SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20869, 11 May 1931, Page 3

SOCIAL NEWS.

Dr. Mary Wilson has arrived from Rotorua anil is at Glenalvon.

Mrs. J. W. Williamson, of Takapuna, and her children are visiting Rotorua.

* Mrs. Maguire, of Malamata, is visiting Auckland and is staying at Glenalvon.

Miss Norma Mcßeth, of Wanganui, is visiting Auckland and is staying at Glenalvon.

Miss A. Pollock Smith, of Whangarei, is a visitor to Auckland. She is at the Star Hotel.

Mrs. W. G. Jameson, of Christchurch, is' visiting Auckland and is staying at the Grand Hotel.

Mrs. Hugo Fricdlander lias left Dunedin on her return to Auckland after an extended visit to tho South.

Mrs. A. Gasler, of London, arrived in Auckland from Rotorua yesterday and is staying at tho Grand Hotel.

Mrs. G. IT. Stephenson, of New Plymouth, is visiting Auckland and is the guest of Mrs. L. T. Symcs, of St. Stephen's Avenue, Parnell.

Miss Helen Irving, younger daughter of Dr. and Mrs. W. Irving, of Christchurch, is returning this week to New Zealand after an absence of four years in England.

Among recent visitors from Auckland to tho Chateau were:—Miss 11. J. Morrison, Mrs. S. Morrow, Miss Osborne, Mrs. Hewitt and sons, Mr. Fletcher and party.

Miss Florence Browning, who has been a policewoman at Hampstead for about five years, resigned recently from the force in order to marry a police constable, whoso beat coincided with hers. A fel-low-policewoman of Miss Browning's attended as bridesmaid at tho wedding.

i A garden party was held in the grounds of St. Joseph's Convent School at Takapuna on Saturday afternoon. The Bayswater Queen, Miss Moira Donovan, was the guest of honour. Games and sports of various kinds were played and afternoon tea was served by a ladies' committee.

That the entry of women into public lifo has established a firm hold in Great Britain is shown in the figures of the municipal elections held last November. Eighty-nine women were returned, 74 in England and 15 in Scotland and of these women one has been elected as Lord Mayor in Norwich, while eight others are Mayors of important towns.

A meeting of the Women's Division of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held at Kaukapakapa last week. An "all-day sewing bee" had been arranged and a number of garments were made to help tho needy. After lunch plans for further sewing days were discussed and arrangements mado to hold a monthly dancing class to giVe instruction in "old timo " dances.

'The monthly meeting of the Takapuna branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union was held last week in the Baptist Church, Mrs. Johnston presiding. Mrs. W. 11. Driver gave an address upon her experiences in the Indian mission field. Afternoon tea was served by Mrs. Blackwell and Mrs. Morgan. A protest was made against the issue of a brewery licence at Pakuranga.

A very successful opening of the Kohim a ram a Literary, Musical and Dramatic Society was held in the Selwyn Road Anglican Hall. Mr. P. C. White, the president, welcomed tho members and visitors, over 90 being present. Musical items were given by Mrs. 11. Refel and Mrs. Grant, and a mystery minstrel troupe was much appreciated. The Gala Girls completed tho dance programme.

A card afternoon was hold by the I'apakura Croquet Club on Thursday in honour of their secretary, Mrs. H. E. McEntee, who is retiring after having held the office for the past five years. The president, Miss M. Cooper, referred to the excellent service given by Mrs. McEnlee during her period of office arid, on behalf of the members, presented her with a very attractive handbag. The winners of the cards were Airs. Knight and Mrs. I'. Mullins.

Tho Christchurch Young Women's Christian Association intends to test a new scbenio for the relief of unemployment among .girls, states a southern exchange. The'scheme provides that girls may be employed in domestic service, the wages to be found from a fund established for the purpose. They will be allocated tq households where assistance is needed on account of laVge families or sickness and where the family cannot afford to pay for help. Already the Y.W.C.A. has a small sum in hand. Under the scheme, it is believed, a double purpose will be served, as employment will bo provided for girls, and many women will receive much-needed help.

Jt was reported at the annual meeting of the YVairarapa Provincial Council of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union that a rest room for women had been established in the town through the efforts of tho division. It had also done splendid work in assisting to relieve distress caused by the Hawke's Bay earthquake. Wairarapa members of the division had donated £2OO in cash for this purposo as well as a great quantity of clothing and a goodly amount of groceries, etc. "In addition," the president added, "there was something given that was better still, and that was everyone's personal labour and service. . I do think that members of the different branches of the division gave of their best unstintedly at that time."

Miss Margaret McMillan, founder of the first open air nursery school and a pioneer in health education and school medical inspection, died in England recently. Her association with the welfare of children began nearly 40 years ago, when she became a member of the Bradford School Board. Ever since then she had worked with unflagging energy in the interest of children all over the country. It, was as far back as 1904 that she drew up the first scheme of a health centre or school clinic, which, though backed with £SOOO, was rejected by the London County Council. School clinics were established all over the country as a result of her efforts. The last of them, the Deptford Health Centre, is the largest in the country. Her work earned for her the C.B.E. 'in 1917, and last year she was made a Companion of Honour.