THE SOCIAL WORLD

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1400, 22 February 1917, Page 30

THE SOCIAL WORLD

Announcements of engagements and contributions oi inteiest relating to weddings and social gatherings should be sent to Lady Editor, “Sporting' and Dramatic Review” Office, Auckland, in all cases the writer’s signature and address must be attached (.not for publication). Photographs of wedding groups will be reproduced by arrangement.

Mrs. Burns, wife of Mr. Robert Burns, Belgian Consul at Auckland, has been on a visit to Christchurch.

Justice and Mrs. Stringer, after being in Auckland for some time, are at present in the South Island.

Mrs. Savage, of Auckland, has been on a visit to Wellington.

Mrs. Fitchett, of Wellington, is on a health visit to Rotorua.

Miss Laura Walker, the talented young Auckland soprano, left by the Westralia last week for Melbourne, where she will take up a course of study at the Melba Consent atorium, as arranged by Madame Melba during her recent visit.

The diamond wedding of Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Perrin, of Newtown, was celebrated on February 8, when many of their friends met them at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Newtown. A presentat.on of a purse of sovereigns from members of the family was made.

It is not generally known that a slice of lemon put into the copper when boiling clothes will make them beautifully white.

Between a woman’s “yes and “no,” 1 would not verture to stick a pin.—Cervantes. * * * *

When sending choice flowers a long distance, cut some slits in raw potatoes and fix the stems firmly in, and the flowers will keep fresh from ten to fourteen days.

Sir E. Osborne-Gibbes and Lady Gibbes have returned to Wellington after spending a few months in the country.

• * * Miss Constance M. Graham, late of the Christchurch Technical College, has received an appointment on the West Coast as Director of Domestic Science at Greymouth and Hokitika. «*' * *

Archdeacon Gerard D’Arcy-Irvine, of Sydney, brother of Mrs. E. R. Vickerman, of Remuera, has been appointed vicar-general of the diocese of Sydney.

Canon and Mrs. Rupert Fairbrother, of Tamworth, New South Wales, ha\e returned to Australia after a holiday spent in the Wairarapa, where they were the guests of Mrs. P. J- Armstrong.

At the Methodist Church, Selwyn Street, Christchurch, on February 6, Miss Gladys iHamilton, of Opawa, was married to Quartermaster-Sergeant W. Havilah Down, of the Twenty-third Reinforcements.

A correspondent says that Miss Massey, daughter of the Prime Minister, intends to join the staff of the soldiers’ canteen at Codford, England, under the auspices of the New Zealand War Contingent Association.

“What a cheerful woman Mrs. Smiley is!” “Isn’t she? Why, do you know, that woman can have a good time thinking what a good time she would have if she were having it.

The Hon. Gilbert Carson, M.L.C., of Wanganui, has been spending a holiday in Auckland.

Mrs. Hodge, of Gisborne, was given a farewell tea by Mrs. Arthur Rees on her departure for Auckland.

Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Studholme, of Ruanui, have been on a visit to Auckland, staying at the Grand* Hotel.

Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, who is in Auckland at present, is recovering from his recent indisposition.

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Smith, of Parnell, celebrated their golden wedding on February 11 with a family gathering. They have resided in Auckland saice 1874.

The Rev. Dr. O’Callaghan, recently of the Thames, has been appointed locum tenens to St. Mary’s Parish, New Plymouth.

Mr. J. B. McKinney, late secretary of the Auckland Young Men’s Christian Association, arrived in Auckland last week with his wife and family after completing a year’s special work in Invercargill. Mr. McKinney intends to spend a year’s rest in the vicinity of Auckland.

The Misses de la Poer Beresford have returned to Auckland after a trip to Mount Egmont.

“I think tact is telling people the things they want to hear.”

Wounded soldiers in Christchurch were recently entertained at “Elmwood” by Their Excellencies, the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool.

The Victoria League Red Cross shop in Auckland is in full swing again after the holidt ys, Friday and Saturday being “shop” days.

Mrs B. Couper, of Cambridge, has returned home after a lengthy holiday at Milford and Auckland.

A number of ladies in Wellington under Mrs J. Gibbons, are organising a sale of surprise bags, which is to take place on March 2nd. It is hoped by the sale of these bags at Is each to raise £lOOO. This money is to be devoted to the care of convalescent New Zealand soldiers in England.

The engagement is announced in the Christchurch “Star” of M‘ss Nancy Templeton, only daughter of Mr. D. H. Young, of Cumberland, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to Lieutenant Eric A. H. Whitcombe, R.F.A., son of Mr. G. H. Whitcombe and Mrs. Whitcombe, Christchurch.

The mariage took place quietly in Wellington on February 14 of Miss Mina Arndt, second daughter of Mrs. Arndt, of Oriental Bay, Wellington, to Mr. Lionel Manoy, of Motueka. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Van Staveren at the house of the bride’s sister, Mrs. P. Nathan.

At the meeting of the General Medical Council at Home recently, Sir Donald Mac Alister gave high praise to the admirable services rendered by women doctors, both at home and abroad. They had, he said, abundantly justified their admission to the register, and it was plain that they would take an increasing share in professional life and work.

Southern papers announce the engagement of Miss E. Jean Nicholas, youngest daughter of Mrs. J. Nicholas, of Thorndon, to Lieut. Nairn Le Petit, 22nd Reinforcement, son of Mr. G. Le Petit, Manurewa; also of Miss Mary McLellan, eldest daughter of Mr. James McLellan, of Wellington, to Private James Orr, 22nd Reinforcement, only son of Mr. Orr, of Martinborough, Wairarapa.

Miss N. Devenish-Meares, of Christchurch, who is at present in England, has arranged to help at the canteen at Brockenhurst, which has been started under the auspices of the New Zealand War Contingent Association. Miss Devenish-Meares spent Christmas with relatives in Surrey.

A Reuter correspondent who paid a Christmas visit to the New ers on the- western front describes how they entertained the village children. They provided a Santa Claus, who distributed toys. Erery child wore a gas mask, the little ores having been taught in school the necessity to thus protect themselves in the danger zones, just as they are taught spelling and arithmetic.

An appeal has been received by the Auckland branch of the Red Cross Society from Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Parkes, officer commanding No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital in England, for supplies of home-made jams and honey, for wounded and convalescent New Zealand soldiers in hospital in England. Intending donors are asked to leave their contributions at the Red Cross Depot in Queen Street.

The wedding took place at St John’s Church, Dannevirke, recently, of Mr. Norman Inder, of Piri Piri, eldest son of Mr. S. Inder, postmaster, of Palmerston North, to Miss Myrtle Herbert, fourth daughter of Mrs. Charles Herbert, Dannevirke. The bride, who was given away by her brother, Mr. Alfred Herbert, was attended by her youngest sister, Miss Ivy Herbert, as

bridesmaid. Mr. E. Inder, brother of the bridegroom, a returned soldier, acted as best man. The bridegroom, who enlisted some time ago, but was turned down, has now been accepted for active service, and proceeds to camp next month. He is the third of a family of three sons to go on active service—two having returned.

A garden party was held in the grounds of the Boys’ Training Farm at Stoke, Nelson, in aid of the Red Cross Funds. Mrs. Lock, mayoress of Nelson, in the course of her opening speech, said that during the past two years the Nelson district had forwarded to headquarters the sum of £13,500, and they had every reason to feel proud of their efforts.

Here is a story from Frank Harris’ new book on Oscar Wilde. One day he presented Oscar to a French literary woman who wanted to meet him. She was so ugly that when Wilde looked at her the impression she made was evident. She smiled rougishly, and shaking her finger she exclaimed in French, “Now confess. Monsieur Wilde, I am the ugliest woman in France.” Bowing gallantly and smiling amiably, Oscar replied, “In all the world, madame.”

The marriage was solemnised at the Cathedral, Nelson, last month of Mr. John Clunies Ross, formerly of the mounted machine-gun section of the Canterbury Battalion, main body, Expeditionary Force, and Miss Ena Rowe, younger daughter of the late William Eddy Rowe and Mrs. Rowe, of Nelson. Archdeacon Kempthorne and Dean Weeks performed the ceremony. Miss M. Rowe and Miss E. Clunies-Ross were bridesmaids, Sergeant Jackson was best man, and Mr. G. F. Fox, a returned soldier, was groomsman.

Breathing exercises practised regularly are splendid for increasing the chest measurement and filling out hollows in the neck. They should be gone through first thing in the morning upon rising, and as near as possible to an open window', so that you can inhale pure fresh air into the lungs. Inhale through the nostrils and exhale through the mouth. After you have gone through your breathing exercises take a glass of w'arm milk instead of the usual early morning tea.

Many virtues were once ascribed to the emerald. When worn it was held to be a preservative against epilepsy and other ailments. It was also valued as a charm against evil spirits; while taken internally it was claimed to have great medicinal value. This is what UPliny remarks about it: “There is not a gem or precious stone that so fully possesseth the eye, and yet never contenteth it with satiety. Nay, if the sight has been wearied and dimmed by intensive poring upo?i anything else, the beholding of this stone doth refresh and restore it again.” • • « * “And the English women, what do you think of them?” asked a “Daily Mail” representative of one of the French women munition workers after a holiday of s'ght-seeing in England. “Ah!” said she, “your women seem to have taken on the old vivacity that we used to have before the war. Our women have become serious, thoughtful, grave. They are in every sense w r ar women. But yours—well, London in the West End of a morning or in the afternoon is to us an amusing sight. There is a rush for pleasure that does not seem, somehow', right. How rich some of your women must be! what furs they wear—especially the young ones —and how they stream out of the theatres to the tea shops! They seem to be having a very good time indeed. Most of our women are working, either for the wax - or for their children or their homes and businesses. But there seems to be tens of thousands in London who live for nothing but to have a good time. It is very strange.”

It is gossip that makes the world go round. —Edgxr Rawlings.

Mr. N. R. Mackintosh, New Zealand manager of the Sun iFre Office, was married to Miss Rena Dillon Bell, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Dillon Bell, in Wellington, on Wednesday, February 13. Mr. and Mrs. Macintosh left by motor for Featherston, where the bridegroom is in training for the front. After the ceremony a reception w<a,s held at the residence of the bride’s uncle, Sir Francis Dillon Bell.

Talk about energy! says “Clio” in Melbourne “Punch.” A charming hostess, whose three sons are at the front, recently entertained at d'nner a military officer who was on the point of returning to duty in France. Just as he was leaving she casually inquired if there was anything he required for his kit. “No,” he said, “thank you; I’m fixed up all r ght, but if you happen to have 500 pairs of socks about you I’d like ’em to take back to the boys.” He was sailing i njust one week, and next morning the telephone of the hostess nearly broke its receiver in the frantic effort to be connected with every kind of sewing-bee that knitted socks. But on the morning that the officer sailed she put the last nail in the case that held 552 pairs of socks, and an orderly took it away in a taxi.

London “Opinion” tells us the following: A distinguished personage recently paid a visit to a certain munition factory, where nothing but shells are made. They are big shells, too, and they are made, from beginning to end, by girls, under expert male supervision . The visitor, looking about him, was struck by the number of pretty g’rls he saw working. “By jove!” he said, “but you have some fine-looking girls here!” “Haven’t we?” responded his guide. “And where do you suppose a lot of them came from? Out of a revue chorus!” Then he explained that a certain revue boasting an exceptionally attractive chorus visited the town where this factory is located. Some of the revue girls chummed up with the munition makers, and learned from them how exceedingly well paid they were and how interesting they found their work. The result was that a couple of mornings afterwards practically the whole of the revue came round and asked for jobs. As they were mostly big, strong girls, and fit as 'fiddles through dancing, they were exactly the kind of help that was wanted and were taken on forthwith. Hence the particularly large percentage of beauty in that particular factory.

“Hospitality,” said Disraeli, “is a lost art with the English, if they ever had it. They entertain, but most of it is done by experts hired for the purpose. It all depends on them whether the time passes without boring one.” Very few would like to own the truth of this cynical remark, which was undoubtedly correct at the time it was uttered. Those were the days when great singers, conjurers, dancers, coster exponents, and “lion comiques” were paid huge sums to appear at afternoon parties, and when dinners were over. Even Royalty summoned the cleverest mimics to amuse them, and, as we know, presented scarfpins and lockets to those who appeared before them. What we have come to term “side-shows” played a considerable part not so long ago in entertaining, and a restless gathering would become discontented if there were not enough to fill up an afternoon. Guests were not satisfied' that sufficient was being done for them unless they could flutter from the fortune-teller to the “Little Horses,” thence to the dancers, the

concert room, to the croquet lawns and tennis court, to the refreshment tent, where they remained for the longest time. But when work commenced in 1914, this came to an end. A little of it remains, but it is used only for the purpose of ra-’sing funds for the Red Cross or kindred works of mercy; and the attractions that were amusements in the past are now utilised for the purpose of helping our invalided soldiers and sailors. —Queen Bee in the “Australasian.”

After taking measurements of the height of women in France Eng'and and Amer ca a doctor announces tha'

the English woman is the tallest and the Amer’can comes next The average height of the Frenchwoman is five feet one inch. The American woman is nearly two inches taller and the women of Great Britain onehalf inch taller than the latter. American women are heaver, their average weight being about 117 pounds.

Men are colour blind oftener than women, the ratio being about eight men to two women. Why this is so no one has ever been able to ascertain. The cur'ous fact has been ascertained by a scientist that while colourb’ind men married to normal s’ghted women will have no colour-blind children. yet the daughter of a colourblind father, married to a normalsighted man, will have colour-blind children.