LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 4 June 1937, Page 2

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Palmerston North branch or the League of Mothers, was held in the Empire Hall yesterday afternoon, Mrs G. G. Hancox presiding over a large attendance. In extending a welcome, Mrs Hancox specially mentioned the following new members: Mesdames New G. H. Barrett, G. W. Mills, Atkins, N. 1. Neilson, Moadle.y, Johnson, S. A, Bird, and Rowley,. and also Mrs Ricstcrer, a member transferred from the Papatoetoe branch, Auckland. Miss Becroft, of Auckland, a former member, waswelcomed as a visitor. The decorations are always a feature of these gatherings, and the stage yesterday presented an attractive appearance. A row of vases of bright yellow chrysanthemums in front of the stage provided a gleaming note of colour, on either side being a stand of greenery with coloured bulrushes standing slimly. Credit for the decorations must go to Mrs C. Anderson (convener), and Mesdames R. J. Mclver, E. W. Drake and F. Anderson, who assisted her.

Best wishes for a happy trip, happy landings, and a safe return were conveyed to Mrs J. Marshall, who is leaving shortly’ on a visit to Fngland. Mrs Hancox paid a tribute to Mrs Marshall by saying that she was one of a faithful band of members, who included some of the foundation members, always present at the meetings and willing to assist in any way. 1 Flowers are to be sent to Mrs W. Mouldey and Mrs Clinton, members who were unable to be present through illness.

The singing circle opened the programme with pleasing items, “Hungarian Dance” (Brahms) and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (negro spiritual), Mrs W. PasCoe being the soloist in the latter. The items were conducted by Mrs 0. Christiansen, Mrs C. Grover being at the piano. The delightful voice of Mrs Iv. Jones was heard in vocal solos, “My Prayer For You” and “Home, Little Maori, Home,” Mrs Grover being her accoinpaniste. Mrs 0. Doel gave great pleasure with vocal solos, “Barcarolle” and “Where My Caravan Has Rested,” Mrs Malcolm accompanying her. The happy thought for the month, supplied by Mi’s Annabel, was: “The mother in her office holds the key to the soul, and she it is who stamps the coin of character; so if, you would reform the world begin by enlisting the mothers.”

The speaker for the afternoon was Mrs F. O’Connor, who told of her experiences as a nurse in Mesopotamia during the Great War, calling her talk “Cheerful Yesterdays.” Mesopotamia had been occupied by the Turks, she said. Crossing the Red Sea on the nurses’ journey from Bombay the heat had been intense. It was said that no bird ever flew over trie Red Sea because of the high temperature, and the boat they travelled on had been turned round to make breathing easier. The nurses had slept on deck between two sheets, ami sometimes they had dampened the sheets to make them cooler. In the early part of the war, the Turks had sunk two ships at the mouth of a river to prevent the advent of the British, but by some good fortune the ship had sunk in such a manner as to allow* a vessel to pass through the space between them. She had been stationed where the 33rd British General Hospital had been established or rough planks covered with corrugated iron. The servants had been Arabs and Indians, mostly the latter. The temperature had been 104 degrees in the shade, the heat being terrific tor five or seven months of tue year, "he only amusement they had had was an occasional concert, and the nuises were allowed to go for strolls ill tlie evening, which fell very suddenly. Mrs O’Connor mentioned the obedience of the people to Eastern religion. She spoke of the Arab women with their graceful carriage and beautilul figures, attributing, this to the fact, that they carried jars of water and articles on their heads and shoulders. The women did all the work. Other chatty items of interest were ..old by the speaker. The hostesses were :—Mesdames Bee, Brady, Bowden, Seator, Ferguson, Harris, Taylor (2), Budden. Melville, Lewis, McTvain Trevor. Farrar, Chamberlain, Christie Dutffn Toogood and Misses Killick and Rawstrom, together with the tea committee and Mrs J • Bar sail ti (conV On the motion of Mrs’ D. E. Dredge. the speaker and contributors were accorded thanks, Mrs Dredge specially mentioning the fine items of the singing circle. Mrs Doel thanked the tea hostesses.