AROUND THE TEA TABLE

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 212, 8 September 1925, Page 17

AROUND THE TEA TABLE

MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

(.By SHIRLEY.)

So once again an attempt is being made to divert the McLean Institute, Christchureh, from its original purpose. A few years ago some busybodies wert indignant at old ladies therein having an easy time, instead of "making themselves useful to the matron," Le. being her unpaid servants. What a cold fury it rouses in some people, the idea of women. especially old women, having an easy time. No section of women are to be totally free from dust-pan and scrubbing brush all their lives, still less is any individual woman at any period of her life to be allowed quittance of these useful articles! If the Institute, now. were for old gentlemen! But that, of ; course is quite another matter.

A village clergyman of England has been so disturbed by torn letters, mostly love missives, in "his church grounds, that he has threatened to piece together the next he finds "no -matter how long it takes," he adds cheerfully, and paste it up on his church door. In which case he may find himself with a libel action on his hands. Letters wrongly pieced together may sometimes make awkward reading. Why does he not put up a "Keep your city (or rather your church) clean" rubbish box*

It took twelve years for Queen Victoria to venture on railway travelling. This fact was elicited during the recent centenary to celebrate that one-time novelty. It didn't take her anything like that time, however, to accept chloroform. In fact, she was one of the first women, of position anyway, to show personal faith in that anaesthetic. Feminine courage has its own rules, and moves in a mysterious way.

"Ought to be ashamed of herself. Disgusting swank! I call it immodest." No, it wasn't a wrap over skirt unwrapping itself, or any trifle of that sort. The girl who excited these remarks in a Melbourne bus did so only because she had a wealth of hair cascading down her back, rivetting all eyes toward it. Perhaps the fact that several of these observers rose to offer her a seat, when the bobbed and shingled stood, may have helped in the vote of censure that was passed. Have our beauty advisers, however, in spite of such anecdotes as this, really realised that the new coiffure fashion is fairly universal! If SO, why do they still advise us what hat to wear with this or that colour of halr ; as well as eyes. The latter may not be hidden behind horn-rimmed glasses, but certainly what with hats that pull' on and locks that have been pulled off, none of the coiffure is usually visible except indoors. These advisers, however, still live mentally in an ago when the headgear was pinned on to a smalt mountain of piled-up tresses, with which it had to suit itself more than with the features some space below.

Another new development possible is the idea of knickers for waitresses. An American restaurant keeper started this idea, merely to get that extra half-ounce of efficiency which that bright nation pursues so ardently. The girls, however, also "took up with the idea eagerly," which is less explicable. At one large London restaurant, the waitresses have also "gone into knickers," a jumper blouse, bright tie and jaunty cap, a little on one side, being also part of the outfit. In other cases a lace cap is worn, as if the head at least must be midVictorian. *

In order not to be too masculine this new feminine outfit must keep to quiet greys and browns. That, at least, is the conclusion to which one comes when reading of proposed changes in masculine costume. "A visit to the establishment of any leading London tailor, just now, is enough to give one severe eve-strain, so weird and wonderful are the cloths displayed for the adornment of gilded youth during the coming year;" so says one authority, and people are beginning to hear prognostications of men's dress, just as they do prophesying of earthquakes and signs of the last times and other portentous events. i

Is it possible, for instance, that a startled British public (and later our own meek imitative Dominion), will see men attired so baggily as to seem performers in a sack race, except that the sacks, or bags, will be puce, apricot, fawn, green, and other such shades'? Evening dress also, is to ba altered—russet red will be the favourite coat colour, and these are to be relieved by bows twice the present size and made of the most heavily stamped pique imaginable. The days when Mr. Jones will look well "in a quiet suit of pale blue with dainty white satin lapels," are evidently not very far off.

An Australian Labour Parliament has been discouraging the reading of newspapers in the House, and a sarcastic inquiry is made whether they will forbid ladies knitting in the gallery. A New Zealand woman who knits herself, says unexpectedly "so they should. The woman who can't go anywhere without making this click, click, is a great deal worse than she who brings out the silent cigarette." She states: "It is an undoubted fact that most men are irritated by a woman sewing or knitting during hours of relaxation. Their egoism probably resents the divided attention, and the very suggestion of industryinherent in woman—is a tacit reproach to man's sheer love of idleness and complete abandonment in relaxation." Personally, I must admit, I like to see a woman sitting still doing nothing. I know it is a most immoral idea that a woman should sit still merely for the sake of sitting still. If she is tired, we think ;-let her sleep," or else she may sit down in the morning for a cup of tea—that is the real reason whv women take morning tea—but to sit down and let her hands rest, that is not supposed to be done. But I like to see it.

Someone is asking why that ancient piece of sadness "East Lynne" is alwavs sure of a successful revival when others of the time, equally "appealing," would be staged in vain. Once again it has been put on somewhere in the "colonies" and with, box office success. Perhaps the TJZ ?J£ com P l « t e want of psychological truth. A similar instance at present is given by Diana and her Sheik, who since Miss Hull revived them in "a twenty years a f ter » have brought i. Ir' «Ll dy num «ouß letters asking whether "they are real people." Such is the illusory realism of two .very impossible people placed in an utterly impossible desert. Numerous girls, how. eV ? r .s w /" be P lease <* to hear that Diana at 42 -is as fresh as a. girl," this in a tropical country, and that her scoundrel husband is much shocked at finding that their son has behaved almost a 9 badly as lie did, and that he says, "Boy, I do not understand such conduct." That is the only psychologically true fact in the continuation, namelv, that the Sheik ii * hocked.