AROUND THE TEA TABLE

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 224, 22 September 1925, Page 17

AROUND THE TEA TABLE

MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

(By SHIRLEY.)

I do not know whether burglars as a rule are anti-feminist or not. Their views on that point have not been taken. One of the fraternity in Brisbane, however, would probably echo the old slogan: "Go home, and darn socks!" for owing to a hole in his sock he is now serving a term. He put one of these articles over his hand while engaged in his professional duties, but one finger slipped through an unmended. part, with deadly results as far. as finger prints were concerned. .

Anti-feminist, with perhaps less excuse, is our Education Department —anti- : feminist, but decidedly clever. I like 'the way in which it got many women to 'agree to its Child Care ideas, and then j changed the whole thing by arranging |that a man official, not a woman, should ibe guardian of some thousands of girls [on the State, or semi-detached from it, : working in private homes, their lives wholly arranged for them by that male guardian, who decides their holidays (if any), wages, social life, etc. Mr. McCarthy, a Christchurch magistrate, has pointed this out among other facts. However, the bill has practically escaped on to the Statute Book by this time, and we women must dree our weird, whatever thjit means (though I know we are continually doing it).

However, perhaps a downright denial is better than half-hearted attempts at satisfying us. Thus one remembers how a woman school inspector was asked for, and how the authorities mapped out for her an itinerary, which, according to one lady teacher, could have been covered perhaps in the time allotted by Tom Mix, seeing that he was not obliged to stop every now and then and do inspecting, but by no one else.

j Had the authorities really desired a woman inspector, they have judged by that rule lately formulated that light-haired blondes a"re best at travelling, while brunettes are most dependable when working hard in one place? Factory employers, again, are said to have found that blondes are no good at monotonous work in their factories, while brunettes do routine work well. However, all these man-made tests or deductions are somewhat illogical, like that deduction made by the judge a little time ago who stated that he had never had to try a bobbed-hair woman in the divorce-court. He forgot that at. that time the fashion had been only six months in vogue. He needed to give them more time. The bobbed hair divorcee has since duly arrived!

We have long been accustomed to the story of the sweet little honeymoon bride giving a too gaudy tie-to her husband, who wears it nobly rather than hurt iter tender little feelings. By the way, the men are breaking out in colour, and it will soon be the too quiet

grey or black necktie which such a wife will give and which the husband will selfsacrificingly wear. You can hear him iv the near future excusing his unmanly quiet grey necktie to Harry or Jim: "But the dear little woman would be hurt," etc. That is because Harry and Jim will be sporting scarlet with gold and green dots, or emerald striped with pink and magenta, ties of their own bachelor choosing. One can safely prophesy this, because coloured dress suits, gaily striped lounge suits, and brightly hued jewellery arc all coming in for men. So we must be prepared for the worst. * * * » • Woman's idea is to play little games with her powder puff or her handkerchief, and place these two useful articles anywhere except where they should be—in ; her vanity bag. The latest is the powder-box in the heel. You sit down, i touch a spring, and that part of the shoe falls open, revealing the useful face refresher. It is interesting to note, by the way, that a parasol has been sported of a material imitating leopard skin. Possibly it will be fashionable in Auckland to sport articles made from that animal of whose habits, appearance, and idiosyncrasies we now know more than was the case a week ago. The powder puff, of course, can be carried in a pocket, on the parasol, iv the sleeve, in the scarf; pockets, in fact, may be everywhere, except, of course, in the place where in the old, old days they used to be.

Niue hats were once very popular both in New Zealand and Australia, states, with/ becoming gravity, a science paper. It goes on to describe this form of headgear, made from pandanus leaves by the natives of Niue Island. There were only two styles, one broad and low, the other narrow-brimmed and high; they were as soft as Panamas, but did not stand as much wear. The science editor goes on to lament the present-day unpopularity of these' hats, but, after ali, it depends a good deal on how the word is pronounced. New hats are always fairly popular I notice.

! It was once common to tell young girls jwho had to go alone on long railway | journeys that if they dressed quietly and comported themselves sedately they ! would not be "annoyed" by what in those days were called dudes. It was rather a stern price to pay, but it is not j necessary nowadays when "sedate" I dressing anyway is rather impossible, and a staid stillness of-demeanour would appear in itself almost suspicious. Tho best way now, it seems, to advertise one's aloofness without too much discomfort is to have a serious magazine, such as the "Atlantic" or "Scribner's," as part of your train literature. A story states that one American girl tried this plan, but so as not to be bored by this highbrow literature she cut out tire reading matter, inserting within the cover her own favourite novelette. I wonder if a highbrow damsel who yet wants some adventurousness will reverse this idea, and enjoy her serious literature beneath a frivolous cover. Men. says the divulger of this dodge, judge women by what they read. Many a girl would not be "spoken to" in parks if there

were not a magazine of a certain brand on her lap. Lady detectives, it is said. usually Carry about with them mental "tripe" of this kind. It puts onlookers well off the scent; even a lady tec's features lose their sharpness and intellect when bent over "How Florrie Won the Curate."'