WOMEN’S WORLD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 16 September 1933, Page 10

WOMEN’S WORLD

Miss A. G. Keddie, matron of the Waikato Hospital for some years, has retired. Mrs J. G. Swainson and Miss Swainson, of Pahiatua, are visiting Miss Avery, Wanganui. Mrs John Russell, who has been the guest of Miss L. Bruce in 'Wanganui, has returned to Dannevirke. The friends of Mrs J. Boyce, of Glen Oroua, will be pleased to learn that she is making satisfactory progress towards recovery in a private hospital at Palmerston North after having undergone a severe operation. For only the third time in nearly 1000 years a woman is Lord Marcher of the Barony of Kernes in Pembrokeshire; Mrs Nesta Withington having just succeeded as the 26th holder of that high and ancient office on the death of her father, Sir Marteine Owen Lloyd, Bart. The privileges include the annual appointment of the Mayor of the ancient borough of Newport, Pembrokeshire, and tne maintenance of a bodyguard 'of homagers equipped with halberds. “I am the proudest woman in New Zealand to-night, but when the excitement of rtiis wonderful day is over 1 shall be the humblest,” said Mrs E. U. McCombs, when interviewed after the Lyttelton by-election. ‘‘l do hope that the women of New Zealand will realise that where they are concerned, and where the welfare oi all men, women, and children is concerned, I shall bo their representative first. I hope that where there are people who suffer, or are in trouble at any time, they will lorget that 1 am a member of the Labour Party, and remember that I am a woman.” -i

Apple-green gas-stoves arc the latest fashions for the kitchen. Those housewives who have so far been contented with a' black cooking stove, or even a grey one, are now becoming discontented and demanding a stove which will add a bright touch of colour to their kitchens, states a London writer. A number of stoves in different colours were seen in an exhibition at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, and those enamelled in apple-green were the most popular. Another favourite colour was pale yellow, and there was also a Tight ble enamelled stove decorated with a willow pattern design. The Women’s Debating Society founded during the Hilary term at Oxford has taken a big step forward, states a London writer. With the opening of the October term, the society will hold meetings exactly similar to those of the Oxford Union. Prominent people and men undergraduates will be invited to take part in the debates. The proctors have sanctioned the use of the Pentagon Club for this purpose. The new arrangement means the amalgamation of the Women’s Debating Society with the Pentagon Club ; and puts the society on the same footing as the union.

The death took place recently, at Waimate, of Emily Charlotte Ann J ustina Gascoyne, widow of Mr Henry Gascoyne, at tire age of 92 years. Mrs Gascoyne was the daughter of the late Colonel Charles Manners Gascoyne, of the oth Bengal Light Cavalry. She had an interesting life in India, moving from one hill station to another, and could recall many stirring incidents of military and social life and events at Darjeeling prior to the days of the Mutiny. On Colonel Gascoyne’s retirement from the army in 1853, she came to New Zealand with her parents, who settled at Motueka, Nelson. Mrs Gascoyne was a cousin of the late Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Marquis of Salisbury, who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1895 till 1902. On her father’s and mother’s side she came of a long line of forbears who chose the army as their calling. Major Munro raised a regiment and fought under General Wolfe at Quebec. Her maternal grandfather was Surgeon Donald Campbell, of the sth Bengal Light Cavalry, the last child to be horn in old Dunstaffnage Castle (Argyleshire), the hereditary, seat of the Campbell clan, in which the famous coronation stone was lodged for 300 years. Mrs Gascoyne’s family has been noted for its longevity. Her mother passed away at 93 years of age, and her brother, the late Major Frederick Gascoyne (of Hastings), who served with distinction in the Maori War, died in 1926 at the age of 88. Her two sisters, Miss Charlotte (Nelson) and Miss Mary (Hastings) died within the last four years at the age of 83 and 90 years respectively. One sister, who is still living, resides at Nelson. Mrs Gascoyne is survived by five of her children —Mr H. Gascoyne (Maraekakaho, Napier), Mr Arthur Gascoyne (Wellington), Mrs "Walter Taine (Karitane), Mrs McNair Miller (Masterton), and Miss Gascoyne (Waimate).

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Plunket Society was held yesterday afternoon in the City Council Chambers, Mrs A. Coombs presiding. There were also 'present Mesdames H. B. Free, H. Bennett, J. H. Whyte, H. Findlay Wilson, G. S. Peren, J. Murray, A. E. Mansford, C. A. Small, G. G. Priest, W. G. Black, T. S. Fairbrotlier, Miss McLagan, and the lion, secretary, Mrs M. Aitchison. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames J. Mounsey, L. H. Collinson, A. A. Langley, and L. A. Abraham. The nurse’s report for the month of August disclosed that a total number of 1475 visits had been the office, made up as follow: —743 adults, 656 babies, and 75 older children; 249 visits. were paid to homes, and there, were also 135 new cases reported. Parcels of clothing, for which the nurse was most grateful, were kindly forwarded by the Linton and Ashlrurst tYomen’s Institutes, Mesdames L. Graham, Weston, Dibble, Bennett, Lewis and Miss McLeod, and also a “peggy square” quilt from the primer classes of the Bunnythorpe School. Five visits were paid to Foxton, when 16 homes were visited, and 127 visits were paid

to the office (58 adults, 47 babies, and 22 older children); 2 new cases were reported. Accounts amounting to £3O 13s 9d were passed for payment, and the following donations were gratefully acknowledged:—Mrs 0. Galpin 10s, Mrs H. Galpin 10s, Mrs Acheson 10s, Mrs W. R. Kennedy ss, Mrs M. Laurenson 10s 6d, and a membership fee of 5s from Mrs R. Tidswell, while the sum of £1 Os lid accrued from the collection box. A letter was received on behalf of the Trained Nurses’ Association soliciting the use of the Plunket room on the occasion of their annual meeting. —Agreed to. An invitation was received from the Marton branch to its 21st birthday party. A circular letter from the Central Council advised that the local branch’s annual contribution of £2B 16s 3d towards the nurses’ superannuation fund was now due.

The secretary of the Christchurch branch wrote conveying her committee’s thanks for the generous donation of flowers forwarded by the Palmerston North branch for their recent street day appeal. Mr W. G. Black, the interim secretary of the Palmerston North Queen Carnival Committee, wrote outlining the business transacted at the meeting convened at the Opera House on Thursday.