The Social Round

Southland Times, Issue 23152, 19 March 1937, Page 7

The Social Round

The Lady Editor will be pleased to receive for publication in “The Social Round” each day items of social or personal news. Such items should bo sent in promptly and should be fully authenticated. Engagement notices must bear the signatures of both parties. Correspondence is invited on any matters affecting, or of interest to. women. Mrs J. F. Dundas, Ness street, leaves today to spend a- holiday in Auckland. Mr and Mrs Richard Evatt, formerly of Dunedin, arrive tomorrow to live in Invercargill. Miss Dundas, Dalrymple road, has returned from a holiday at Stewart Island. Mr and Mrs H. K. Sumpter, Alice street, and their children leave today by car for Auckland, where they will live. The Hon. Peter Fraser and Mrs Fraser, Wellington, arrive in Invercargill today. They will be the guests of Mr and Mrs Roy Anderson and Miss O’Byrne, Dalrymple road. Miss Mona Basstian, Tweed street, was hostess at a kitchen tea yesterday afternoon in honour of Miss Rona Todd, Elies road, who is shortly to be married. The members of the Mataura Ladies' Hockey Club gave a kitchen evening recently in honour of Miss Winnie Duncan, who is shortly to be married. The function was held in the Oddfellows’ hall and was well attended Dancing was the order of the evening. Mr A. Marshall, president of the hockey club, asked Miss Duncan’s acceptance of the presents given by the members. Mr N. Lewis replied on behalf of Miss Duncan. The music was supplied by Mrs L. Johnston, and extras were played by Mr N. Lewis. Mr A. Webb was master of ceremonies. Miss Mary K. Neff, who will arrive in Dunedin on Good Friday, is an American by birth, and was for many years teacher in the public schools of that country. She is making a tour through the New Zealand Lodges of the Theosophical Society, and has recently been national lecturer for the Australian section. She was also resident at the society’s headquarters, Adyar, India, for some years when she became secretary to Bishop Leadbeater. She worked also in a library which has become famous throughout India for its rare collection of manuscripts. She worked under the Theosophical Educational Trust Board as head of the business department of the Boys’ High School in Madanapalle, and later acted as superintendent of the Vasanta Ashrama, a boarding school for girls in Benaresl At the invitation of the Municipality of Lucknow she became principal of its Middle School for girls in the Kashmiri Mohalla, where she remained five years. Lady Luke, widow of Sir John Luke, whose death occurred on Monday, was born at Durham, England, in 1860, and was well known in Wellington and throughout the Dominion for her work in public and social affairs, and during the Great War in particular she gave fine service for the welfare of the troops. Coming to New Zealand as a child, she was educated at Dunedin and Wellington. In 1880 she married Sir John Luke, and she took a prominent part in public life when Sir John was Mayor of Wellington, between 1913 and 1921. She was president of the Red Cross, the Lady Liverpool Fund, and the Wellington branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association, and was a member of the Macarthy Trust Advisory Committee. Board of Health, Women’s National Council, the Navy League, and the Citizens’ Day Nursery, and Plunket Society Council. She was also a vicepresident of the Wellington branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, and the Victoria League. In addition, she was a member 'of several royal commissions on health and social questions. In recognition of her services she was awarded the CJB.E. Sir John Luke died in 1931.