Woman’s World

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 January 1947, Page 7

Woman’s World

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Mrs. H. B. Francis, of Eltham, with her family, is the guest of her sister, Miss B. A. Matthews, Glasgow Street. Mrs. Alan R. Harper, Selwyn Street, has returned after a holiday in Rotorua and Auckland, where she was the guest of her mother, Mrs. Percy Thomson. Remuera. Miss Shirley Bell, Hamilton, who has been the guest of Mrs. Walton Curry, Central Avenue, while on holL day in Wanganui, left on Monday for a visit to Wellington before returning north. Miss Isobel Bari rum, Wanganui, Is spending a few davs’ holidav with her sister. Mrs. R. Tapp, of Okaiawa, prior to taking up a. teaching appointment at the Gonville School. Miss Elsie Bennett, who has been general secretary of the Auckland Y.W.C.A. for the last 11 years, was married last week to Mr. John T. Cumming, a structural engineer of Sydney. Mrs. Cumming will continue to hold her post in Auckland for the coming vear, during which her husband will remain in Auckland. Miss Elaine Newton. St. Leonard’s Street, St. John’s Hill, leaves to-dav for a visit to Christchurch and will attend the triennial conference of he New Zealand Federation of University Women which opens there tomorrow. The conference, which wilt be the first since the war, is to be held at Canterbury College. Woman as Purser on Danish Ship

It is not unusual in Denmark for a woman to hold the position of purser on a ship, says the cantain of the Danish shin Selandia, now in the port of Bluff. The last purser on this ship was Miss Eleanor Brothagen. She was only 21 when she took over the work, and before that she had been in an office. Miss Brothagen had handled all the agency and immigration matters, apart from her other duties, and the company was sorrv to lose her at the end of her first voyage, when she left to marry an English Army officer.

Gifts to Babiy of Former N.Z-er. A custom of many years’ standing in the town of Hamilton. Ohio, is that of showering gifts by the merchants of the towrn on the first baby born after midnight on New Year's Eve, and also on the mother. Denise Lee Fetrak, whose mother, a New Zealander, was formerly of Auckland, was born a few minutes after midnight. The gifts showered on the mother and babe included a crib mattress, a hand-made sweater set, a fivedollar groceiy or meat order, flowers, and two weeks of free family laundry service. Other gifts comprised an electric bottle warmer, a pair of baby shoes, a silver baby spoon with name engraved, a gown for the mother, a photograph of the baby, a corset for the mother, and a decorated cake. The father, Mr. Edward Petrak, met his wife while he was in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Auckland.

NZ. NURSES’ CHRISTIAN UNION CONFERENCE There were more than 90 delegates attended the conference of the New Zealand Nurses Christian Union, held at Napier during the week-end. Among those present were nine missionary nurses, some of whom had been in Japanese-occupied territory and who are on leave after as much as nine years* service instead of the customary five. They were Miss Elliot (India) and Miss Annie James (South China) who visited Wanganui for the recent Presbyterian General Assembly; Miss Cowles (Bengal). Miss McGregor (Central Asia), Miss Hicks (Sudan), Miss Priest (North China). Sister E. Smith (Maori Mission), Miss M. Williams (Solomon Islands). In a short address given to the delegates by Dean O. S. O. Gibson, h? expressed the hope that nursing would always be looked on as a vocation rather than a means of livelihood. Only if the profession remained Christian would it maintain its high standard, said the Dean, who pointed out that, the work of caring for the sick had been begun by the Christians. 14-YEAR-OTD GIRL IN YACHT CONTEST Likely to become a very proficient yachtswoman is a 14-year-old girl, Jean Mackay, of Tauranga, who was the only member of her sex to sail in the under-16 chamoionships at this year’s inter-nrovincial contests for Mellish and Tanner Cuds, for which yachts from all over New Zealand compete annually. These contests take place each year at the headquarters of the holder of the cuds, in this case Mt. Pleasant. Christchurch, where Graham Mander. of Christchurch. was the defende r of the title. Jean Mackay represented South Auckland.

Although Jean has been sailing for only two years, at the end of the- firsA year she competed in the under 16 classes at Auckland, putting up * creditable performance against 16 boys.

Asked whether she did not. capsize sometimes when yachting. Jean replied casually, “Naturally, but T just bring the boat, un myself and keep on sailing. To be a passable sailor it is good to capsize two or three times first.” All of whicn is a tribute not only to her skill, but to her presence o: mind and courage.