Written Specially for Cambridge Women

Waikato Independent, Volume XLI, Issue 3890, 11 August 1941, Page 6

Written Specially for Cambridge Women

fir. , PERSONAL Miss Jessie Watt left during the week for Auckland, after being the guest of her sister, Mrs A. N, Macky, of Fencourt. * .# • #•-.', Miss Jocelyn Rush, who has been spending several months with Mrs H. B. Johnston, of Fielding, has returned to Grosvenor Street. SURPRISE PARTY EVENING AT PUKERIMU Mr and Mrs Roy Fisher received a happy surprise on Tuesday evening, when friends arrived at their home to* honour their son, Leading Aircraftman Roy Fisher. Mr lan Wallace, piped the guests over the threshold. The evening was spent in games and competitions. After a dainty supper had been served, Mr F. H. Anderson-present-ed the guest of honour with a fountain pen and eversharp pencil. Mrs Anderson presented Mrs Fisher with a posy of flowers, and a beautiful crystal bowl in memory of the occasion.

Among those .present were: Mr and Mrs D. M. Bourke, Mr and Mrs F. H. Anderson, Mr and Mrs Kelson Butler, Mr and Mrs A. M. Fisher, Mr and Mrssß. A. Waite, Mr and Mrs W. A. Fisher, Mr and Mrs H. D. Dallimore, Mrs A. W. G. Pearce. Misses Alison Anderson, .Shona Bourke, Noeline Fisher, Betty Ross, and Messrs T. Wallace, C. Fisher, I. Wallace and I. Ross.

A LARGE GATHERING CAMBRIDGE BOYS HONOURED Three Cambridge boys, Leading Aircraftman Roy Fisher, .Corporal Alex Holmes and Private Arthur Nicholl, were honoured by the Cambridge Patriotic Committee in the Council Chamber on Friday morning. The guests all represent well-known pioneering families of the district, and the relatives and friends present made the gathering the largest of its kind to be held in Cambridge. On behalf of the gathering and the district, Mr A. N. Macky and Mr R. Newcombe wished the boys Godspeed. They were presented with wallets by Mrs M. Wells, and suitably returned thanks. . Those present included Mesdames Edgar James, H. L. Nixon, R. Fisher (mother of Leading Aircraftman Fisher), S. Holmes (mother of Corporal A. Holmes), A. Holmes (wife), W. Nicholl (mother of Private Nicholl), A. J. Swayne, S. Lewis, H. Bear, H. E. Amyes, W. A. Fisher, A. J. S. Richardson, Duncan, W. N. Perry, J. W. Jeans, A. J. Law, W. Munroe, R. Newcombe, J. Holmes, N. Holmes 1 , E. E. Taylor, J. W. Garland, M. Calvert, W. Porteons, M. Wells, A. N. Macky, S. Haines, IT. D. Dallimore, F. T. Ray, J. W. Wakefield. F. H. Anderson, Campbell Wallace. Misses Myrtle Holmes, Ethel Swayne Lynsie Lewis, Alison Anderson, and Phyllis Garland.

SPINNING FOR SAILORS WAHAROA WOMAN'S FINE EFFORT Beautiful samples of thigh-length socks and pullovers knitted direct from fleece wool spun on a spin-ning-wheel were shown to a representative of the Matamata Record by Mrs D. R. Gunn, of Waharoa. These woollen comforts mentioned are being specially made under Mrs Gunn's direction for naval men in Britain and New Zealand from wool spun by herself. They are especially valued by those on minesweepers and similar small craft in the North Sea. as a protection against the bitter blasts which have made this stretch of water notorious. Extra strength and warmth are gained by so knitting these comforts direct from the fleece. As there is a great shortage of and great need for such woollen goods Mrs Gunn is, now that she has acquired a spinning-wheel, making this work almost her sole patriotic endeavour. The socks are 29 inches in length and are pulled on as an outer covering over the ordinary socks and trousers before the seamen's thigh boots are put on. The natural oil in the wool of both garments gives additional heat. It is interesting to note that the spinning-wheel, which was a present to Mrs Gunn on Mother's Day, is marked Latvia. It was brought to New Zealand in 1906 by a Latvian family who crossed Siberia on their way. Mrs Gunn has learned to spin the wool direct from the fleece, and for this purpose she is anxious to secure good woolly fleeces of long staple. It takes a pound and a half of this oily wool to make a pair of socks, and about three pounds for a pullover. The pullovers are made of marl wool, which is obtained by mixing one ply of white and one ply of black wool during the knitting. To obtain the marl, black fleeces are of course necessary. No dyeing or other treatment is given the wool, as this would destroy the essential yoke. Mrs ,Gunn is being ably .assisted by her daughter, Mrs C. Scatchard, and also by numerous Waharoa ladies, who are making up the yarn she spins from the wool into socks, pullovers, balaclavas and mittens. So far 14 pairs of socks, one pullover and a number of balaclavas and mittens have been made. Much assistance has been promised to Mrs Gunn by people who have heard of her special effort for the sailors. A 12-pound fleece was sent to her last week, and others have also obliged in this direction. A local farmer who was driving a mob of sheep past her home stopped and exchanged a black sheep

for another as she desired black wool. The assistance of the Matamata Returned Soldiers* Association has also been promised.