OVERSEAS NOTES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 169, 12 April 1930, Page 23

OVERSEAS NOTES

Mrs. Dawes, tne wife of the American Ambassador, has introduced a new note in London entertaining. Instead of the long buffet, manned by tall footmen, which usually reaches the length of the dining-room—and sometimes the breadth as well—at afternoon receptions, this charming, American hostess has a number of tables, two or three in each room, each covered with a white lace afternoon tea cloth and presided over by the wife of one of the officials of the Embassy. In fact, the wives of the various officials act as daughters of the house,, and those not busily engaged in “pouring out” move about amongst the guests, introducing them and seeing that everyone is looked after. This gives to the entertainment at once a pleasant personal touch which is too often altogether lacking when the guests merely shake hands with their hostess on entering and after a few brief conversations with any friends they may come across, make their way to the buffet, ordering something to drink and help themselves to eatables and, when finished, make their way out. Visitors to the Duchess of York at her Piccadilly home in London often wonder why there is such a delicious aroma —- almost of fruit and flowers blended—in her rooms. The same perfume can be detected in Lady Strathmore’s house at St. Paul’s, Waldenbury, and at Glamis Castle. One would think it came from the huge bowls of pot pdurri which both the Duchess and her mother have about the rooms, but although these contribute to the general effect, the more pungent aroma comes from what look like prickly brown balls, packed into flat bowls. They are really small oranges which have been “cloved.” The ordinary cloves used in cookery are pushed into the oranges while they are very soft—gently, so that too much juice does not escape—and hardly any yellow surface can be seen when they are .finished. They give the most delicious scent to a room.

A national movement for sensible dress was inaugurated at Liverpool recently, the chairman aiid founder being Mrs. Bessie Harris. There were 500 enthusiastic supporters. In an address, Dr. Harrison Clarke, deputy-chairman of the society, declared that long skirts were a menace to health and that women’s present dress was as near the ideal as possible. Women in Finland have always taken part in progressive movements and for some years now their women have been formed into Marthas’ Associations. These associations take the place of " country women’s associations and women’s institutes in other countries, and at the Rural Conference held in London last year Fru. R. Borgstrom was the representative of the Marthas’ Associations of Finland.

German engineers are examining the possibilities of a scheme for draining the southern part of the North Sea and joining together, by an area of new territory about 115,000 square miles in extent, England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Denmark. It is predicted that minerals will be found in abundance, especially edal, beneath the reclaimed area, and that there might even be oil fields, while the wealth to be found in sunken ships -would be enormous.

Bouquets of distinction for the bride and her maids, in exclusive colouring and style to suit frocks. Miss Murray. 36 Willis Street—Advt