ENGLISH VISITOR

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 113, 6 February 1935, Page 5

ENGLISH VISITOR

Townswomen’s Guild Representative On a truly “busman’s holiday” in New Zealand is Miss Marjorie Harmer, Southampton, who, in the course of a world tour with her father, is the guest of her cousin, Dr. Eric Topham, Wanganui. “I thought I had left Townswomen’s Guilds behind me when I left England,” she informed a representative of “The Dominion,” “but I find you already have four guilds in the North Island, the first, I think, outside England.”

And then Miss Harmer, who has been on the head executive of the guilds in England practically since their inception some six years ago, told something of the scope of the work, and the influence of the members (all women) on the life of the communities where the guilds function. “We are carrying on the tradition of women’s movements, one of the pioneers of which was Florence Nightingale,” she said. “Our aim is to educate women in civics, and so fit them to play their part as citizens. We have all classes of women, rich and

poor, educated and uneducated, and we pay our lecturers, Always we put both sides of a question, and when the talk is over there is no question of a ‘guild decision’—we have merely provided food for thought on that question, be it on disarmament, birth control, housing or any other subject. So important is the guild movement already considered that the Carnegie Trust has donated several sums of money, and so have the National Council, of Social Service. Besides lectures, home and handcrafts and arts play their part in the movement.

“That studying civics i.s already bearing frujt is amply demonstrated in many parts of England,” Miss Harmer continued. “Away up at the top of Scotland is Thurso —hard hit of recent years through the decline of the fishing industry. The . flsherwomen there, in spite of hard times, raised £250, and assisted the Town-Council to build a special shelter for women and children visitors, in order to help tourist traffic. In another place,” Miss Harmer added, “the guild women considered some proposed housing plans unsuitable. They brought along bet-ter-plans, and the Town Council adopted them.

"There is also a magazine dealing with guild matters, edited by AmberReeves (Blanco White), and the head of the whole movement is that very distinguished woman, Mrs. Corbett Ashby, the only woman delegate to the League of Nations. Lady Cynthia Colville, Lady-iu-Waiting to'the Queen, is acting-president. “So you see,” she concluded, “I am very interested to find such a movement here, and already I have promised to visit four guilds at Palmerston North, Napier, Hastings and Dannevirke.”

Miss Harmer is also Southampton’s representative for the Society for Overseas Settlement for British Women, a member of the Victoria League and the Society of Friends. “I hope to come again to your beautiful country,” she said in farewell, “and I will most certainly have much to speak of at the guild meetings when I return.”

TESTED AND TASTY Eight Icing Recipes Almond Icing. Mix together half a pound of’ground almonds, four ounces each of sieved icing sugar and'eastor sugar, two egg yolks, and two or three drops of almond essence. Knead until a perfectly smooth mixture is formed, and then use. Butter Icing. Beat half a pound of fresh butter to a cream with a wooden spoon, gradually add a pound of sieved icing sugar, and stir in flavouring and colouring to taste. Chocolate Icing. Melt an ounce of solid chocolate in the top of a double saucepan, and then stir in half a teaspoonful of butter and three dessertspoonfuls of hot water. Allow to cool, flavour with vanilla essence, add sufficient sieved icing sugar to make of the right consistency for spreading, and beat well before using. Coffee Icing. Melt half a teaspoonful of butter in a tablespoonful of hot, strong coffee, cool slightly, and add sieved icing sugar till ready for spreading. Glace Icing. < Put a pound of sieved icing sugar and a few drops of lemon juice into a saucepan, and gradually add about four tablespoonfuls of cold water, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. When the icing is lukewarm and will coat the back of a spoon it is ready for use. Orange Icing. Mix together two tablespoonfuls of orange juice, a teaspoonfnl of lemon juice, and the grated rind of a large orange. Strain after 20 minutes, and then combine gradually with two beaten egg-yolks. Have ready some wellsieved icing sugar, and stir this into the liquid mixture until of the right consistency for spreading. Royal Icing. Put into a bowl a. pound of sieved icing sugar, a teaspoonfnl of lemon juice, and two egg whites. Beat together until the mixture is white. Add colouring, if required, and use for decorating as well as coating. If not used at once cover the bowl with a wet cloth. Transparent Icing. Put into a. saucepan a pound of lump sugar and half a pint of cold water, bring to the boil, and cook for rather more than five minutes, without stirring. Then beat with a wooden spoon until cool, pour over the cake, and leave to set.

Corsage Sprays or Orchids, Roses, Violets. Debutantes’ Posies.—Miss Murray, 3G Willis St. Phone 40-541.— Advt.