HITHER AND THITHER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 32, 7 February 1941, Page 2

HITHER AND THITHER

British Children in Australia. Miss Marie Ney, the New Zealand actress, who has been playing in Australia for some time, recently broadcast to the people in England who had children in Australia. In her talk she gave words of comfort to the parents and assured them that the children were not only enjoying freedom from war strain, but were discovering new beauty, a new outlook on things and an easy friendliness that would be an enriching experience all their lives. JFordell Women’s Institute.

The committee of the Fordell Women's Institute held its first meeting for 1941 on Tuesday, when Mrs. K. L. Bruce presided and welcomed members. The resignation of Mrs. R. A. Edwards from the position of honorary secretary, which she has held during the past year, was received with regret. A tribute was paid to her by the president. It was decided to forward a letter of appreciation to Mrs. Edwards, who has gone to Wanganui to reside. Mrs. A. Duncan kindly accepted the office of secretary until the anhual meeting. Arrangements were made for the February general meeting, which is to take the form of a garden party and is to take place at the home of Miss G. Henderson, Warrengate Road. An attractive programme was arranged. Oiled Covers for Sailors’ Gloves. A suggestion has been put forward by Captain A. V. H. Munro, of Wellington, that oiled covers be provided for the gloves and mittens used by seamen. Captain Munro based his recommendation on practical experience. He could remember how woollen gloves and mittens became soaked by spray or rain after about five minutes in heavy weather and how sometimes when they were thus saturated they would freeze. He considered the oiled covers were very necessary and pointed out that to overcome the bitter experience of wet gloves freezing, sailors, several years ago, had stout calico covers made, with tapes attached about the wrists, so that when worn they could be secured. These covers were dipped in linseed oil. The Wellington branch of the Navy League are making inquiries into the matter.

Warning to Japanese Women. A message from Japan states that bills have been posted in the factory districts urging women to avoid gaudy kimonos and dresses and conspicuous permanent waves. Leaflets were 'handed to women whose appearance I was considered not befitting to the J present national condition. An extract from the bill read: “In spite of the enduring pains and hardships of the 'officers and men at the front, there are women on the home front who do not realise we are at war and who are being blindly driven by vanity. Please reflect and look and act as a woman on the home front should." Strict measures are to be taken against women workers at offices and factories who are clad in too gaudy kimonos and have conspicuous permanent waves.

Long and Tiring Journey. Mrs. Oscar Garden, wife of the ■ well-known Tasman Airways pilot, who arrived in Auckland this week with her nine-months’ old daughter. Margaretta, had a long and tiring journey from Sweden. Beginning on December 29, the journey was made by steamer, railway, motor-car and aeroplane, and it was appropriate that Captain Garden should pilot the lAwarua over the last stage. From I Sweden Mrs. Garden crossed the Baltic to Riga and then went by train to Moscow, where she spent the Russian Christmas. A long rail journey to Baku on the Caspian Sea followed, and she then took a steamer to the Iranian coast. A 13-hour car trip, mostly by night. | from the coast to Teheran provided Mrs. Garden with the most unpleasant experiences of the entire journey. The route lay over rough roads, through desolate "country, and she said, in an interview, that she was terrified by the natives. From Teheran she travelled by train to the Persian Gulf, where she joined the Empire air route and completed her journed by air. Mrs. Garden, who is Swedish by birth, met her husband in Stockholm about two and a-half years ago wiien he was flying for British Airways. They were married in Sweden and subsequently went to England. When Captain Garden was appointed a Tasman Empire Airways pilot and left for New Zealand, she returned to Sweden, where their baby was born. War conditions necessitated her following a most unusual route to reach the Dominion. Captain and Mrs. Garden will make their home in Auckland-