HOBBLE SKIRT'S SUCCESSOR.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14314, 27 March 1912, Page 9

HOBBLE SKIRT'S SUCCESSOR.

After the tight ekirt, Fashion threatens (says tho Paris correspondent of the".Daily Telegraph") to load her devotees to tho other extreme, and the dressmaking world in Paris is discuseing seriously the return to favour of tho panier dress, with its bnskctliko arrangement bunched about tho hips, as in the days of Louis XVI. Tho new nanior dress, to suit modern tastes, has had to bo modified. It is narrower round the hem, and is mado of supple, changeable tatfeta, instead of tho heavy brocade and silk and satin, as in forrnor (lavs. It is trimmed with lace artistically draped round tho bins, with the front of tha skirt free. The paniers nro looned back by nutans of bunches of artificial flowers, mado of satin. Tbo panier dresses will tnakrt their first bid for popularity ns evening dresses. •-All tho nouses in the Rtto do Iα Pai-s dcnlorp themselves in favour of the now style* Worth says he never considered tbo tight skirt anything but.ugly.

ADMIRAL EVANS AND HIS VALET. The l«to Admiral Evans, of the United States Navy, "Fighting Bob," as he was familiarly known, was ths hero of many "stories, and a Pare contoniDorary adds to tho number. In his early days days the admiml hod a much-valued valet, a Japanese, His .accomplishments were manifold, nnd be excelled as maitre d'hotel, Hβ bad no ofiual in tho way he announced "Dinner ie ready, sir. ' One day the Japanr cse valofc gave the admiral notice to leave, eaying he wished to go home. "Fighting Bob" was 6orry to-lose his servant, and filled his place with a Hindoo, and forgot all about tho Japanese. Years later the admiral founfT himself at ' Marseilles, ~ and as there was a Japaneso warship in port he paid a rieit to the vessel. He was received by the cantain. and after the inspection accepted hospitality in the cabin. Tho Japanese commander threw off his cap, and pioking up a placed it on his arm and eaid, in tho old - familiar tones, "Dinner is ready, Mr." "Kato!" was the astonished admiral's reply, for tho commander was Jus quondam- valet. -\ .

. WHAT AUSTRALIA PAYS UNDER LABOUR RULE. ' Speaking at a meeting of the Wo- . men's Liberal Association at Sydney . last week, Mr W. E. Johnsoa. M.H.R., paid tho oppressiveness of Labour government had beenfelt by every section of tho community, and its taxation ~ was the heaviest ever experienced in this rountry. This year the State taxation 'had been increased by over IQQ per rent. Taking the - average family of live persons—under tho provious Liberal Government the taxation was £2 15s per family. This year it js increased to .£o 15s. an increase or' £3 per family. In the first yeara of Federation iho Commonwealth taxn- • per family of five was £11 12s 6d. it is ■ £16 13s 4d, an increase of £5 Os lOd. The combined Commonwealth and Stato taxation per family or five to-day was the staggering total ot £22 8s id, and much of this taxation was quite unnecessary. Yet still more taxation was promised. AVJion people in highly prosperous times were complaining or the, financial, atrain upon their earnings, how much more will •they feel the atrain in the coming • timo of adversity? This took no account of municipal, shii'c , , and water pnd eewerage rates.