SUPPORTING THE SOLDIERS' QUEEN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 616, 31 January 1916, Page 4

SUPPORTING THE SOLDIERS' QUEEN.

HOSPITAL GARDEN PARTY. | A large crowd of visitors spent a delightful afternoon in the grounds surrounding the Public Hospital on Saturday, when u large garden party was given by the nurses, in support of the Soldiers' Queen, Mrs G. E. Rhodes. There was any amount of khaki present, and the wearers gave their assistance in netting the nimble coin of the realm in various ways, several being stationed at the gate, and armed with collec! tion boxes, which they firmly introduced to the notice of every one who entered. Well-stocked stalls were arranged in conspicuous places, and were in charge of the following:—Produce, Sister Widdowson, Sister Cochrane, and Miss Gregory; sweets and cigarettes, Sister McKay and Sister Ford; cakes, Nurses Cookson, Beswick, and Willis; afternoon tea, Sisters Rose, Muir, Hodges, Keat, and Green; fortune-telling tent, Nurse Hurst. Tennis and croquet and other games were under the supervision of Nurses Hepple, Thompson, Hunil, and Kirkpatrick. Numerous weight-guessing competitions and other money-making devices were employed, the nurses and lady members of the St. John Ambulance also giving their assistance in various departments. A "Mock Court," presided pleasantly under a couple of shady trees, the lady superintendent, Miss Thurston, and Mademoiselle Gadrat being the first to answer some obscure charges. Each was "fined five shillings without the option'' and discharged. The Tramways and Woolston Bands played bright selections throughout the afternoon, and added considerably to' the eujoymeut of the function, which was continued until 7 o'clock, by which time a sum of £l:J0 was realised. As there were practically no expenses (everyone having been most generous in the matter of donations), the Soldiers' Queen will benefit substantially as a result of the party. The lady iu question (Mrs G. E. Rhodes), who has just returned from the North island, was present with her husband and her daughter Shona, and looked very well in a mauve French muslin and widebrimmed black hat. Miss Thurston, who had so much to do with the organising of forces and general arranging of the party, wore the grey uniform and scarlet shoulder cape of the Army Service—particularly appropriate it was, considering it was the Soldiers' Queen Garden Party. The beautiful hospital grounds, sloping gently down to the placid Avon, made the most charming setting imaginable for the gathering, and both this fact, and the success which attended the effort, must lie most gratifying to the nurses when they recall the scene of their labours on Saturday afternoon.