SOCISL AND PERSONAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12014, 17 December 1924, Page 5

SOCISL AND PERSONAL

; Her Excellency Lady Alice Pergusson has .graciously consented to accept tfie office of Warden of the Pioneer Club in Wellington, an office which has been filled by the wives of the Governors of the Dominion since the inauguration of the club in the time of Lady Plunket. Lady Alice has also accepted an invitation to attend a receptiort at the club on Friday afternoon next, and members are invited to be present to do honour to Her Excellency. Mrs L. Macintosh Ellis and child have returned by the Niagara from Canada and United States, and reached Wellington on Tuesday' Mrs Efrl Williams returned to New Zealand by the Ruahine from a visit to England • Mrs Donald Donald, of Lansdowne, returned home on Saturday after an extended visit to Europe, Miss M. Edmed, of the Pahiatua. High School, intends* taking a camning party of school girls' to Miramar during tho summer holidays.

By the death of Mrs Sarah Price, who passed away at Palmerston North on Wednesday last, New Zealand loses a pioneer of many years standing. The deceased ladjr. who was 88 years of age, came to the Dominion with her parents, Mr and Mrs James Putter, iu the ship Lady Nugent, and her girlhood and ©ariy married life were spent in Wellington and Neahauranga. The privations and hardships.of the early colonists were shared py her, and she passed through the troublous of the Maori war. She was one of the few living residents of the Dominion who could remember the time when Lambton Quay, Wellington, was known as "the beach.” The late Mrs Price was predeceased by her husband twelve years ago, and is survived by her brother. Mr William Putter, and one son,. Mr William Alfred Price. There are five grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

“Although women athletes ape ; interested in athletics, they are far more interested in their husbands or potential husbands. W omen athletes of to-day will be the mothers of the nation to-morrow,” These remarks were made by Mr W. J. Pepper, of the A.A.A., in proposing the toast -of “Women Athletes” at the first annual dinner of the Middlesex Ladies' Athletic Club. Maiiy well-known women athletes were present. Mr Pepper declared that the outstanding difference between the girl of to-day and 15 years ago was that: while before she spent her Saturday afternoons with Charles Garvice, killing the villain, now she spent' Saturday afternoon on the track, and the only ‘ person she wanted to kill Was the hotndicapper.i * .*

Something amounting to consternation -has fSlowed the discovery in a big - boarding school for young ladies in a popular seaside town' in England of quite an organised system of. betting among the senior pupils. Communication with the bookmaker was established by means of the > kitchen staff, several members of. which have been summarily dismissed. Suspicion was .first aroused .during tho illness of on© of the pupils, who during an at- , tack of delirium kept shouting incessantly the name of a popular horse which she had backed for quite a considerable figure. Severe disciplinary measures have already been taken. Bari Spencer, whose Oountees is a daughter of the Duke* of Abereorn, is celling his Wormleighton property of 2000 acres in Warwickshire, but is keeping the old * manor house (cradle of his race) and the bom© farm-. The estate was 'bought in 1506, and there the Spence -s began rearing the sheep which brought them a vast fortune. The manor nouse, which they left for Althorp, Northants, dates from 1613. These Warwickshire yeomen, who are connected with the ducal family ot Marlborough, prospered exceedingly, * and in three or four generations their head was th© richest man. in England and waa created Lord Spenoer. But a limit was put to the extent of their flocks. SO soon as a Spencer’s sheep approached 20,000 some mortality began to reduce them. The famriLy still kesp sheep, and many may be seen grazing at Althorp. . Mrs Lawrence Taylor, Auckland, who has been visiting her parents,' the Rt. Hon. W- F- Massey and Mrs Massey, Wellington, has returned home. During the month the Women's Red Cross committee have met at the rooms and prepared Christmas parcels for over 200 ex-service patients under treatment in hospitals and sanatoria in the Wellington area. To prevent any shortage during the Christmas season two months' supply of tobacco has been prepared and forwarded to tho various institutions. The society desires to Acknowledge a cheque from Mr E. D. Bell to the value of £5 to bo spent on securing* special comforts for ex-service men under treatment at Porirua Mental Hospital. This amount will be expended ,on supplies of Christmas fruits for the men. - , The late Miss ’ Grace J. Joel, a wellknown New Zealand -artist, who had spent many years in England and on the. Continent, was .a prolific - painter, and she has left a great number of pictures (writes a London. correspondent under date • November sth). Among these was a picture of the late Richard J. Seddon. A clause of Miss Joel's will reads:—"l give to the Dominion of New Zealand representative in London the portrait of the late Right Hon. Richard Seddon, to be. hung in New Zealand House, in Loriddn." Mrs Blanche Levi, sister of the late Miss Joel, and an execu- !. tor of the will, recently- communicated . with Sir James Allen and handed the ipainting over. This . .has been revarnished and suitably framed, and it now, finds a plage above the staircase in the Hijrh Commissioner's Offices. The portrait is a life-size head and shoulders presentation, the sitter showing full face with the eyes looking sideways. More than one person who is in a position to judge has expressed the opinion that it is a very true likeness. In addition, it is a good, work of. art, and is an acquisition to New Zealand House. The matron of the Women's National Reserve Residential Nursery, 137, Owen street, acknowledges with many thanks fjifts from the following:—Her JElxcelency Viscountess Jellicoe, Mrs Harding, Karori branch W.N.R., Miss Miller, Mrs G. M. Morris, Hawera branch, Mrs Castles, Hataitai branch, Mrs Rhodes, Mrs Rudkin, Mrs Gordon Smith, KelburnKarori road and Northland branch, Mies McWhirter, - Lady Chapman, Kimbolton , branch, Mrs Eichelbaum, Miss Sheppard, j Mrs Taylor, Irvine Bros., Lower Hutt J branch, Mies Bennett, Hawke's Bay | Fisheries, Mrs Stayle, Mrs Snell, Mrs j Quinncll, Mr Mantell, Miramar branch, Mrs Beales, Mrs Miller, South Wellington School committee, Mrs McDowell ‘ and Mrs Dewar (Feilding), Mrs Hudson, I Wellington College; Melrose branch, Island Bay and Khandallah.

: At, the great age of 89 years, one of Nelson's earliest settlers*- Mrs Mary Amos, died on Saturday. The deceased lady came to New Zealand in one of the first ships, arid spent- the greater part .of- her life in the Nelson province, where she was widely known, and highly esteemed for her many sterling qualities. She is survived by one son —Mr Charles Amos th'reC' daughters. * Miss Hazel Efvans, who has. beeii the guest of Mrs Caughley while on a visit to Wellington, has returned to Christchurch. Miss M. Dean (Wellington) is staying with her people at Haungatautari. .