SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 2

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Mrs. C. Berry, Gonville, is visiting the Wairarapa. Mrs. G. Gilbert! is a Wanganui visitor to New Plymouth. Mrs. W. N. Willis, Campbell Street, has returned from New Plymouth. Mrs. M. Martin, Bell Street, has returned from Napier. Mrs. J. Palmer has returned to Wanganui from Auckland. Mrs. W. Curry, Gonville, left yesterday for a holiday in Tauranga. Miss Mavis Hillier has returned to Wanganui from New Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. F. Deeming, of Auckland, are the guests of Mrs. F. Beard, Carlton Avenue Mr. and Mrs. J. Jennings, who have been the guests of Mrs. J. H. Hill, Grey Street, left yesterday for Wellington. Mrs. W. Laird, Rata Street, is a visitor to the Wairarapa. Miss V. S?don and Miss H. McMillan are Wanganui visitors to Christchurch Mrs. S. R. McCallum is a Wanganui visitor to New Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. C. Meyer have returned to Wanganui from a holiday at Waitarere Beach. Mrs. F. Bates, Liverpool Street, has had her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Malony, of Ngaio, staying with her for the Christmas and New Year holidays. They returned to Wellington on Monday. Miss J. G. Willis, who has been awarded the M.B.E. in the New Year honours, has been Matron-in-Chief, New Zealand Army Nursing Service, since 1933. She served overseas throughout the 1914-18 war, first in Samoa and afterwards in Egypt, France, jand England. She was mentioned in dispatches in March, 1915, and in January, 1918, was awarded the Royal Red Cross. Returning to New Zealand in 1918 as sister in charge of a transport, Miss Willis was appointed matron, Featherston Military Hospital. After a period on the reserve she was, in 1929, reappointed to the active list as matron. She became principal matron, N.Z.A.N.S., in 1932, and matron-in-chief the following year. In 1935 she was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal. Miss Willis was seconded to the Army for full-time service in January, 1941, and has since continued to carry out the heavy administrative task involved in organising the Army Nursing Service within New Zealand and overseas.