are the mayoress (Mrs A. H. Allen) and Miss Kathleen Greenslade. Departing from their usual custom of having a speaker, at this week’s meeting members will be entertained by the reading of a journal, ‘ New Zealand to London in War Time.’ w'ritteu by Mr Harry Turner. It will be read by the president, Mr W. Brugh. Otago Women’s Club, Psychology Circle The Psychology Circle, of the Otago Women’s Club met last Wednesday afternoon, Miss V. Reynolds being in the chair. The subject was ‘ The Ductless Glands of the Body.’ It was shown that each gland has some special function to perform, and a list of foods was given in which wore found the necessary chemicals ’for the harmonious working of the different glands. It has been found that there are types of personality in which one of the glands is the dominant factor in determining tho personality of the particular individual. Some there are in whom the thyroid is most active; others appear to be controlled by their adrenal glands; still others by the pituitary. Through this, there have arisen such ideas as a “ thyroid-dominant,” a “ thvmo-centric,” or an “ adrenalcentred ” individual. Comparisons were made between outstanding personalities of to-day, such as Mussolini and Haile

Selassie, and the reason for their behaviour traced back to the domination of certain glands in their make-up. Comparisons were also made between Napoleon Bonaparte and Abraham Lincoln, the dominant gland of Napoleon making him aggressive and combative, though the same gland in Lincoln gave him the lighting power to rise above extreme poverty, and brought him through 13 political defeats before he was elected president of the United States. The meeting proved extremely interesting and provocative of thought. Townswomen’s Guild. The monthly meeting of the Townswomen’s Guild was hold in the First Church Hall on Tuesday evening last, the president, Mrs Helen Black being in the chair. Mrs Black thanked the members for contributions of clothing for refugees, which had been sent on to the Lady Galway colic,otion. Letters of thanks* were road from the Navy League, expressing appreeation of a largo quantity of knitted garments, and from the Red Cross Society for work done by members of the Guild at the dngout, when the sum of £3lB had been handed over. Thanks were also extended to Mrs MTntyre for her effort in connection witli a jumble sale. The President, in extending a welcome to .new members, gave for their benefit an outline of what tlie society represents. She explained that the guild was not merely a war emergency organisation, but was founded bv Queen Mary just after the last war. Its headquarters are in London, and its purpose is to bring women of all classes and creeds together for the common good, and to servo the, country in times of emergency. The chief entertainment of the evening was provided by Mr C. M. Begg in the form of a travel talk, accompanied by the showing of five reels of film in the United States of America and Canada and Great Britain, and also scones taken while crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary. A vote of thanks to Mr Begg for this extremely interesting enterainment was proposed by Mrs Porteons, after which tea was served and the meeting brought to a close.

League of Mothers. The seventh annual meeting of the lloslyu branch of the League of Mothers was held on Tuesday last, when Mrs F. S. Laycock presided, and enrolled two new members. The Scripture vorse for the day was: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” In a brief talk Mrs Laycock described a visit paid to the south and south-east coasts of England, mentioning especially Dover, Sandwich, Winchelsea, Hastings, Itomney, and Jlyo, towns which have all been very much in the news of recent date. Miss Patrick entertained members with two charming songs. Votes of thanks were accorded both the speaker and the soloist by Mrs Gain. The election of officebearers resulted: —President, Mrs F. S.. Laycodk; vice-presidents, Mesdamos S. de Beer and S. Macdonald; honorary secretary, Mrs L. D. MTver; treasurer, Mrs A. P. Alloo; magazine secretary, Mrs G. Hutton; musical directress, Mrs E. Dunne: committee —Mosdames Longbottora, Naismith, Fea, Abbott, Dow, Finlayson, Gilray and Gain. Lovely spring flowers and blossom brought by members were afterwards taken to tho Public Hospital. As a mark of appreciation of the valuable services rendered to. the branch the president presented posies of spring flowers to Mrs H. L. Paterson, past president, and Mrs F. Parker, musical directress, who are retiring from the branch executive. The thought for the dav was brought by Mrs Mullenger. ’’The Opoho branch of the League of Mothers held its annual meeting on Tuesday evening, Mrs Parr presiding. Tho meeting opened with the league and peace prayers, and a moment’s silent prayer for our boys in camp and overseas. Tho thought for the month, brought by Mrs Holland, was as follows : “ There is always a patch of blue in the darkest sky; look at that, it will grow.” In recognition of her splendid and untiring service in tho welfare of the league during her term of office Mrs Whyte, on behalf of the branch, presented Mrs Parr (retiring president) with a beautiful posy of spring flowers. A delightful talk, ‘ Nature and tho Child,’ was given by Mrs ,T. Moore. • Tho evening’s enjoyment was further enhanced by several musical numbers, including two items by

the choir, ‘ 0, Dry Those Tears ’ and ‘ .Roses of Picardy,’ vocal items by Mosdames Henderson, Blackman, Johnson, and Hinton, and pianoforte solos by Mrs Blackman. Mrs Hartley voiced the appreciation of the members to speaker and vocalists respectively. Wool was distributed for knitting, and many beautiful flowers were brought for the Hospital. The election of officebearers for the ensuing year resulted as follows:—President, Mrs J. Every; vice-presidents—Mesdames C. Parr, W. Carson, and B. Drake; secretary, Mrs W. Whyte (re-elected); assistant secretary, Mrs Searle (re-elected); treasurer, Mrs J. _ Butler; assistant treasurer, Mrs Leslie; magazine secretary, Mrs Calcutt; tea convener, Mrs Bevis (re-elected); social convener, Mrs W. Carson (re-elected); committee— Mesdames Morrison, Johnson, Butel, and Miss Nichol (re-elected), Mesdames Shepherd, Halford, Barron, Walker, and Esquilant. The annual .meeting of the Maori Hill branch of the League of Mothers was held on Thursday afternoon, Mrs 0. V-. Smith presiding. When the annual report-and balance sheet had been adopted officers for the ensuing year were elected: President, Mrs W. Sharp; vice-presidents Mesdames Spencer Scoular, G. H. Seddon, and C. V. Smith; secretary, Mrs Ross Duncan; assistant secretary, Mrs J. M. Patrick; treasurer, Mrs T. Holme; magazine secretary, Mrs H. H. Walker; Tea Committee Mesdames W. G. Wight, J. M'Cahon, G. Horn, L. M'Call, F. Pile, and M'Creary; flowers —Mesdames C. Ellis, Richardson, Pickering, J. M. White, and Maydon; visiting, Mesdames Millin and J. A. Scouler; reception—Mesdames J. Wilson, T. Basire, and J. Robb; glee—Mesdames Billing, Naylor, and Walker; wool distributors, Mesdames Smith and Seddon. Mrs Sharp expressed appreciation of the splendid work done- for the league by the retiring president and secretary. The choir rendered two items, ‘ Go, Lovely Rose ’ and ‘ Where’er You Walk.’ Mrs Harvie gave an interesting talk on village life in India. Fully 90 per cent, of the population live in villages, as they find it much safer. Girls of 14 years and boys of 1G years are married, and the girl wives taken to the boys’ homes, where the mother-in-law has the ordering of all the family affairs. Educated women are trying to help the masses to improve their conditions, Joy of living is their birthright as well as ours. Mrs Ellis proposed a vote of thanks to the speaker and the choir. The Combined Ex-Girls’ Service Group. Amid very cheery surroundings the seventh annual social evening of the Combined Ex-Girls’ Service Group was held in the Tudor Hall on Wednesday evening last. The beautiful spring flowers which were arranged so tastefully on the tables added to the enjoyment of the evening. The evening opened with the singing of ‘ God Defend New Zealand.’ The president of the group, Mrs C. R. Martin, in her opening speech welcomed the 230 members and friends present.

The secretary, Miss P. Duncan, read apologies from some 40 members. A delightful programme of musical and elocutionary items and dancing was presented by members of 11 ex-girls’ associations. There were present representatives of schools from as far north as Auckland and as far south as Invercargill, and in all 23 schools were represented. When a roll call was taken members of the following schools answered;—Otago Girls’ High School, St. Hilda’s Collegiate School, Timaru Girls’ High School, Archerfield, St. Dominic’s College, Southland Girls High School, Braemar House, St. Andrew’s College, Teschemakers Convent, Columba College, Nelson Girls’ College, Rangi Rum, Convent of Notre Dame, Gore High School, Austral-Girton, Waitaki Girls’ High School, St. Philomena’s College, St. Catherine’s Convent, Owaka Girls’ High School, Waimate Girls’ High School, Marlborough College, Christchurch High School, Miss Groves’s Private School (Invercargill), and an Auckland college. During supper the president was happy to announce that as the result of the evening’s function the sum of £ll 11s was to be handed over for war puposes. Mrs Martin also mentioned the fact that Airs H. Atmore, of Nelson, organising secretary of the Women’s War Auxiliary in Wellington, would be in Dunedin to conduct a women’s meeting, which would bo held in the Concert Chamber on Wednesday evening, August 28, and she also asked for delegates to attend a meeting on Thursday afternoon, August 29. An autograph book was passed round during tho evening and was . signed by all present. A happy and enjoyable half-hour chat was indulged in by all before the close. A vote of,thanks to the performers and tho committee was proposed by Mrs R. W. S. Dotting, of St. Hilda’s College. The evening closed with the singing of ‘ Auld Lang Syne ’ and ‘ God Save the King.’