Ladies Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1233, 19 May 1920, Page 7

Ladies Column.

r REVIVAL OF TORPEDO BOAT. , The British high-speed coastal mo-lor-boats, which recently carried out l a dashing exploit at Kronstadt, torpe- > doing two Bolshevik hattleships and j a destroyer, are constructed on novel I lines. The principal motive for building these boats was to enable a tor--1 pedo attack to be carried on in shoal, coastal waters. Launching the torpedo from a trough at the bow by means of a ram impulse gear, as was done in the early torpedo boats, did not conduce to safe and accurate practice, and launching from the stern would have necessitated turning for the attack to be made. Eventually it was determined to discharge the orpedo over the stern, tail first, while the boat advanced at high speed. The method of attacking was simple, and proved to be effective. When the enemy was sighted the coastal motor-boat headed for it at full speed, the torpedo being launched tail first over the stern by means of a launching ram, as soon as the target was in range. Immediate ■ ly after letting go the torpedo, ' the helm was thrown hard over and the boat turned off, the: torpedo racing past on the original course towards the tar-

gei. NEW FORM OF MOTOR-SCOOTER. "Why stand?" Such is the queiw that naturally occurs to one on first inspecting one of the recently invented motor-scooters. A new form of scooter, however, has now been placed upon the market. It can more correct ly be described as a miniature motorbicycle—the genuine light-weight, in fact. It has a pan seat, an open frame permitting a coat or mackintosh to be worn by the rider, petrol capacity to give it a range of action far , beyond that of the original toy scooters, and its road performances more nearly approach the light-weight motor-cycle, though obviously, in the absence of a change speed gear—whieh may or may not represent a possibility of the future —its hill-climbing or, alternatively, its speed capability, are limited by the gear ratio adopted. Owing to the small overall dimensions it is possible to ride the machine through narrow spaces in comfort at three miles per hour,, where it would be unsafe to pilot an ordinary motor-bicycle, and a great point in its favour is that it requires little effort to start while in the saddle, merely a single. push of the foot being necessary. CHEAPER DRESS MATERIALS. Is dress materials going to be cheaper? Frankly speaking, it is not. On the contrary, it will be dearer. A big firm showed .the writer a line of light-weight dress stuffs they were selling at 1/lJ a yard. "These are all being sold at that price," said the shopwalker, "because we make a rule never to carry over dress stuffs from one season to another. But exactly the same fabrics are coming forward to us at 1/6 and 1/9 a yard that is our wholesale cost by buying thousands of yards. The e cannot be sold for less than 2/- and '2/4 a yard." Other places all tell the same story. High wages, high freightages, persistent and scarcity of material r-eem to be the aftermath of war. it we could only strike against dress materials' for the Summer send all wear bathing costumes a panic

might be caused amongst the holders of dress stuffs; but a strike of that kind would be far too ruthless and revolutionary! All the same, to the person of moderate income, the dress firoblem is a serious and embarrassing one. i "JUMPERISMS." Why not have a checked collar and I deep border to your jumper? Or if , you have a stockinette frock of the jumper persuasion, add edgings of a ; checked nature. An old jersey that had seen good | days, but was of splendid wool and a gorgeous orange, was entirely transformed by the addition of a coloureu | border, collar, and cuffs in white! brushed wool, and new white Buttons.-j A sleeveless jumper is far cosier , I and pleasanter to wear under a coat I than the coats usually bought for that i purpose. j If you like a closer fit than the ma ! jority of patterns supply, knit the las! two stitches of your jumper at tintop of the back in a rib of knit one, ! i purl one. ! If yen cannot afford the very best , sort of jumper, then don't buy rub-! bish; you will always regret it. Either knit one for yourself or coax a friend into doing so. SPIDER WEB FROCKS. Radiant colours and the huge size ■ of the patterns displayed are features I of the voiles and lawns offered for , frocks and lingerie. The spider-web design is a favourite in grey or dark , blue upon white. The material is

•!0 inches wide and about four webs go to the width, each web being 10 inches across. The filaments of each web increase in size from a hairline to J-inch. Such fabrics would probably be used for frocks with an unpatterned silk, which would tone down its startling appearance. THE GIRL'S CLOTHES. Brace up, child. Don't go round mad as a wet hen and pouting as if you had your mouth full of green persimmons, just because your parents won't let you dres yourself like a lady in a circus or the star in a moving picture show. Your folks have a grain of common sense, even if you can't discern it. They were young once and know just how you feel, and you'll some day appreciate the attitude they are forced to take. Girls are like colts; they need a tight rein applied at critical times. But deep down in your heart you know they are right: You know a Georgette blouse isn't a fit thing.: to wear to school, and if truthful, you will admit that the high-heeled shoes % are not as comfortable as broad, low' ones. But you don't want to be different from the bunch, so you fight

your whole family to get your wish ' If you could only hear what the boys say about the leaders of the "bunch" you might decide to be more independent of them. Remember that the right kind 01 boys have the right kind of mothers, and those mothers aren't going to encourage these boys to bring girls like the one you are aping into the family. So dry your tears, and be your happy self in your pretty gingham dress, cotton hose, and sensible walking shoes. The day will soon come when you will be a woman, and will know how and where to wear Georgette frocks and silk stockings without looking conspicuous.