ENGAGEMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 29, 3 January 1944, Page 3

ENGAGEMENTS

TRELEAVEN—SCREECH.—The engagement is announced of Joan, only daughter of Mr and Mrs C. Screech, to Trevor, youngest son of Air and Mrs S. Trcloaven.

WEBBER—IIARDIE. The engagement is announced between Merylc Noclcnc, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs J. R. Hardie, of Palmerston North, and Sydney Ronald, only son of Mr and Mrs 8. H. Webber, of Wellington. (Serving overseas.)

Miss J. G. Willis, who lias been awarded the M.B.E. in the New Year honours, has been Matron-in-Chief, New Zealand Army Nursing Service, since 1933. She served overseas throughout the 1914-18 war, first in Samoa and afterwards in Egypt, France, and England. She was mentioned in dispatches in March, 1915, and in January, 1918, was awarded the Royal Red Cross. Returning to New Zealand in 1918 as sister in charge of a transport, Miss Willis was appointed matron, Fcatherston Military Hospital. After a period on the reserve she was. in 1929, reappointed to the active list as matron. She became principal matron, N.Z.A.N.S., in 1932, and matron-in-chief the following year. In 1935 she was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal. Miss Willis was seconded to the army for full-time service in January, 1941, and lias since continued to carry oMt the heavy administrative task involved in organising the Army Nursing Service within New Zealand and overseas.

In the last minute rush to despatch Christmas parcels and letters the public often overlook the fact that timely thought in posting mails earlier assists the postwomen and other members of tbe Post Office staff, especially those girls who are carrying on men’s work in tbe mail rooms to enable the men to be on active service. Over the Christmas period the postgirls worked from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. each day, no mean performance considering the weight of mails dealt with in a day’. Hie sorting, packing, and distribution of letters, parcels, etc., requires considerable care and without a doubt tbe staff of the Palmerston North Post Office has the work down to a line art.