Varied Interests of Australian Women

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26792, 8 June 1948, Page 2

Varied Interests of Australian Women

NOTES FOR WOMEN

The youngest Australian ever to be selected for the Olympic Games team is strictly feminine. She is the 13-year-old Melbourne swimmer, Marjorie McQuade, and she will continue her schooling at St. Michael’s Church of' England Girls’ Grammar School until just before she leaves for London — probably about June 20. So home work has to go on while she begins some serious training, including sprints, long distance running and exercises night and morning. The McQuade parents and brother Bobby (nine) are more excited about Marjorie’s achievement than she is herself. “I shan’t be disappointed if' I don’t win—l don’t expect to,” says Marjorie. “But I will do my very best! ”

An Australian girl is the latest starlet to be called to the J. Arthur Rank film organisation. She is Shirley Maycock, 21 blue-eyed and brunette, who will leave by air for London soon, after signing her contract. She recently returned from Fiji, where she was swimming double and stand-in for Jean Simmons, British star of the new Rank picture, “ Blue Lagoon.” A cosmetics demonstrator in a Sydney store, Shirley will realise a dual ambition—to become an actress, and to go to England.

Another woman to achieve success in the same organisation is a Melbourne University student who took a vacation trip to Suva and became production secretary to the J. Arthur Rank film unit. The student is attractive Margaret Woolford, whose longing for adventure prompted her to join the crew of a snip going to Suva. Doing part of her university course in Brisbane, Miss Woolford saw there the 60 foot motor auxiliary yacht chartered for. use of members of the Rank company as a hotel when they were in the Pacific islands. She signed on as hostess, which meant setting the tables and clearing away the dishes. In Suva she was'typing in her cabin when the film’s location manager, Mr Leslie Gilliat, said: “What about being production secretary? ”

Special to the Daily Times, By Susan Barrie.

From then until the company left for England in March, Margaret Woolford worked on the set, watching the filming with a stop-watch and preparing progress reports.

Life on a paddle-steamer is rated the ideal existence by one 76-year-old Australian woman. She is Mrs Amy Collins, who lives on a-paddle-steamer travelling at eight miles an hour on the great River Murray. She has lived on the river for most of her life, has reared her family of five in paddle-boats and during the years has acted as engineer, fireman, navigator of her husband’s boats.

Captain William Grimwood Collins, “ Pop ” to the river-folk, has lived on the river for nearly 80 years. He started running goods on the Murray in 1883, and with his wife’s help built up a fleet of 17 paftdle-steamers. At the age of 83 he is active, capable and still interested in his paddle-steamer. Mrs Collins dresses in crisp cotton print frocks, and regularly goes ashore with her bicycle to ride to the nearest shopping centre. The five Collins children have all chosen the river as their career. Pearl, now Mrs Wallace, has the distinction of being the only woman ever to be issued with a Murray River pilot’s ticket. The Murray has treacherous channels and is difficult to navigate, but Mrs Wallace handles her paddle-steamer, the Camally, with all the skill of a seasoned skipper. The three Collins sons— Maurice, William and Norman—are all certified Murray River captains. Mrs Collins describes the river life as “ busy and happy, with no time to be bored or irritated by small things.” She says that the peace of the river and the beautiful scenery have a constant fascination. Living conditions on board the steamers are comfortable. Kitchen and laundry are built fore and aft of the paddle-guards, and food cupboards and ice-chests are built in convenient places. The living room aft of the main deck is very neat on tne Collins’ boat. A piano and good paintings are part of the furnishings. Bedrooms on the upper deck are small and comfortable.