LADY PLUNKET'S IMPRESSIONS PHILANTHROPIC WORK.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 50, 27 August 1904, Page 5

LADY PLUNKET'S IMPRESSIONS PHILANTHROPIC WORK.

LAX PARENTAL CONTROL.— LESS FILIAL REVERENCE. In a chat with a lady member of the staff of tho Otago Daily Times, Lady Plunket gives her impressions of New Zealand life and conditions. Tho principal point which Hor Ladyship duals with is philanthropic work, which is hor privato enthusiasm, though slio sees clearly tlmt there is less scope for charities in this comparatively prosperous community than in the oiowded older counUkf/. Then sho makes two points in respect of tho modem girl and her mother, viz. : that the young gkl of 14 or 16 years gets too much outdoor fieedom, and that the attitude of the modern girl to her mother *nid those older than heihelf bhows lack of deference. YVhether this is c.uifae and ellect, neither interviewer nor interviewed appear to have touched on. In proiulory temarks, Her Ladyship states that Wellington struck her 011 iu-rival us "very pietty," but it was "surprising to see so many wooden houses." But the earthquake would show you a. conclusive reason ior that? "Yes ; it left no room to doubt the wisdom, at any rate. We like Wellington very much, oivly one thing impresses mo unfavourably. Of course 1 know that colonial girls possess a freedom that those at Home do not have, but it does beem to me a pity tha-b one hhoukl sec troops of young girls — girls of 14 or 15 — parading the streets, apparently released from puiental control. And how expensively they do dross I" Mothers havo not as much control ovor their daughters, apparently, as they once had, remarked the interviewer. "Mothors' Unipns would do a great deal in rousing them to a tense of duty, I think," replied Her Lndy.ship. "I hear Iho 0110 in Dunediu does admirable work." Yes, that is so ; hut it and all others require to be seconded, in my opinion, by clubs and fcocioties for the girls themselves. You Uire keenly interested in philanthropic and benevolent institutions, I can see? "I am, indeed ; that really is my principal interest. I do not, paint, and, nol boiug vory htrong, I do not go in for hockey or golf." Perhaps your hobby is music? "Though I havo not much opportunity to study or practise music, 1 am extremely fond of it, and thoroughly appreciate good music. I ride and drive a great deal Uiso. But it is really philanthropic institutions which interest mo most. I enjoyed seeing the Salvation Army's Maternity Homo yesterday t>o much ; how exquisitely it is kept, and how beautifully tho babies aro token caro of. The Hospital, too, made a great impression on us ; it is so up-10-dnte and so well arranged. But you seem to mo lo need vory low charities out here?" Well, you wee, wo have so few poor people in the sense that tho phrase mean!* iv older countries, our poverty i» onlj comparative 1 believe tho aspect of a New Zealand "crowd" nlwoya strikes the traveller fieah from European cities. "They aro so well clothed, so pros-porous-looking ; they cannot bo poor l" answered Lady Plunket with a wise little shako of hoc head. A few moments' chat about children and thoir bringing up, tho care and the influences that should surround them, tho valuo of their very curliest atmosphere of morals and manners in fomiing their character, thowed mo thut here was a wise, tender, vofc sensiblo mother. It was so nutuiul then to ask her if she was not in I c rested in kindergartens? For who moro likely to bo in .sympathy with tho "child-gardon " than the youiig mother of young children, even though sho bo a Baiocc&s? "I onlj wish 1 had known about yotn kindergarten's sooner," she said with a most convincing air of sincerity and just the sweetust smile. "I should have liked to sco them moro than I can tell you. And I had plenty of timo, too, yesterday, had I only known. But noxt time I come to Dunedin. . . ." I hope we may suo you here again boforo long, though I hear that both His Excellency and yourself ure most favourably im pressed Mith Christ church? "Well, yon s>ee, we aie so fond of motoring, and the country thero is vory favourable for that; tho lanes and roads too are chaaming — very pretty. But Duuodin, too, is very pretty." I think it must Lavo been when wo wero talking about tho bringing up of children that Lady Plunket spoko of tho attitude of the modern girl towards married women, those older than her&olf, and oven to her own mothei I—the1 — the lack of that deference and courtesy which was at one time indispensable as a. mark of good breeding. "I notice it here," eho said, "even more tbau in England. Girls do not dream of rising on the entrance of married Indies, and will- even allow their mother to get up and come to them on littlo trifles, instead oi instantly rising and goim; to her." It whs really good to hear the head of our social world advocating tho too-neg-lected claims of the mother. • Asked wbout dress, Lady Plunket thought lliero was not much difference between England and New Zealand, except in regard to the morning, when Englishwomen dress with more studious simplicity than occurs to the average colonial. The interview had been so pleasant, Lady Plunket had responded to all my suggestions so readily and naturally, that I had to remind myself that the automo. biles were already waiting in front ot "Tlio GkanoT 1 to tnko the vice-regal party for a van to Mosgiel. As I rose to go, Lady Plunket assured mo very sweetly how pleasant wero her own and Lord Phmketta impressions of New Zealand and her people. "You are all so kind," sho said, " and make every duty so easy by your ready appreciation ; it makes one desire to co.ifirm the cordial kindliness of these first impressions."