AROUND THE TEA TABLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1931, Page 12

AROUND THE TEA TABLE.

MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST. • . — (By SHIRLEY.) They were talking of how to economise, and as usual were very insistent on other people doing the economising. Mr. A., who had no connection with the drapery, put a hrilliant idea before Smith, who had. "What you ought to do is melt down those wax models in windows—don't you see? Give a few poor girls a chance. Why should wax do women out. of jobs, eh?" The other was not so sure on the subject, and they argued a little, until the rather deaf old lady further down the train (which had stopped) pricked up her ears. A flush of moral enthusiasm went over her otherwise kindly countenance, she moved nearer and piped up, "You're quite right. They ought to be done away with, these models, and the pictures outside shows too! I'm just glad to think men have taken up the subjects, demoralising I call it." • * • • Parliament Ladies' Gallery is a pleasant and comfortable resort for Wellington women of political leanings. Tickets of admission arc still necessary, and the front seats reserved for member's wives. Otherwise there is no formality. Some ladies knit, others take books, for in these days it is necessary to go'early. One lady behind me had her little girl with her, evidently her first visit. "Mum," she said, "do they keep the best speakers for the evening, and have the worst for the afternoons ?" Then—''What are those high chairs for? The children?" "Hush, dear, they only look high from here. These are for the reporters." Someone else was referring to the unemployed demonstration on the opening day of the session. "Oh, mum," quoth the little one, "what a pity something doesn't happen when we're here."

Wellington is famous not only for its Pa.rlia7iient Buildings, but for the far.t that you can't buy stamps anywhere except at poet offices. "I can assure you that is a fact," said a stationer to me, and the other well-known fact, that the chief post office is a twin to our own, did not console. I was cheered, however, by finding near one of the subsidiary post offices one,of the most sensible women I have met. I shall not repeat all the sensible things she said, because she would not like it, but one or two must get out. She was matron of the creche, or day nursery, and she said that the chief duty of a day nurse was to see that the little ones got on with each other. It wasn't particularly the idea that she should be always arranging some game or other. If they could arrange games for themselves, that .was all to the good. I always have a profound admiration for the nurse wh6 informs me that she gets tired of the children sometimes. There is something wrong with the adult who says that she is "never happy away from the dear children." A little while later, and you come in accidentally to find her rowing the dear children because they do nbt sufficiently appreciate her affection. In one creche there was an attendant who cried herself to sleep every night during-her first two months at the work. She wanted to leave because she "wasn't fond enough of the dear children." Then she discovered paradoxically that she was fond. <>f them when she kept herself froni being too much so.

Anyway, a children's day nursery is a pleasant sight. "Sometimes we get 13, sometimes more. .If the mother is in work, then she may leave, them here two days a week. We know that she is out of work, poor girl, when she does not bring them." This particular matron told of a woman who kept her maid, and yet" once asked to leave her little girl at the nursery for the day. "I know she will be so happy."

Just why New Zealanders are less enterprising, less individualistic and dashing than other nations was the subject of a recent debate in Auckland. Some mentioned the absence of foreign life, with its stimulus, and some fell back on education wants. One told the story of the visitor who had said that New Zealanders next to the Laplanders were the slowest people on earth.» Some indignation was aroused, and he asked permission to withdraw his statement. He had spoken too hastily, he said. He had made somewhat.of a mistake. The New Zealanders were not the second slowest race on earth; they, were the slowest! The gibe, however, leaves me cold. The idea that other nations arc rushing forward at a great rate while we are stodgy is due to our overmuch reading of the cables. Cables are a heady diet, and inclined to make us feel that other lands are achieving more than we do. One speaker at this debate advanced the opinion that we would have been better with a little convict strain in us, the Overmuch honest pioneer heredity leading to conservatism. I do riot see us, however, actually importing a few criminals.