Palmerston Doings.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 4 August 1916, Page 9

Palmerston Doings.

Dbab Chbistabkl

THE Women's Branch of the National Reserve justified its exist- . ence on "Wednesday last, when, in a few hours and with' small effort, it .gathered in more than half a hundred pounds to help the Red Cross Fund. Afternoon tea tables were arranged about the hall, the admission fee inr eluding this item. Stalls were erected at various corners. From one masses .of spring flowers breathed a perfumed sweetness —violets, daphne; -;' heather, .and early bulbs. This was presided over by Mrs. J. P. Innes, Mrs. W. . Coombs, Mrs. S. V. Trask, and Misses Coombs and Bosworth. A sweets stall, where'. abundance of home-made sweets and toffee were for ' sale, was in charge of Miss Flora Pascal and Miss Maude'Warburton. Jams, pickles, preserves, and :sauces were for sale at another stall, in charge of Mrs. Hearne. • ,•* *■**'•'""' # • Mrs. Lionel Abraham and. Mrs. Harry . Palmer were in charge of the afternoon _ tea, and Mrs. Chaytor, the Reserve's president, helped generally to make the affair a success. The concert programme was. arranged by Mrs. Penny, but it is always -hard work singing against the noisy chatter and clatter indispensable at afternoon tea. Two fortune tellers did great business, one reading tea-cups and the other by cards. Several competitions of the guessing type also helped to round in stray sixpences. '--'.•» «■ • » This was essentially a women's affair, and with the exception of spe staff and visiting officers, and about three -brave male the women certainly had it to themselves. I really think it might, with advantage, have been carried on into the evening, when supper could take the place of afternoon tea, and men might be induced to come and spend their mite and swell the fund ' ♦ « * «■ The engagement is announced of Miss Barbara Coutts, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Coutts, of Te Kuiti (but late of Palmerston) and Mr. Herbert B. Davenport, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Davenport, of Mai-ton. # • . . ' * . Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who went to England at the end of last year on account of Mr. Smith? s health, are on their way back to New Zealand. Mr. Smith, who is manager of the Bank of New Zealand here, is greatly improved in health.

Mr. and Mrs. Alex. Mathieson, who have been in New Zealand since last January on holiday, have left again for Johannesburg, where Mr. Mathieson is in charge of a large school.

Mr. B. Holben, one of the founders of the large plumbing and machinery" business of Holben and Kirk, has obtained leave of absence from, tlit Harbour Board in order, to go Home and offer his services as a machinery expert to the Imperial authorities. Mr. Holben, who is past the military age, has an only son, Lieut. Holben, at with the New Zealand Artillery in' France. Mr. Holben's example should stir up some of the young men who are still jibbing at the first hurdle—enlistment.

Last week Abraham and Williams's flag was half-mast high, because Gunner Priest.had been killed in France. Gun. 0. J. Priest left here with the Main Body nearly two years ago, attached to the 3rd Artillery. He was one of the old "J" Battery boys, and though only 20 years old when he died, he had been through a long and strenuous campaign, being in the thick of the fighting at Gallipoli, where he was wounded. Young Priest was on the staff of Messrs. Abraham and Williams when lie enlisted, and was very popular.

Mrs. Win. McCrea is spending i short holiday with her mother, Mrs - Archer.

On Friday night a concert was held in the Coronation Hall, at Terrace End, in aid of the School Fund. Mr. Nash, who organised the affair, was rather disappointed to find the hall full of children, only a very few parents being present. The concert itself was rather hampered by the piano, which was not in good working order, many of the keys having a firm, conviction that "silence is golden" and refusing to give forth a sound at all. Consequently, the singers did not get much support, and the effect was rather funny. The singers were: Misses. Simpson, Bett, . and Tabour, Messrs. Lyall, T. J. Rodgers, S. Carson, J. Bett, and Tabour.

The same evening the officers at Awapuni gave a small dinner to their friends, the guests, including Major, Mrs., and Miss Bosworth. The tables were decorated in patriotic colours, ribbons of ,red, white, and blue hanging from above. After dinner, when the toast of the King had been drunk, the party went over to the T.M.C.A. Hall,

where a concert was being given, by Mrs. C. Louisson and a party of ladies from town. The soldiers contributed several items, but were much" more at . home when allowed to sing choruses and/ give war-cries, which they did with much vim and vigour. Local contributors to the concert were: Mrs. W. McCrea, Mis 3 TV. Watson, and Miss Drew. Rev Blackbourn also sang and Mr. Allen recited. After supper the visitors motored back to town. r

On Friday evening Lieut. Nelson Jickell, who has recently come home to receive his commission, having been on service since the beginning of the war, was entertained at a dinner at the Empire Hotel. A number of old friends, together with several staff and Territorial officers were present. Lieut. Jickell goes into camp again this week.

Mrs. Will Rutherfurd, who has been staying with her sister-in-law, Mis. W. McCrea. in the Waikato. has returned home.

Nurse O'Callaghan, who conducted a private hospital here before enlisting for service abroad, is returning on duty with the next batch of wounded. Horace. Stubbs, of Palmerston, is among those returning on the same transport.

.Mrs. Nimmp and M*ss Pritcliard, of Wellington, " who have been staying in Palmerston for a few days, returned to the "Port" on Saturday. Lieut. Niriimo is in camp at Awapuni.

A soldier's letter recently received, mentions Father Dore, who went out as chaplain with the Main. B->sy. Chaplain Dore worked with heroic zeal among the wounded «t Gallipoli. being eventually wounded himself, as the result of which his lower limbs are paralysed. Recently' Father Dore visited the boys at Hornchurch Camp, where he was wheeled about in a. bath chair by the [ Camp Commandant. Father Dore, who is well known here, where he was very popular during his -ministrations at St. Patrick's Parish before the wav, ; says he owes his life to the bravery of one, Sergt. Dick Morrison, of Blenheim, who.

so gallantly helped lrim in bis work - v among.the wounded and dying. :■■»■' * *• * Mr. and Mrs. S. Wellington, are at present spending a holiday ' in Palmerston. ' ■ •' ■» ..*.' » Mr. John Stevens, - a one-time prominent member of Parliament for Rangitikei. died here on Sunday night. Mr. Stevens, in spite of the great affliction (blindness), which overtook him several years ago, has kept in touch with' his many business enterprises, as well as taking a deep interest in all '' ' political and public matters, right up to his death. He was chatting with a" friend only a few moments 'before his death, which, though it has long been approaching, was "rather sudden at the end. Mr. Stevens belongs to that great clan, the Fraser-Campion-Stevens clan, which is supposed to embrace a larger number of members than any other family in New Zealand at the present time. Mr. Stevens was a wealthy man and he leaves quite a large family, amOing whom his various interests will be divided, two sons at the front ,'*'■». .... *'"«• Recent letters from England state that Mrs. A. E. Russell and her daughters, Misses Ida and Trixie Russell, are working in one of the clothing depots, where socks, waistcoats, and other com-> forts are served out to our soldiers. Other Palmerston people who . are doing their share at home are: Mr. H. Nl Watson, who is still driving an ambulance, in France, and his daughter, Miss Marion Watson, who is working in the scullery of one of the Afizac buffets^ Your friend.