Englishwoman's Review"
October 14th, 1882.

MARRIED WOMEN'S PROPERTY ACT.

A numerously attended public meeting was held on September 22nd, under the auspices of the Nottingham Branch of the Women's Suffrage Society, in the Lecture Hall of the Mechanics' Institute, Nottingham, to celebrate the passing of the Married Women's Property Act. Mrs. Cowen presided, and supporting her on the platform were Mr. Warren, Miss Blackburn and Mrs: Beddoe (Bristol), Mrs. Scatcherd (Leeds), Rev. S. A. Steinthal (Manchester), Mrs. Shearer and Miss C. A. Biggs (London), Mr. J. H. Levy, Miss Whittle (Liverpool), Dr. Waddilove, D.C.L., Rev. Jas. O. Bevan, Mr. Cowen, Mr. Woodall, M.P., Ald. Cropper (Nottingham). Amongst the audience were Don Arturo De Marcoartu, Tito Pagliardino, Mr. Mozley, of London, Mr. Wren, of London, Rev. C. Wellbeloved, of Mansfield, and Messrs. Dowson, Stanger, and Wright.

Mrs. COWEN, in opening, said the Married Women's Property Act, the passing of which they had met to celebrate and rejoice over, was one of the most important which had ever been placed on the British Statute Book. It put women in possession, legal possession of their own property, removing from them a great stigma. The meeting was also addressed by Mrs. Scatchered, Miss Blackburn, the Rev. S. A. Steinhal, Miss Biggs, Mr. Levy, Mrs. Shearer, Mr. Woodall, M.P., and Ald. Cropper.

THE MARRIED WOMEN'S PROPERTY COMMITTEE will present their final report to their friends at a meeting which will be held in London in the middle of November. Lord Coleridge has promised to preside. The meeting will probably be on Saturday, November 18th, but the date is not absolutely fixed.

WOMEN REGISTRARS OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS.

GREAT MARLOW.-An application was recently made to the Local Government Board by the Guardians of the Wycombe Union to sanction the appointment of Mrs. Russell, of Great Marlow, to the office of Registrar of Births and Deaths, vacant through the death of her husband. The Guardians had been memo

rialised by the ratepayers of the district to make the appointment, and were themselves unanimously in favour of it. Some correspondence has passed, the Registrar-General making several inquiries as to the ability of Mrs. Russell to perform the duties. At the Guardians' last meeting a letter from him was read, in which he sanctioned the appointment for twelve months.-Times, September 14th.

ABERYSTWITH.—The Registrar-General has intimated his approval of the appointment of Miss Evans, daughter of the late Mr. D. H. Evans, as Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Aberystwith district. The Registrar-General had at first declined to confirm her appointment, on the insufficient ground that there are out stations which have to be attended to in all weathers. Fortunately, the Board of Guardians persevered in their recommendation, and they have been successful in overcoming official prejudice.

SHEPPEY VESTRY BOARD.-The Daily News, October 3rd, says that when a proposal was made to amalgamate the parishes of Warden and Eastchurch, some curious revelations were made as to the manner in which public business is conducted in Warden. The last vestry meeting was held at the residence of an old lady of ninety-three, who took the chair. There were only two other persons present, and the aged "chairman" exercised the privilege of voting. We are disposed to honour this gallant old lady for her public spirit.

EDUCATION.

MANCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD.-On September 25th, Miss Becker drew attention to the fact that in the summary of evening classes to be held during the winter for pupil teachers, there were two classes for mathematics for the male ex-pupil teachers, and none for the female ex-pupil teachers. As a knowledge of mathematics was an admirable mental training it should be open to the young women as well as the young men. She concluded by moving that the School Managers' Committee be instructed to provide night classes in mathematics for the female ex-pupil teachers. The

Chairman explained that the special classes had been arranged in accordance with the syllabus of the Education Department, and mathematics were put in the list for boys, and arithmetic for girls; but the girls would not be shut out from the mathematics evening class. The motion was therefore withdrawn, but it appears that the fault lies with the Education Department for providing a course of instruction for the schoolmistresses inferior in quality to that provided for the

masters.

MANCHESTER MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.-The annual distribution of prizes and certificates took place on October 2nd. A noteworthy feature of the distribution was the presentation of certificates to the Misses Smith of the Lancashire and Cheshire Telephonic Exchange, who are the first two young ladies in the kingdom who have gained certificates in the City and Guilds of London Technological examinations.

LECTURES BY LADIES AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM.-A course of six lessons on Assyrian Antiquities will be given by Miss Margaret E. Harkness, at the British Museum, on October 11th, and five following Wednesdays, at 3 p.m. Fee for the course, 10s. 6d., payable to Mrs. Clarke. 31, Museum Street. The object of the lessons is to give an outline of Assyrian History, to explain the cuniform writing, to visit the Assyrian Galleries, and examine the principal monuments and sculptures.

A course of eight lessons in elementary Greek Art will be given by Miss J. E. Harrison, on October 18th, and seven following Wednesdays, at 3 p.m. The class, which will be limited to twelve, will meet in the Vase Room of the Museum. The fee for the course is one guinea, payable to Miss J. E. Harrison, 42, Powis Square W.

THE WESLEYANS of the West of England are waking up to the necessity, from a denominational point of view, of providing middle class education for girls. In providing for that of boys, and overlooking the wants of the other sex they seem to consider they have reversed the natural, or at any rate the proper process, because the girls should have the first attention, having

regard to the influence that woman has in the home. At a district meeting, representing Devon and a great part of Somerset, just held, a large committee representing that part of the district had the question under consideration. It was stated that they had two millions of worshippers in their chapels, but only about 4,000 boys and girls in boarding schools under Wesleyan influence. It was resolved that the establishment of a Wesleyan Methodist middle-class boarding and day school for girls, in the West of England, is desirable, and that such a school, founded on the principle of the Methodist Middle-class Schools Committee, be commenced as early as possible.—Inquirer, September 23rd.

MISCELLANEOUS.

CHURCH CONGRESS.-At the recent Church Congress held in Derby during the first week in October, Miss ELLICE HOPKINS addressed two meetings, one of clergymen, the other of women only, on the Degradation of Women. On the last day an interesting paper was read by Dr. THEODORE MAXWELL, on Medical Missions, in which he referred to the useful sphere that medical women might find in India where native women would rather die than be seen by men doctors.

PRINCESS CHRISTIAN AND THE AMBULANCE ASSOCIATIONS.-Induced by the interest excited by the Ambulance lectures, Princess Christian has completed a translation of Professor Esmarch's lectures on the same subject, published by Smith and Elder. In her preface Princess Christian observes, that "having personally attended the ladies' classes of the Windsor centre of the St. John's Ambulance Association, she had felt the want of a more detailed account of the work aimed at than was supplied by notes made at the time, and this want Professor Esmarch's lectures seemed to supply." After expressing the hope that her fellow-countrywomen reading this book "may be brought to see how each one in her immediate sphere may render effectual aid to a suffering fellow-creature," the translator concludes by observing that "the satisfaction of being able to render the aid needed to those in pain and of possibly being the means of saving a valued life, should

more than counterbalance the scruples which some might feel in entering on such a study."

NOXIOUS INSECTS.-Miss Ormerod, the entomologist to the Royal Agricultural Society, is preparing her annual report, and solicits information from farmers and other observers upon the habits of injurious insects, and methods found serviceable in checking their ravages.-Athenæum.

A YACHT RACE ON THE CLYDE.-It is a healthy sign that ladies are every year taking a more active part in out-door amusements requiring skill and vigour. The yacht race between the Shadow (20 tons), and the Elgiva, (16 tons), presented the remarkable feature that the competitors were ladies. The conditions of sailing and "manning" the yacht by ladies only, were on this occasion also to remain in force, but, owing to the heavy sea and strong wind which prevailed on Tuesday, it was decided that the ladies should steer and the paid hands work the sails. From start to finish the race occupied about four hours and a half; it was watched with considerable interest, the numerous yachts which accompanied the competing vessels proving that a yacht race sailed by ladies is not the least of Clyde novelties. Elgiva won by 11 seconds, besides saving her time allowance of 15 minutes.

GOLF.-The Autumn competition of the St. Andrew's Ladies' Golf Club took place on September 13th, and drew a large muster of competitors. The weather and green favoured low scoring. The game was the usual two rounds or 36 holes, and at the close of play the gold medal was tied for at 105 strokes by Miss Simson and Miss Boothby. On playing off the tie Miss Simson won the gold medal, and Miss Boothby the second medal. The silver cross, was also tied for at 107 strokes, by Miss Tait and Miss Inglis. On another round the former won. The next best scores were, Miss Hamilton and Miss Duff110, Mrs. Bethune 111

LADIES' SWIMMING MATCHES.-A competition for the championship of the Ladies' Swimming Club at Portsmouth took place at Southsea on August 12th. The distance was eighty-eight yards. Twelve competitors entered. The match resulted as follows: First, Miss