WOMEN'S CORNER.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15929, 16 June 1917, Page 2

WOMEN'S CORNER.

Matter for insertion in this column should be addressed to the Lady Editor and should be fully authenticated. Miss Inman (Fendalton) leaves today for a visit to Ashburton, where she will be the guest of Miss G. Jones. Sister E. White (Dunedin), who has been nursing at the front, since the beginning of the war. has returned invalided. She and her sister, Miss White, who went to Wellington to meet her, leave for Dunedin to-day. Miss Murray and Miss Dalton arrived from Lincoln yesterday, and are staying at Aberdare House. Mrs and Miss Gillbray (Domett), who have been in town for a few days, motored home yesterday. Miss Davison (St. Leonards) is tho guest of Mrs E. B. Davison (Hawthorne road). Mr and Mrs Salter (Barry's Bay) are in town, and are staying at th<> Clarendon. A very successful dance was held last night in the Alexandra Hall, in aid of the Lady Liverpool Fund, the committee being tho Misses Watlcins, Tisdall, Diamond, and Messrs Young, Duncan, and McClure. Mr and Mrs G. L. Rutherford, of Parnassus, North Canterbury, arrived in Wellington from Auckland on Tuesday, and are staying at the Midland Hotel. They intend leaving for Sydney shortly, Miss Kathleen Holmes, of Knocklynn, accompanying them. The Coronation Medal golf match referred to in a telegram from Palmerston North, in yesterday's "Press" is one of a series of matches played all over tho world in the last week of May every year, under the auspices of the English Ladies' Golf Union. The New Zealand matches are controlled by tho New Zealand Ladies' Golf Union, whose headquarters arc at Palmerston North. The competitors play on their own grounds, and the scores aro forwarded to the secretary of the union. Miss Helmore, the winner of the New Zealand match, a dauchter of Mr G. H. N. Helmore, of this city, is a young player of great promise.

At the Young Women's Christian Association, Latimer squaTo, on Thursday evening, the Rev, W. J. Williams, of Sumner, gave an interesting address to members and friends on the problems and difficulties in our Christian life, arising out of tho present world conflict, and our questioning of, God's providencc in relation to it. This was the first of two talks Mr Williams is giving on Thursday evenings.

Just new is the sorrowful time for mothers; for it is the single nnen in the main that have gone to tho war. Soon will come the sad time for the wives when the married men are called up, says A. T. Scanlan, writing in the Wellington "Evening Post". "In that hour (which ma v kind Providence delay) the fortitude of the soldier-hus-band, as well as that of his little family, will largely depend on the amount of mutual encouragement, support, and sympathy we women show each other. I have a young s'ster with three little ones; her husband, a tjpi-r-al English-New Zealander, was anxious to enlist at the outset of the war, but tho thought of his (then) gir'-wiff and her two babies checked his ardour. When his day oomes, the young wite will need all the practical sympathy her elder sisters can offer. ' The writer woes on to quote another correspondent as saying: "There » now j not a selfish woman in tho dominion. Yesterday afternoon a successful jumble sale took place at the Montreal street Hall in aid of the Methodist Church, under the management or Mr Carr and ladies of the church. A great number of jackets, hats, collars, pictures a few hoots, and other articles wero disposed of. The goods left oyer will probably go to some benevolent institution. Y.M.C.A. LADIES' AUXILIARY. The sale of work held yesterday by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A. was responsible for the usually subdued atmosphere of the Association's building- becoming one of animation. The quiet furnishings of the entrance hall had given place to the bright colour- : ing of fancy goods and produce stalls. The inducements to buy were many, and calculated to suit all tdstes. To misquote an old. saying, everything from a fowl ready for cooking to a cushion ready to sit upon was spread in array on the tables, while, for the hungry, afternoon tea was' obtainable in the "Cosy Corner." During the evening a concert programme was given by Miss L. Adams and Messrs M. W. Gillmore, F. Barker, and H. McLeod, for whom Miss Hopping acted as accompanist. The proceeds, about £80, will be devoted to renovating the building. The stall-lioldors -were: —Tea: Mesdames Goss, Jones, Overton, Tailor, and Miss Brownell. Needlework: Mesdames Carey, Field, and Salter. Produce: Mesdames Sandston. Royds, Bingham, and Boag. Sweets: Mesdames Wyatt, Bullock, and Murray. Flowers: Miss McMillan. A PRESENT FOR A BABY. Outside gifts of garments, it is difficult to know what present to give a baby. Here is ono gift that is very effective and useful, and not expensive, being made at home: —Get a plain woodon box with a hinged lid, and line it first with strong unbleached cotton, which must be stepped for some hours and then washed and ironed before being used. Now cover the cotton with preity chintz-patterned cretonne or print, securing it with upholstered nails. Cover tho inside of the lid in the samo way. Now paint the outside of the box blue or pink, according to the sex of tho baby, and when dry give two coats of enamel. The ton of the box lid should be padded and covered with the same chintz print, and a frill of the material gives a dainty finish. It- forms a kind of small ottoman, and being placed in the sitting-room, and the baby's clothing kept in it, it is always free from damp. THE LEGAL STATUS OF WOMEN. In an interesting lecture on "Tho Position of Women Under the Laws of New Zealand," before the Auckland Educational Association, Miss E. Melville dealt with the position of women as citizens and as propertyowners. In regard to the first aspect Miss Me.ville quoted from various Acts the clauses enabling women to vote at Parliamentary, municipal, and other local body elections, and, in all but the first-named to stand as candidates for election In the Legislative Council Act of 1914. providing for the Upper House being m future an elective "rr + , ,n H? d , of Dominat ive, it is pror h6 V nd so s£>on as women are e.igible for election as members of the Lower House they shall be eligible dor Tl t0 t7nper House -" UnahLrl i° n fc women are enabled to have direct representation by TX'rJT? mombers of Council or Jbducation, and nP -• Boards and SchoV^m^tJf quoted also from the Justus I rw i C - fc an t ihc Magistrate's; Court Act, showing that there is no bar in law to women occupying positions as justices and magistrates, but under the' law at present they are not eligible to serve on juries, nor as members of the I police force.

Turning to the position of -women as property-owners, ib was shown that under the laws of New Zealand women are capable of acquiring, holding, and disposing of land and property in the same way as men, and also of entering into contracts and suing imd being sued. "Women are also subject to all the provisions of the bankruptcy laws. The property of a woman dying intestate is subject to distribution in the same way as that of a man, and a woman may by will dispose of her separate property as she pleases. The speaker mentioned one provision of the law; -which affords special protection to a married -woman, in that she cannot be arrested and imprisoned for debt under a judgment summons. The judgment creditor's remedy is against her separate property and not against her personally. The special protection does not extend to a singlo woman, who is liable in the same way as a man. A LONDON SOLDIERS' BUFFET. J ■ Of the Countoss of Liincrick's celebrated Soldiers' Canteen at, London Bridge Str.tion, a correspondent of "The Press" writes: — I spent two or three hours at tire bulfet ou the occasion of my last visit-, and I must say 1 saw more good feeling, industry, common-sense, and genuine human sympathy shown at that small corner in a monstrous and busy train terminus than can often bo observed during a pilgrimage of the various shrines dedicated to war service. It occupies a semi-circular corner of one of the several shabby station buildings, and it is one of the few bright spots amid most murky and depressing' surroundings. Bright with flowers, • gay with the winking glitter of brightly polished brasses, coppers, nickel, china, it simply insists upon being seen by the most tired eyes. Flowers dock its beautifully white couuter that forms a sort of barricade between tho over-shift-ing khaki army and the ladies behind its defence, who seem to serve out a never-ending supply of muss of coffee and tea, slabs of bread and cako, and substantial sandwiches, that apparently are completely satisfactory to hungry men.

The afternoon flint I was there* was a busy one, and because much unnecessary prominence has been given to the social side of this enterprise I will forbear from stating how many ladies of title were giving their unobtrusive servico to the hundreds of soldiers/who were coming :m<J going with cheerful and hungry persistency. A draft had just arrived from a Northern city on route for ''somewhere in France," and there was an immense amount of activity displayed in the tea-Douring and cake-serving department. One soldier, who had obviously visited the station on more than one occasion, had tied to his kit-bag a large brown paper parcel, which after a great deal of struggling with strings and straps, he managed to detach. Ho placed it on the counter, and then lifted his voice above ,the general clamour. "Where is her ladyship?'' lie asked, and somebody behind the coffee urn said that she was busy telephoning. "Then IMI wait till she comes," he said, and at once buried his countenance in a big mug of tea. Presently "her ladyship' (otherwise. lLady Limerick) arrived, clad, like the other ladies serving in the buffet, in a.' huge overall of deep creamcolour linen that buttoned up to her neck, and had long sleeves to the wrist j ''Now then, who is it wants me?" she called out cheerily as she came on the scenc- "I do, your ladyship," called the loud-voiced Tommy, "and I brought you some oranges, and good luck to yer. May they taste as sweet in your mouth as this blessed drop of toa'docs in mine." And then there was ' a great scone of hand-shaking and general well wishing between the kindhearted lady in the overall and roughhanded Tommy, in his dirty khalci. It seemed to me a rather nice little incident, very simple and human, and, expressive of the spirit that is undoubtedly animating us all just now. SOLDIERS AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY. A story comes from Melbourne of a small girl whose mother consulted her about a party for her birthday, and said she mignt invite seventeen of her friends to celebrate the day. The lit-, tie one did not appear at all rapturous, and finally said she thought she would rather have soldiers instead, as her friends could have parties another time. This was a poser for the mother, but rather than damp such good feeling she said she would see wnat could be done. Then, with the help of the Y.M.C.A. she secured seventeen returned soldiers for the party. She felt rather anxious, but as she had a tennis court, a gramophone, and a good supply of cakes, etc., and cigarettes, she hoped for the _ best. When the men realised that it was "the kid's birthday party" they took charge. They visited the school near-by and commandeercd the presence of tho girls in her class after school, looted the stable next door of two Shetland ponies, and then the fun began. They made a real children's party of it, gave the girls rides on tho ponies, played "tag," and even took the loan of a doctor's car which was waiting near-by and gave the little ones rides up and down the street For that lively afternoon they owned tho 6trect, and as the last guest faded out of sight the mother of the "birthday girl" was heard to murmur, "Thank goodness there was enough to eat!" WOMEN CABLE CENSORS. Women will in future, says a Now York paper, wield the _ blue pencil which will largely determine what is to go into a largo proportion of the cable messages that may be sent from New York during tho war with Germany. Sixteen women, most of them young, lately became members of the censorship force operating in New York under Commander Arthur Bambridge Hoff, by taking the naval oath of allegiance to the United States. Censors are now stationed in every cable office in New York, and the censorship is under control of the Navy Department. One of the important requirements for membership on the Government's censorship forces is an ability to read and understand some languages other than English. A good deal of the work of censorship will consist of decoding foreign messages. Although few of the ■women applying appeared to be college or university graduates, most of them satisfied the requirements as far as language equipment was concerned. No applicant is accented for the censonrship forces unless a citizen of the United States. To make doubly 6Ure of direct government control the censors, both men and women, are enrolled in the Naval Reserve forces. Most of the women receive from £16 to £20 a month.

DRESS IDEAS. Wool yarns especially of the finer kinds, are priceless (says a London writer). l*he army commandeers all wool. How we are going to get any blue serge for costumes beats my imagination. The demand for it and the particular style of worsted yarn out of which it is woven i s stupendous. But one sees charming developments in gaberdine suitings and other materials v made of fine yarn and dyed into tender shades of shell pink. For coat frocks, which are the rage, and for dressy costumes, theso pal© light woollen stuffs would be invaluable and economical, too. You are supposed to wear the coat frock without an overcoat. Try it here on an east wind day, ! with the sun shining and the wind cutting you to the bone as you turn an I eastward corner. Half the ills from j which women suffer are caused by too thin covering. It is the effort to look slimmer than is safe. I see a future ' for these lovely pink woollen things. Combined with biscuit and finished with I a touch of brown marabout or ostrich trimming, you could wear nothing

mor© becoming. Tho two light shade* most in vogue at the moment are faint flesh pink and biscuit or pale sand colour. I eaw 3 pretty girl on Sunday last who wore a simple serge skirt, blue, I think, with a pale flesh-toned crepe de chine blouse. It was slightly open at the throat and yon could hardly determine where the throat and the collar of the blouse ended. This, I take it. is a happy accident of fashion. The same thing applies to the linings of ninon blouses. The flesh pink hardly shows against your arm or your neck, and is from this cause better than white linings. I always wear a camisolo of pink under a lace blouse, and it is made of substantial material, too. "MRS BRITLING, OF NEW YORK." "A New York woman, in the Britling Trail,' 1 is the title of an article in which a would-be worker describes herself trying a way "to -do her bit" for America at war, as Mr Wells's hero endeavoured to do for England. The lady discovered thirt as regards feminine war work her country's weakness was a lack of one central bureau where enquirers could be told where to go in order to discover their particular department. Desiring to do clerical work, she was sent to nursing divisions, or other departments, and driven from pillar to post generally. She would ask one particular official for details as to his or lier department, and would be answered most vaguely. It was as if they had all played General Post and were in other people's departments. "During one day," sho said, "I had been to six different buildings, and had telephoned a seventh; I had interviewed twelve different people on tho subject. And in tho end, I had no more definite information as to how to prepare to serve mv country in a clerical capacity, with adequate training, than I would have had staying quietly at homo in tho countrv. But I hnd'learncd something of tiie organisations in the city, and of the way in which women are enlisted —or rather not enlisted—for national service. Everybody admits that those at home should be as well organised, as well trained, as those in the army. But if each organisation has no knowledge of what the others are doing, and if even the different branches of the same organisation have no common information, how are women, and men, physically unfit for active service, to find out how to prepare now, when there is little actual need, to serve earnestly and efficiently whoa the call comes?" A SCOTCHWOMAN'S PARCEL. A Scotch woman tells the "Glasgow Weekly Herald" about the parcels she sends to her boy in France, and declares it is the sort of parcel that they appreciate. It is interesting to comSare hers with a New Zealand parcel. V r e do not get twopenny tins of milk, nor can things be bad in Scotland if they can bo purchased there, so ono thinks when reading over her list. •'The first items,'' she says, "always are: —A cake of good carbolic soap, two carriage candles (to light tho 'dugout'), two squares of souu, one small brown loaf (homemade) or~ a packet of oatcakes, one cake, varied as much as possible sometimes gingerbread, bultua, currant and spree, or Scotch bun, ajQ home-made; small tin of salmon, or sardines, or herringlets, or fish paste —never meat. Jam or honey carries well if packed in lib syrup or treacle tins. Wash tins, dry well, grease insides, and there's no fear of tin affecting the jam. Small jam tarts also carry if placed together and rolled in waxed paper; or rock buns —they fill up little odd corners. Also send either tea or oocoa or a tin of coffee and milk. If tea or cocoa is sent, just enough to make a good brew for one meal, and supply the sugar—brown if possible, as it won't 'run' all over the parcel. Milk can be bought in twopenny tins, so also send one. Sometimes I add •an orange or apple, or few raisins, or sweets, and on top > of parcel I always f>ut six sheets writing paper, six enveopes, a. few postcards a few cigarettes, and a postcard addressed to myself, so that all the recipient has to do is to say 'parcel received, well?' • At intervals I put in tooth paste—in tube —or the favourite shaving soap, or a needle with white thread and few trouser buttons." So far, she declares, not one parcel has gone a-missing. She is very careful in the packing. TO-DAY'S RECIPE. Russian Pie. —Line a large plate with rough pastry, and pinch round the edge to dccorate it. Have ready about lib of flaked cold fish (cooked), and put it on the pastrj. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, a little anchovy essence. Make a custard with one egg and a nint of milk, and pour half of it over the fish; stand the plate in the oven, and as tho custard sets add the remainder, and cook for about half an hour. AUSTRALIAN AND GERMAN WOMEN. (FROM OTTC OWN CORRESPONDENT•) SYDNEY, June G. There was a particularly lively meeting of the National Council of Women in Melbourne last week. This organis- j ation has certain international relations, | and the manner in which in future it shall conduct itself towards German women has been causing some perturbation. So a Mrs dpcncor moved: — "Hiat the National Council of Women of Victoria expresses its determination to hold no intercourse in future with any body of women or men gnd* women in "Germany or Austro-Hungary, unless those bodies have • shown their abhor- j rence of . the actions of their men."

The motion caused a storm. It was pdintod out that an "international council" dealt with all such matters, and that the meeting had no right to consider such a resolution. But this view was dissented from, and the chairwoman was induced to allow the discussion to proceed.

The supporters of the motion, wlio obviously hud the great majority of the meeting with them, referred at length to the sufferings of the French and Belgian women in the territory occupied by Germans. Germany was outside the pale of moral law; they might as well try to make friends with his Satanic Majesty, as forget and forgive Germany. Then a courageous woman, Miss Sara Lewis appeared for the defence. German women, she said, had no liberty. They did much good in their own way, and we had much to learn from them. (Dissent and disorder.) If they followed the golden rule — Theu pandemonium broke loose. The lady was invited to "Sit down!" "Stop talking rubbish!" etc., and there was continued uproar. Not to be silenced, Miss Lewis shouted: "If you consider those women have not our privileges, you will not send this motion out as an expression of Australian opinion." But the uproar grew and the chairwoman had to ask Miss Lewis to sit down. Then there was a long and bitter ■wrangle as to whether it was legal to discuss the motion. The chairwoman, after some hesitation, said earnestly "I really think I am out of order in allowing yon this discussion." But the discussion continued, climbing from bitterness to wrangle, and from wrangle to pure disorder. When calm was momentarily restored, opportunity was taken to adjourn ttie meet6 mo,iM k n ° t 3*