THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 235, 7 November 1914, Page 7

THE SOCIAL ROUND

Mrs J. Loughnan and her children are visiting Mrs Meares, Christchurch. Miss Freda Moore has returned to i Christchurch from a visit to Hawke's ! Bay. Miss Payne, matron of the Welling-" ... ton Hospital, is spending a holiday in i Christchurch. Mrs Alan Campbell is back in Christchurch after a visit to hor sister, Mrs Price, Hawke's Bay. An Anglo-New Zealand engagement recently announced is that of Miss Stella Nathan, of Auckland, to Mr Henry Moss, of 12 Pembridge Square, Bays Water, London. Mrs Donald Donald, of Masterton, and her niece, Miss Gower, are leaving New Zealand on Friday, en route to Colombo, where Miss Gower's marriage to Mr J. Dunlop will take place. Visitors at the Clarendon include Mr and Mrs G. M. Proctor (Oamaru), Mr and Mrs Rotliwell (Blenheim), Mr and Mrs E. A. Pigeon (Gore), Mrs F. Martin and Miss Mcßae. Recent visitors at Warner's include Mrs D. Gorton Holmes and Miss Holmes ; (Rakaia), Mrs and Mrs C... H. Ensor (White B6ck), Mr and Mrs "A. R. Fleming and Miss Fleming, (Guildford Porthwy), and Mrs G. D. Greenwood (Amberley). Staying at the United Service are Mrs Blair (Wanganui), Miss Brewer (Waitotara), Mr, Mrs, and Miss Friedlander (Ashburton), Miss de Beer (Dunedin), Mrs . and Miss Lawrence (Dunedin), Mr and Mrs S. E; Rutherford (Cass), Mr and Mrs Montgomery r (Auckland), Mr and Mrs Davidson (Wellington), and Mr and Mrs Percy Ehvorthy (JPaeroa.). The " British-Australasian'' ari- ; nounces that a marriage has been arranged, and will shortly take place, between Mr L.- Clayton, of the Federated Malay States Civil Service, eldest sonof Bishop and Mrs . Clayton, and Miss Eva Hare, elder daughter of j-, the late Mr Alfred Richard Hare, of Blackmount, New Zealand, .and of Mrs Hare, of Bedford "Park, England. Among all the rulers of the native States of India, there is no one else who stands out in commanding personality as does the Nawab . Sultan Jahan Begam of Bhopal. <She has unique in many directions. No other : woman at this moment fills, or appears likely to fill, an Indian throne. She alone of her sei, with the exception of the Queen Empress, wears the mantle . . and insignia of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of India, and is quite alone in the corresponding exalted rank of the Order of the Indian Empire. To these she adds the Crown of India in unique combination. No other ' woman up and down that great land ii receives a salute of ..-nineteen guns on ;;f all occasions of State -ceremony. She is a brilliant English and Persian scholar, . she has travelled widely, she enjoys equally the confidence of the Home and Indian Governments, and of hosts of Native and English friends. At the ,moment when the first casualty lists are being made public, a sad interest attachea to a system which has been devissd v for securing ,tlie' ; last mesr sages of dying soldiers, sflys an English writer. Perhaps the last consolation of one .passing away far from home is the assurance that a parting message will reach his nearest and dear{/ft, upon whon|. all- his: thoughts are centred. In previous wars many broken messages of farewell, whispered ; to officers, doctors, and nurses, have . been faithfully delivered. But . many *■-'1 have been lost in the stress Of war. To secure this last, comfort for the dying . soldiers, and .consolation for his loved j.< ones, special books have been prepared. - They are called "Alex- , andra Message Books," at the Queen , Mother's, own request, and are carried by nurses; orderlies, and others. They v contain on each page (which is detach- , able) space for the soldier's name, and the name arid addresses of the rela- ■ tions. .;i : 2JBeriißath is " space fdf'ijkfie mes;;V may;' perhaps, be traced by the hand,- or the record may be ■; the nurse, . doctor, pr friend. The ; Alexandra Message Book preserves a duplicate of every entry, which can be consulted at any time, if the original is lost, or fails to reach its destina- : - plan has been worked out by Colonel Sir Wyndham Murray, and has ■ the^full approval of Lord Kitchener. The B;ritish Red Cross Society also . adopted the Alexandra Message -Books.

How some English families are affected by the war is strikingly shown by the group of mourners at the funeral of: Lieutenant-Commander Barttelot, who lost his life in . the Heligoland fight.- In the midst of the sailors, and between the two officers, stood the dead commander's young widow. Close at hand were Mrs St. Aubyn, LieutenantCommander Barttelot's aged mother, Lady Barttelot, whose husband, Captain Sir Walter Barttelot, a brother, is serving with the Guards at the front; Mrs Atchison, sister of the commander, whose husband is with the Hampshire Regiment at the front; Lady Sclater, whose husband, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Sclater, an uncle, is AdjutantGeneral of i;he Forces; Mrs Hamilton Berners, a niece, whose husband, Captain Hamilton Berners, is serving with the.lrish Guards at the front; Mrs Bowden Smith, a niece, whose husband, Captain Bowden Smith, is in command of his Majesty's ship Russell.