WAR BRIDES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25312, 20 September 1945, Page 7

WAR BRIDES

BOUND FOR AMERICA REJOINING HUSBANDS About 100 Auckland brides and fiancees of American servicemen will leave toward the end of this month for Panama by the Rangitiki. Although they have been advised that the ship is stdl classed as a troop transport, and therefore does not have accommodation up to its peacetime standard, the Auckland girls have been waiting so long for a passage to America that they say they are glad to be leaving by any ship, From Panama, most of them hope to fly to the United States, but they realise that this is problematical. There are 19 babies in the Auckland party, the youngest being five months old.

The addresses to which the Aucklanders are going are very varied. Mrs Roy Katterton, better known in Auckland as Miss .Joan Houghton, of Epsom, will travel to Quantico, Virginia, where her husband is stationed. He is a permanent member of the United States Marine Cor|>s. Its men are rarely more than two years on one station, so Mrs Batterton is looking forward to learning a good deal of her adopted country. Her husband's people live at Lexington, Kentucky,

Mrs L. N. Holdzkorn, formerly Miss Mary Stone, of Epsom, is taking her year-o'ld son. and she hopes to be able to fly from Panama to St. Louis with him v Her husband visited New Zealand on leave front Okinawa recently and left for the States only three weeks ago. Their future home will probably be in I llinois.

Another young mother is Mrs J. Longbrake, whose baby is five months old. Formerly Miss Noreen Peck, of Mount Eden, she will be making her home for the next year or so at Long Reach. California, but on her husband's release from the Navy, in which he has served for the past eight years, the family plans to return to settle in New Zeala nd.

A school companion of Mrs Longbrake is travelling with her. She is Mrs M. Bulger, formerly Miss Klsie Strickland, and she will be taking her baby son, six months old. ilrs F. C. Magill, formerly M iss Alison Brewer, of Epsom, is to join her husband at Norman, Oklahoma, where lie is attached to a naval air station. One widow with the party is Mrs D. N. Sespaniak, formerly Miss Dawne Leighton, of Kllerslie, who is to visit her late husband's people at Budlev, Massachusetts. Mrs Sespaniak's husband was a laboratory technician at the 39th General Hospital in Auckland, but lost his life last March on Saipan.

Mrs Sespaniak's cousin, Miss Una Clinkard, of Remuera, is one of the fiancees travelling via Panama. A nurse at the Auckland Hospital, her future husband is a naval doctor and he hopes to be able to meet her at San Diego. Another fiancee with the party is Miss Margaret Goldfinch, who plans to be married a few days after her arrival. Little Rock, Arkansas, will be her future home.

Grand Rapids, a city in Michigan about the size of Auckland, is the address of Mrs A. Brooks Smith, formerly Miss Roes Makgill. Here her husband, at present in the Coastguard, has a peacetime practice as a lawyer. Mrs E. R. Horner, formerly Miss June Leaning, will be making her home for the time being in Los Angeles. Her husband, a permanent Army man. is stationed just outside Los Angeles, but their future address will be San Francisco.

HEALTH OF PUPILS SCHOOL RECORD PROPOSAL A suggestion that head teachers should furnish weekly returns to the Health Department of the incidence among pupils of non-notifiable infectious diseases was unanimously opposed by the Auckland Headmasters' Association, stated a communication received from the association at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday. A letter was received at an earlier meeting of the board from the medical officer of health at Auckland, stating that the Health Department was anxious to be informed as far as possible of the incidence of this type of disease, and asked if the board would agive to head teachers making a weekly statement. The Headmasters' Association replied that a tremendous amount of detailed work would be involved if accurate returns were to he. made. It suggested that forms be sent .to all schools, and that head teachers be asked to notify the department when an abnormal outbreak occurred. ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH (O.O.) DARO A VILLE, Wednesday A returned soldier from the First World War, Mr George Frederick Gidding.s, aged 72. was found dead at his home in Mangawhare this morning. There was a wound in his head and a pea-rifle was found near the body. Mr Giddings was a single man and he had resided at Mangawhare for 2.3 years. An inquest before the coroner, Mr J. A. McLean, which showed deceased to have been in had health for some time, was adjourned.