HELP FOR WOMEN IN DROUGHT AREA

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32016, 17 June 1969, Page 2

HELP FOR WOMEN IN DROUGHT AREA

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, June 13. Women in the drought stricken area of Bihar, in India, were confined to their homes because they had no money to buy clothes, Mrs F. A. Muller, said in Timaru recently. Mrs Muller became involved in a project to raise money and materials to provide 6000 saris for the destitute women of Bihar, during the three years that her husband was on the staff of the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. A feature of life in the dip-

lomatic service in New Delhi was the plentiful supply of servants and, with 88 embassies in New Delhi, the social life was part of the working day. Freed from household chores, the European embassy women spent much of their time in welfare work, associated with the Delhi Commonwealth Women’s Association, Mrs Muller said. They were chiefly concerned with raising money for a leper village, a hostel for working girls and the Young Women’s Christian Association. The Europeans ate buffalo and goat meat—“monotonous and unpalatable”—but the accompanying Indian curries were delicious, she said. Mrs Muller lived in a mixed English and Indian colony, and her three children attended an international school which followed the British curriculum. Efforts were being made to break down the caste system in India, but the fact that the untouchables were now called

Hanans had made little difference to their status. Mrs Muller considers that no tourist passing through India should fail to see the Taj Mahal. She has made the trip 26 times.

Each month at full moon, tourists were permitted to see the monument at night when it took on a blue tinge, and gave the appearance of being ethereal. By day, the ' Taj Mahal was stark white, but at sunrise it changed again into a delicate pink. Mrs Muller and her husband are staying with Mr Muller’s mother at Pleasant Point, Where Mr Muller spent his eartier years. Shortly, they will leave for diplomatic work in the Netherlands.

APPLE TOPPING.—There will be no more complaints about dull stewed apples if you top them with coconut crumble. Blend 2oz butter with loz brown sugar, 1 tablespoon syrup and 4oz dessicated coconut; spread over the apples and brown quickly under the grill.