GOSSIP FROM LONDON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22533, 15 October 1938, Page 22

GOSSIP FROM LONDON

♦ EXHIBITION OF GERMAN ART ATTRACTIVE FLOWER GARDENS CASES OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN

Ctboh oub owv correspondent.) LONDON, September 5. The Victoria Tower Gardens, just beyond the House of Lords, have never been more popular than they are just now, particularly with people who have a liking- for /gladioli. There are 12,000 splendid blooms in flower, arranged in. groups of 120 lovely varies ties, each group duly named. The corms were a gift from a well-known East Anglian bulb specialist firm. The colours are more varied than ever, for each season seems to produce new varieties. One of the most effective of the groups and one that attracts immediate attention is called "Margaret Peters." The blooms are not unduly large. The flower is white, with a large centre of deep, ruddy-m-own, soft as velvet. Each spray of a dozen blooms, rich and graceful, is more like a spray of orchids than any variety previously seen. Appealing on account of its majestic size and purity, is the white /'Star of Bethlehem,"' with slightly purple-brown..-stamen. "The Duchess of York" is a compact puce with creamy centre, rjch and soft. The "Frilled Champion" is a giant in size of flower, and one of the most showy of colours, being a vivid scarlet flame. Mauves, dark and light, contrast well with the pinks, which range from rose to coral; while, what is called "blue" is a white with a faint tinge of lavender hue.

Planted on a Roof Another London garden that continues to draw the paying multitudes is the one on the roof of a Kensington store. Since it was opened in May by the Earl of Athlone, it has been a magnet for charity, as well as a rendezvous for pleasure. Already £SOOO has been obtained for hospitals and for the Queen's Institute of Nurses, the charge being one shilling a person. Each morning at 9.30 a.m., some per son of distinction has the pleasurable privilege of declaring open this one and a quarter acre above a high building, with its setting pi every type of garden, equipped with every detail that makes it characteristic. The small charge is just sufficient to prevent overcrowding. The large sun pavilion in the garden is a delightful centre for refreshment, and is a fine vantage point for the appreciation of the cleverly-planned immediate surroundings. Child Psychology Lecturer

A comprehensive .programme of refresher lectures for London County Council teachers has been prepared by the Council's Education Committee for the 1938-39 session. A lecturer whose appearance is being anticipated with unusual interest is Dr. Anna Freud, daughter of Professor Sigmund Freud, pioneer of psycho-analysis, who is now living in London. , Dr. Anna Freud will give three lectures on child psychology. These addresses have boon designed to enable teachers to keep in touch with the latest developments of knowledge in a great variety of sub- . jects. Research Bureau Suggested Cruelty to children has been so. much in the news lately that people think this vice must be increasing. But an official says no; it merely is because more cases are receiving publicity. "We need badly to establish a research bureau which would investigate the whole field scientifically," he said. "Even more badly do we need special homes for parents who practise these cruelties. Most of .them are abnormal and need treatment. Meantime, our

job is to save the children and keep them from growing up into brutes like their parents. There is often a hope of regenerating the family if we know in time." A recent inquiry by the society showed that in most cases the cause was quarrelling between the parents. In more than a quarter of the cases the father was unemployed, and in one-sixth one of the parents was under the influence of drink. "Cruelty to children is not confined to any one class," declared the official. "Cases have come to us from very rich, families." There is no standard that can be fixed by the .society for the home in which children can be secure from Ul-treatment. A child can be utterly wretched surrounded by expensive toys, servants, and luxury. The most important factor is family harmony. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children during July dealt with 3983 cases of neglect and cruelty, affecting the welfare of 9598 children Ambulances in London . _. . i The London County Council-has a service which jteople take much for granted. But they always stop and gaze when the white ambulance draws up at the roadside to deal with illness or accident. Figures state that last year this ambulance service carried 370,000 persons. The ambulances travelled 2,000,000 miles on these, errands of mercy. The London County Council, has 173 ambulances on London's streets, and 20 of them are large enough to - carry six recumbent passengers at a time." It is not long since Londoners hurt in the streets were trundled to hospital on barrows, carts, or litters wheeled by the police. This service is referredto by a well-known writer, as "Our London Cinderella." the work of which is taken for granted. From an office in the County Hall, every ambulance at 22 stations' is kept under survey by a network of coloured lights. It takes only five or ! six minutes from the time the call is received to the arrival of the. ambulance at the required spot, staffed by trained men. Sometimes there are 1000 calls to be attended to in one day. German Art in London . Banned: in Munich at the express command of Herr Hitler, Mr Augustus John opened in London the Exhibition of Degenerate German Art of ; the Twentieth Century. It was staged here as a protest, and it has been open ifiX eight weeks. Never before has an exhibition of foreign art achieved so much popularity. From the wealthy collector to the "man-in-the-street," crowds have flocked to the galleries. Part of the collection is now to be transferred to Leeds, and subsequently the whole exhibition will be taken to Brussels. About 17,000 persons visited the New Burlington Galleries, and though most of the pictures were on loan, 30 of those for sale were disposed of. Sir Thomas Barlow bought a drawing by Ernest Barlach for the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, and Mr George Eumorfopoulos acquired one of Emil Nolde's pictures.

Efforts to secure Max Liebermann's portrait of Einstein have so far brought in £275, which is £75 short of the purchase price. It is still hoped that the remainder of the money will be obtained before the picture leaves England. The subscribers hope to acquire it either for London University or the Science Museum. An effort is also being made to secure a selfportrait by Lovis Corinth for presentation to the Tate Gallery. New Coloured Telephones A new design of "streamlined" hand micro-telephone is to be issued. In the base is a sliding drawer containing a pad for making notes, and a transparent holder to carry a list of telephone numbers or the "dialling codes" used on some automatic exchanges. Above is a brightly polished stainless steel flap, which can be used as a make-up mirror. Five coloured telephones of this type have been installed in Buckingham Palace. Beer at Launching^

Sir William Wayland, M.P. for Canterbury, the centre of the Kent hopgrowing area, has written to F. T. Eyerard and Sons, of Greenhithe, owners of one of the largest British coastal fleets, asking them if they will use beer instead of the usual wine at the launching of their next steamer. Mr William Everard has replied that they will certainly use Kentish beer at their .next launching. The Kent hop yield this year is expected to be good. For the hop harvest, brewers will pay more than £2.000,000 to the growers. The 100.000 pickers, transported to the hop-grow-ing centres of Kent, by special trains, will have a fortnight in the open air and some families should return with from £lO to £ls in pocket.