VICTORIA LEAGUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21349, 25 November 1932, Page 5

VICTORIA LEAGUE

ENJOYABLE AT HOME

EARLY HISTORY RECALLED

A delightful evening's entertainment had been arranged for the At Home held by the president of the Victoria League, Miss Mowbray, and members, in the Lyceum Club last evening. With artistically arranged bowls of flowers and foliage-, the loungo looked particularly attractive and the programme, which had been arranged by the girls' committee of the league, was very much enjoyed.

Miss Mowbray made a brief speech and extended a special welcome to those members who had just returned from a visit to Great Britain and to the overseas visitors who were present at the gathering. Iti had very pleasant to hear from these returned members of the wonderful hospitality that had been shown to them by the members of the Home league and it was with the greatest pleasure that the Auckland branch entertained whenever opportunity afforded visiting members of the league from other countries of the Empire. Miss Mowbray spoke of the way in which the work of the league had grown and in referring to what was clone by the War Graves Committee, said that, when the work of caring for soldiers' graves in Auckland was first started the. number of wreaths placed on the graves numbered five or six. Now at least 500 were placed. In spite of many difficulties, continued 'Miss Mowbray, a wonderful year's workhad been done by the league and 3&0 new members had joined, making a total meinbership at, the present time of 1349. M iss Mowbray spoke of the great help which the book circle had received from the general public, the number of books which had been received for distributing being greater this year than ever before. Mrs. Carr Rollett, the first secretary of the Auckland league, gave a brief history of its formation 22 years ago and read the report of the speech made by the la to Dr. Hope Lewis at the first meeting of the league held in St. Andrew's Hall in Syrnonds Street in 1901. The league had started with a membership of 184 and Mrs. Carr Rollett contrasted this number with its present membership.

Bouquets were presented to Miss Mowbray, Mrs. L. S. Rickerby, Mrs. J. B Macfarlane, Mks Keesing and Miss Nation Mr. Townley Little making the presen tat'on.

Announcement was made during the evening of the prizewinners in the dolldressing and scrap-book competitions arranged bv the Girls' Committee. The judges of the former were Mrs. .T. B. Macfarlane and Mrs. Kohn. and Of the scrap-books competition"" Miss Fenton and Miss Chapman.

Winners of the, dolls' competition were: —Baby doll, Miss Mary Cruickshank, 1; woolly doll (girl), Miss G. McConnell, 1; woollv doll (boy), Miss Helen Fraser, 1; kewple, Miss Poole, 1; dressed doll. Miss Berenice Ogilvie, 1. In the scrap-books competition, the winners were: Miss Berenice Ogilvie, 1; Miss Edna Lincoln, 2; Miss Dorothy Card, 3, The winner of the best knitted duck wns Miss M. Simcock.

The very' enjoyable programme which had been organised by Miss Mavis McCulloch was as follows Chorus and ballet, "Soldiers in the Park" (in costume), members of the Girls' Committee; violin solo. Miss Ida Lockwood; sketch, Airs. Estelle Verran and Miss Edna Craig; flute solo. Mr. Tucker; dance, Miss Joan Charlton. Taking part, in an amusing oneact plav were: Miss Louise Jourdain, Miss Mary Cruickshank, Miss Eileen Adkins, Miss Mary Pilkington, Miss Roseanne Novell, Miss Joyce Hewitt and Miss, Mavis McCulloch. The accompanfsts were Misses K. O'Learv. Miss J. Hewitt and Miss Phyllis Graham. .Mr. Townley Little acted as announcer.

At. the close of tlir programme supper was server]. The hostesses were; Mrs. .7. P.. Mncfarlane; j\liss Fenton, Mrs. L. S. Riekerby, Miss Janet, Murray, Miss Slator, Mrs. Abbott, 'Mrs. E. Alien, Mrs. A. Brett, Miss Ait ken, Mrs. Charlton, Mrs. Orutt.v, Mrs. Coutts, Mrs. J. Dawson, Mrs. F. Fitchett, Mrs. Hugh Fenton, Mrs. G,arlick. Miss Gee. Mrs. H. H. Partridge, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Jobson, Mrs. St. Clair Inglis, Mrs. Kohn, Mrs. King, Misses K. and E. Kcesing, Mrs. Marler, Mrs. Murdoch, Mrs. McLachlan, Mrs. Marshall, Miss Mason, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Scarborough, Mrs. Stubbs, Miss Sutton, Mrs. H. Thomson, Miss Teape, Mrs. 11. Wilson and Mrs. Worrall.