TABLE TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3260, 6 September 1916, Page 51

TABLE TALK.

Monday evening.

Beautiful weather prevailed on Friday, when a collection was taken up in aid cf the funds of the French Red Cross Society, and a large band of ladies worked indefatigably as collectors, in relays, from 7.30 ai.ro. till 6.30 p.m. Mr P. C. Neill (Vice-consul of France) and the Rev. V. G. Bryan King (chairman of the Si. John Ambulance Association, under whoso management the collection was mad-e) took an active interest in the proceedings, and visited the different stations during the day. The amount gathered—£334 15s —must be looked upon as a gratifying result; but the donors ga-ve cheerfully, as everyone realises our indebted-, nc-ss to the gallant French nation, and the fact that so many of our troops are at present in France helped to open our hearts and purses.

A pleasant little dinner was given on Thursday evening by Air and All's John Roberts at Littlebourne. The table was daintily arranged with narcissi, and among those present were Air and Mrs R. Sise, Mr and Airs Eardley Reynolds, Air and Airs James Roberts, Dr Fitcbett, and Aliss Williams.

On Saturday evening a delightful party for young people was given by Air and Airs W.. A. Alcore, Mornington. in honour of Mr Arthur Aloore, who _is leaving shortly to go into camp at Featherston. The evening was spent in playing games, one called " Celebrities" creating great amusement. After some- music a -delicious supper was served in the dining room, where the table was prettily decorated with spring flowers that the recent mild weather has brought forward in such abundance. Among those prfs-ent were Aliss Bird, Aliss Oldham, Aliss Edmond, Aliss Callaway, Alis 3 Stock, Aliss Theomin, and Aliss Shenmv.i. and the Afessrs Sawcll (2), Captain Stonhonse, Mr Hook. Mr Ninnis, and Air J. Edmond.

Air J. R. Sinclair left last week for Canada to lesume his position as New Zealand's representative on the Dominions' Royal Commission.

Airs Cowie-Nicholls, who has been staying in Dunedin, returned to Kurikoha last week. Her sister, Aliss Ayre, accompanied her.

Air and Airs George Fenwick have returned from Timaru.

Airs Wilfrid White (Timaru) is staying with her mother, Airs George Fenwick, at present.

Air F F. Haggitt (Foilding) is on a visit to Dunedin, and is staying - with Mrs D'Arey Haggitt, Roslyn.

Miss Gwenyth Callaway is tho guest of Miss Shennan, High street.

Airs Sydney Neill left on Wednesday for Qreenstown

Professor W. L. Boys Smilli was a passenger by tho Monowai on Friday for Auckland, where ehe will join the Vancouver boat, en roi:t-i for England. Sho expects \o return to Dimedm In February.

Mrs P. 8. K. Macassey Is emending _tho term holidays at Waihola 'with her littledaughter. Miss Sise spent a few days last week with Mrs Stanley Batchelor at Waita-ti. Mrs Jim Watson, who has been staying with Mrs Royso, Queen street, has returned to Invercargill. Mr and Mrs J. Gillies, who have been at the Hydro Grand Hotel at Timaru, returned to town this week, and are now at Brighton for a short visit to enablo Mr Gillies to regain his strength after his reoent illness. Mrs B. C. Haggitt, who bas been spending the winter months in. Nelson, returned to Dunedin on Sunday, and is the guest of Mrs Douglu3 Ramsay, George street. Mrs A. M. Macdonald (Invercargill) is staying with Miss Morris at Littleboumo. Mr and Mrs T. Rhodes (Timaru) aro visiting Dunedin at present. Miss Nicholl (Invercargill) is staying at Onslow House. Mrs Allan Holmes and Miss Holmes returned from Timaru on Thursday. Mis 3 Williams was the guest of Mrs John Roberts, Littlebourne, last week. Mr and Mis Scaife (Culverden) motored through on Tuesday, and stayed a few days with Mrs M'Arthur at St. Clair. INVERCARGILL, September 2. Mrs Roberta gave a email afternoon tea. on Tuesday in honour of Mro Owen (Ashburton), who is the guest of Mrs Eggleston A very jolly young people's dance was held in the Allies' Hall on U'edncsday evening. Among those present were M.isse-? Watson (2), Pram, Morrah (2), Ronaldson, Field (2), Guthrie {2), Carswell, Snow, Ai Cluro (Wellington), Bows (2), Tennent, Henderson, Hazlett, Strettell, Hawley, Messrs Cook, Hawley, Prain, Hazlett, Tennent, Williams, Smith, Hay, Keddell, Maboney, Gilmcie, Macalister, Morrah (2), Fleming, etc. On Thursday afternoon Mrs T. M. Macdonald gave a most enjoyable flag match out at Otatara, the best scores being made by Miss Joyce and Mrs Handysido. Mrs J. G. Ala.cdonald is at present visiting Mrs Bell at Shag Valley. Mrs J. E. Watson has returned from a short visit to Dunedin. Mrs Longuet is visiting friends in Dunedin. Mrs A. M. Macdonald is also in Dunedin at present. Mrs Wild (Lincoln) is visiting her aunt, Mrs Eyre, Don street. Mrs C. Jones left this week for Melbourne, where she- is going to stay with her sister, Mrs Jamie. Miss Gardner lias returned from Wellington. Mrs Rodger, who spent a few days here last week, has returned to Birchwood. OAMARU, September 3. On Thursday evening the Kahanga Club met at Mrs Humphries'. There was a rather small attendance, a number of members being out of town or otherwise unable to attend. There wore a number of visitors present, and a very enjoyable evening was spent, a good programme having boon prepared by Mrs J. M. Scott. Mrs Douglas and her boys are spending the holidays at Waianakarua. Dr Douglas, who was also down there for a few days, has returned to town. Miss M'Dowell (Southland) is the guest of Mrs Rose. Mrs Malcolm Holmes, who was the guest of her mother, Mrs Gilchrist, bas returned to Dunedin. Miss Ruddenklau (Waimate), who was the guest of Mrs Haines, lias returned home. Lieutenant F. C. de Lambert, who was down on a few days' leave, has returned to camp Mrs de Lambert has also gone north. Mr Cecil Sutton, who has taken up land down south, left for his new home last week. Mrs Sutton is leaving in a few weeks' time. Miss Vallange (Dunedin) is the guest of her sister. Mrs Dunlop. Miss Murdoch is the guest of Mrs Douglas. Miss Vida Dalzell has returned from visitin," 'Wellington. Mr Bridgewatcr (Timaru) was the guest of Mr and Mrs Vennall for a few days last week. Mrs A. H. Maude bas returned from visiting the North Island. Mrs Headland and Mrs John Frazer arc spending a few weeks at Otekaikc. Mr A. W. Murdoch, who was spending a holiday here, has returned to Cromwell. TIMARU, September 4. Miss Bridges (Wellington) is the guest of Mrs G. Bridges, Selwyn street. Mr Guinness las returned frcm a visit to Auckland. Mrs G. Fielden is the guest of Mrs Wigley, Opuha Lodge. Airs Frank Jemima's (Ekctahuna) is the guest of her mother, Mrs G. Buchanan. Mrs and Mrs Fenwick and Airs W. While left for Dunedin last Monday. Air and Mis* Clelland, Airs White, and Air and Mrs Shepherd leave for a tour of the North Island on Alonday. Mrs Gresson and her little sons have returned from a visit to Christchurch. Dr and Airs Hansen are at the Hydro. Aliss L. Knublev has returend from the. North Island. Aliss A. Hassell has gone on a visit to Christchurch. Aliss Laidlaw is staying with Airs Cordnor, Christchurch. Airs W. Hay has gene to Dannevirke to see her daughter, Mrs C. 11. Thompson. Air and Airs Hunter-Weston are camping at RamclifT. Air and Airs J. C. Gillies have returned to Dunedin. Airs C. Thomas (Alolueka) is staying at the Grosvenor. Airs W. Evans has returned from the North Island. CIIRISTCHUT?CH, September 2. Violet. Day (which fell on "Wednesday. 30th ult.) was a groat success, over .£IOOO being' collected for the Belgian Fund. Sellers were out from early morning, and some enterprising ladies visited tire Addington Yards. and hit up for their shillings. The auction* which was held in Cathedral square la<er in the day yielded a large addition to the sum. There have been three small children's parties during 'he week, the hostesses being Mrs Cordner, Mia Guy Ronalds, and Airs Boauchamp L'me. Airs Lane's party was in honour of her small niece's birthday. Elizabeth Afurray-Ayn.-ley. Amongst the guests were Mrs Eric Harper and Freddie, Mrs G-odbv and two sons, Airs Ronalds ana Fatricia, Airs Cordner and two girls, Mrs Waldcrgrave Wilson and girl. Airs W. Hel-m-ore with Desmond Ann, and Mrs Nedwill and Richard. Tho Christchurch Golf Club played, for

the Rhodes Bowl on Saturday (mixed foursomes in a flag match), the winner being Mr* andMrßeadel. Others playing were Mra Vernon. Mrs Donald, Mrs H. Wood, Mrs Godby, Mrs Comberford, end the Misses A. Hum phreya, Cracroft Wilson, Pratt, Helmore and Messrs Harman, Million, tarns, Wood Montgomery, Godby, and Helmore. Sir George and the Misses Clifford have been the- gt;csts of their Excellencies the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool. Mrs Gerald Stead has been visiting Mr» Stead, Strowan. Miss M. Cotterill is visiting Mrs A. Elworthy, Pararoa. The Tivoli Follies have been playing to good houses at the Theatre Royal since they opened on Wednesday night. Amongst audience have been Mrs Stead, Mrs G. Stead, Mrs J. Palmer, Mr and Mrs H. Reeves, Mra 11. Wood, Mr and Mrs Helmore, Miss B, Helmore, and the Misses Anderson, Humphreys, Pratt, etc. BLENHEIM, August 81. A most enjoyable afternoon tea was given by Miss Marjorio H'Callum at Argyle oa Saturday afternoon. A dainty tea. was served in the large drawing room. Song 3 wen* tendered by Misses Tiria Townshend, Gwen Boid, and Scott-Smith. Others present wero Misses Coull, H. M'Callum, M. Price, P. Re:d, W r ebster, etc. Lieutenant and Mrs W. Churchward have taken their departure for Wellington, and Mr H. E. Burden has taken over their furnished house at Springsltuid meantime. Mrs H. Monro (Bankhouse) was in tow*. last Saturday. Lieutenant and Mrs Victor Powell have left for Wellington after spending a few dayi here with friends. Mr and Mrs Harvey took their departure on Thursday morning for Oamaru, and quite a bevy of friends were at the railway station to bid them adieu. Miss Woodroffe, who has been visiting Mrs Harvey, has returned to Auckland. Dr and Mrs Batcbclor, who have been the guests of the Misses Chaytor at Marshlands, are now visiting Picton. Miss Trolove (The Shades) is the guest o! Mrs Mowat at Springlands. Mr C J. W. Griffiths has returned to Blenheim after a- lengthy absence in England. He intends residing at The Barton. Mrs H. E. Ecclcs has gone across to Wellington. Mrs Hamilton-Redwood, who ilias been visiting Blenheim, has returned to the Pel or us Sounds Miss P. Vavasour is visiting AVcllington. Mra Ile-neierson (Takaka) is the guest of Mrs J. Mowat at Springlands. Miss Macintosh (Wellington) is the guest of Mrs G. Waddy. Miss Bull (Chrisichuvch) is the guest of Mrs F. Bui;. WELLINGTON, September 1. Ihe Women's Anti-German League is making the best of the deserter story, pointing out. that they were always harping on the danger of allowing men with German proclivities to enlist in the forces. It makes them especially angry to read the statement by Mr Allen to the effect that he thought it was time to devise something to prevent this sort of thing. As if, they cry, nobody had ever mentioned it to him! As if, indeed', ho had never resisteel tooth and nail, even to the length of appointing a Boyal Commission of Inquiry into one suspected case and setting- the Solicitor-general to whitewash the suspect! Of course, the Solicitorgeneral was not sot to do anything of that sort. Ho was only set to represent the Crown in the inquiry, and the Crown and the suspect somehow appeared to coincide. However, when the Minister discovers for himself after an actual deserticn and loss suffered by a battalion of ours in the field in consequence, one feels that there is some hope at last. Lady Stout, Miss Holmes, and many another are regarding this matter with considerable keenness. The deserter's namo is not given out yet, and it is a promise that when the facts are all authenticated properly the name will be in the Gazette. Why such foolish reticence? The frienda of the wretch's comrades are angry, because the whole battalion lies under suspicion. Not in the Carterton district, however, for everyone knows the family, and there have been signs of ugly intentions in regard to the same which the military authorities and the police had to notice practically. That ph:.se has passed ; but everyone hopes that now something will bo> done to protect our men against this sort of thing. The authorities who have allowed it seem to have forgotten that a patriotic enemy haa some right to applause from his own countrymen at sry rate. And there are some among us who have lived in Germany, and the things of to-day are strange to us and difficult to baliev© of a people which gave us <=o many gooel, kind, considerate frienda in the days of old when were young. It enables us to understand their patriotism, but not their treachery. It is eliineult to forgive a spy; but to think well of an enemy who enlists uneler presence of hostility to his own country in order to scatter death in our ranks by surrender of information after deserting from our ranks—nothing, it seems to us, can cemdone such conduct. The wave of thought caused by the sudden sweep of women into all the nets of employment in the Old Country has extended to us, and troubles us somewhat in this capital city of ours. The first thought, of course, ?a of the franchise, and one is glad to hear so many men and women who once oi posed the women's movement for the fran-

chise now declaring that the. wonderful work the women of England have done, and are doing, in this war clinches their claim. Mr Asquith's statements on the subject are quoted among us with great approval. Wo are disappointed on the other hand with Lord Cromer, who took the opportunity recently of declaring that the time has i.ot yet come for women to expect anything of the kind. We are reminding one another that this is the statesman who declared that old-age pensions were bad because they would dejroralise the people, but nevertheless accepted the demoralisation of a parliamentary pant of some £IOO,OOO, and we are wondering to ono another how much demoralisation this far-seeing gentleman suffered. A letter which has reached hero tells of the nature of the. work the women are doing on farms in the Old Land. " We have really taken men's places," writes the lady, " and wa have to work hard under the eagle eye oi the bailiff, who is rather a slavedriver." The reference to men's places is a master touch—the places of men who have votes; —and, as for the work, "wo have all sorts of work to do—bullocks, sheep, pigs, and cows to look after; cowsheds, stables, and pigsties to clean out; thrashing, which is much harder work than it looks ; _ and the last few weeks we havo been working hard on the land —very satisfactory work, but tiring." Then hear the climax: "Tearing along with the drill over very rough land for eight hours does take it out of one, and I get desperate moments when I wonder how much longer I shall be able to hold out "—near the'end of the '.other, you would think; but never! For the end 13 this: " It is nice to see ihe crops coming up ono has helped to sow." And then with a sort of look* over the shoulder a 3 she goes offsuch 16 the fancy one has in reading tins etrango human document, so utterly startling to all demure poisons demurely brought up —the. writer throws this at you: "I have done a lot of harrowing lately and roding and some ploughing." The wages were £1 a week with cottago to live in. The girls say they like learning i<> shear, though their work 33 rather patchy,

and the great drawback is that there are no hot baths —much wanted, because they are sticky, and the soil, though cleanest of dirt, still requires to be washed off occasional at least. All this in face of a slave-driving bailiff of tho old pattern for £1 a week and find yourself, and a share of a cottage, probably tumble-down and draughty if not leaky, worth not more than cighteenrjenco a week, and one marvels at the cheerfulness and pluck of these- our sisters. ,*" A lady friend of mine who has to do with unions and wages and such liko things says: " Poor things, it's a shame to get all that out of them for £1 a week. But, you see, they know nothing, and have never been brought tip to anything. Brit they must be protected "against the continuance of £1 a week after the war for work of that sort. It's worth more, and they ought to be fed and looked after better." " But do you expect these job 3to last after tho war?" "Chiozza Money said that after the war there won't be enough men and women for the jobs. But if the women are all thrown out that will be all the more reason for looking after them and seeing that they aro not sweated." My friend admitted at the same time that £1 a week for such work, which men probably did better or in larger quantity for lGs, is not altogether sweating under the circumstances —admitted, in fact, that it made ono feel as if things would really mend in the great wages world after the war. Tho St. John Ambulance Society is making good contributions for Bed Cross purposes. Its shop in Woodwsrd street gave over £35 for June and July, Miss Maeand row's flower stall contributed £ls, and tho Petono Bed Cross shop £85 —about £135 in the aggregate; and tho satisfactory talo is carried on by numerous donations coming in from timo to time and from unexpected and welcome ncurces. The organisation lets it be widely known that bandages aro not wanted for the British army, but that the Bussians are in great want of them. The ladies are everywhere making bandages thereforo for Bru3iloff.

AUCKLAND, August 30. Meal weether favoured the Pakuranga Aunt Club for its spring meeting last Saturday afternoon at Ellersiie, and in cons 3qtierco there was quite a large attendance of tho public. A touch of spring was lent to the course by tho lovely beds of cyclamens, which were out in profusion. Tho Third Auckland Mounted Rifloa Band supplied the music, which was much appreciated Amongst those present were Mrs W. R Holmoa, in a blue gaberdine frock, with which was worn a long black fur coat and black hat; Miss Kathleen Holmes, kkakicolcured suit, long green coat with fur collar, ,<md black hat with a touch of ceriso; Miss Una Holmes, black-and-white check costume, nattier blue- coat with fur collar, and .smart black hat; Mrs Clark (a visitor from Wellington), navy costume, long black fur coat, and pretty black hat; Mrs Hobort Isaacs, blue coat and skirt, black fox furs, and velours hat; Mrs Fred Waller, blue serge suit with black military braid and black hat; Mrs Mark-ham, prey gaberdine frock and brown hat; and Mrs and Miss Marrincr, Mrs W. Carrick, Miss Nancy Manna, Mrs R. B. Lush, etc., etc. Mi&3 Enid Rccd (Remuera) is the guest of Mrs Perry, Masterton. Mrs A. F. Kennedy and Mrs Adair are visitors from Gisborne at present in Auckland. They are staying at Cargen. The marriage of Miss Daisy Y-erc Evans, daughter of Mr and Mrs David Evans. Paeroa, to Mr Erics Brassey, a member of the New Zeal rnd Expeditionary Forces, who was invalided home a few months ago, was solemnised 'ast week at St. Mary's ProCathedral, Pamell. His Lordship the Bishop of Auckland (Dr Averill) performed the ceremony. The death of Sir Maurice O'Rorke, which took place last week at his residence in Jormyu street, was not unexpected, as he had been filing for the past few months. The intern.ent took place at the Waikaraka Cemetery, Onekunga, where Lady O'Rorke was buried five years ago. Mr E. Dennis O'Rorke (the only son) has of late years resided in England with his wife and family.