Women in Print.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 22, 25 July 1918, Page 9

Women in Print.

The ladies who have worked so energetically at the somewhat tedious work of making plum puddings for soldiers' gifts, at Ngahauranga, expect to finish their task to-day, a few days sooner than anticipated. In all about 12,000 have been made in record time, which speaks well both for organisers and workers. It is hoped that the children's card puddings will all be packed ready for transmission by the end of the first week in August, and as gift space is limited, it will be necessary for the country branches who require space to forward the children's cards as soon as possible, to ensure their getting away in time for Christmas gifts. Some of the principal country branckee are assisting in the economy of space by enclosing the children's cards and puddings in their own parcels, thus helping the Town Hall packing arrangements considerably.

The wedding of a member of the Main Body N.Z.E.F., Warrant-Officer C. E. Eccles, eldest son of Canon and Mrs. Eccles, of Woodville, to'" Miss Alice Maddison, eldest daughter of Mrs. W. 0. Maddison, formerly of Hastings, took place yesterday afternoon at St. Michael and All Angels' Church, Kelburn, when the Eev. Mr. Payne, M.A., officiated, assisted by Canon Eccles. The bride wore a charming gown of soft blue satin trimmed with floral ninon, with a hat to match, and a bouquet of pale pink sweet peas. Miiss Nellie Maddison was the bridesmaid, and wore a pretty costume of pale fawn, with facings of "white cloth, and a pink hat. She also Carried a bouquet of pink freesias. The best man was Sergeant Beclc, a returned soldier. After the ceremony the guests, who consisted only of relatives and a few old friends of the family, were entertained by Mrs. Maddison at her residence, Glenroad, Kelburn. Later Sergeant-Major and Mrs. Eccles left for a motor tour, the bride .wearing a costume of reseda green gabardine, with a hat of the same shade-

At the Sydney-street Soldiers' Club last night there were many guests, and dancing went on with great spirit and enjoyment. Mrs. Coleridge and Mrs. C. Earle were in charge as usual, and the latter was also the hostess in the tea room, and with her assistants dispensed tea and supper to a great number of guests. ._

Next week is likely to be a very busy one for the Counter of Liverpool Fund workers. Puddings will lmve to be labelled, goods sorted for packing, and last, but not least, a great many parcols will be made up and cased ready for despatch at the first opportunity, Very good accounts are given of the prosperity of the new shop in connection with this fund, and the buyers and visitors are many. In some cases a certain amount of misapprehension arises because people do not understand that the goods for sale, such as socks, mittens, gloves, etc., are for soldiers only, and not for_ civilian' wear. However, the matter is easily explained, and those in charg6 are pleased to show the goods, which are all- of excellent pattern and make.

Navy League Balloon and Flower Day to-morrow snould be a great success, as much forethought and energy has been shown in making all arrangements. The balloons will be many, and Mrs. Jacobsen, who is kindly supplying them, has arranged to have some special show ones blown up with hydrogen gas, which is used in the observation balloons at the front. There will be any quantity for sale, and sellers will be outside the city schools at half-past 3 in the afternoon, to supply the school children. The Trentham Baid will play through the streets, and the collectors on this occasion will be ladies, the sailors who did. this work on a former occasion being now away on more arduous duty for their country. Although the weather has been bad, very liberal promises of flowers have come to hand. Mrs. Field, wife of the member for Nelson, has promised seven cases from that district, and promises have been received from the Hutt, Hawkes Bay, etc., so it is hoped there will' be a plentiful supply for purchasers. Mr. Boyfield has kindly undertaken the work of treasurer for the collection. Members of ,the Royal and Mercantile Marine have done their parts in a way that commands the -admiration of the world, and the workers in their cause have spared neither time nor trouble, so it only, remains for the public to show appreciation by contributing generously.

Some adventures took place yesterday in connection with the gipsy caravan which was to have toured a good many streets with saleable goods such 'as vegetables, fruit, butter, eggs, and flowers. However, the horse had such a decided objection to going up hills that the Terrace and even the Moles worth-street trip had to be given up. He was agreeable to taking them to Thorndon-quay, and the gipsies managed to have good sales in spite of their steed. The effort was organised by. Mrs. Robinson and other members of the Soldiers' Mothers, Wives, and Dependents' League in aid of the French Fund. The caravan is very picturesque, and well worth seeing, and. an opportunity will again be given to-morrow, as it will appear in aid of the Navy League funds.

1 My advice to yoa at this moment, says Marguerite, the well-known fashion writer, is to take care of your clothes, where such are woollen, and especially if they are of good material. And when getting new ones to aim for styles likely to have a long life either as they are or with minor alterations. My advice, in fact, is to take care of all clothes, whether woollen, cotton, or silk, and. if it can be managed, and the chance offer, to lay in a little material for future use. I have been going into the question of staples in view of tho present situation, and I have learnt enough as the result of some enquiries to enable me to see that the position will be worse before it is better. I may explain myself in this way. Going over a little old ground there is never enough wool in the world to go round. How it is made to serve is by using up "discards," dealing with the rags in fact, and converting them again into yarn. In the old world rag sales are as regular as wool, and I have seen the catalogues to vouch for it. The position just now is that there are no rags, the result being the manufacturers have to use all new wool, and the shortage, therefore, is pronounced and growing. It is advisable that every woman gets this well in her mind, as she will find that it is going to concern her and her family considerably. The British Army is supposed to number 5.000,000 men, and how much new wool there ever is, is shown by the Government announcement that they and the Allies use up 70 per cent, of all produced, whether at Home or abroad. This leaves 30, and the serious thing is that it is further announced that with, the growing American army this will have to be curtailed. It may be reduced to 25, 20, or even 15. And, as showing what liberty of action remains to the individual, I understand that the clip of the- world has been officially bespoken for tho entire remaining period of the war.

Old men and young girls constitute the chief parts of the throng in the city streets in these days (writes the London correspondent, of the Melbourne Age). With the extension of the military 'ii"c to 5L ..the proportion of males in" the

offices' and business houses is decreasing, and the proportion of young girls is increasing. In the busy hours of the traffic in the mornings and evenings young girls crowd the trains, tubes, trams, and "buses. Gradually the staid atmosphere of the city is adapting itself to the female invasion, though the girls, when they want to go shopping with their week's wages, have to go "west," as in the city proper the shops are still catering for the male population which was there before the war. But a change is coming'over the hosiery shops which for generations stocked only articles for male wear. In a little corner of the window of these shops is a shy display of women's gloves, handkerchiefs, and silk stockings. To come upon a display of articles of female wear in shops which have hitherto succeeded in ignoring for many years that there are two sexes gives one a shock like the discovery that an elderly bachelor has plunged into matrimony with a girl less than half his age.

To-morrow the Karori branch of the W.N.R. will be in charge of the Wellington Red Gross Shop, and a good supply of home-made cakes and pantry goods will be available. Flowers and other gifts will be very acceptable, and should be left at the shop as early as possible.

On Monday evening Chaplain T. Fielden Taylor will give at St. Mark's schoolroom one of his interesting informal talks about the war work at the front and elsewhere. A collection will be taken in aid of St. Mark's Church Ladies' Day at the Bed Cross Shop.

At the meeting of the Wellington South Nursing Division on Tuesday evening it was unanimously decided to give the "shop" takings for the day to the Sailors' Day on Friday. Arrangements were a.lso made for Violet Day, a _sta,ll being managed by the division at Courtenay-place, and for the jumble sale in the town hall on 2nd August, at which the division will provision a. produce stall. Gifts for both occasions ■will be gladly received. A handsome gold ring, sat with coral and diamonds, is being' raffled.

Miss Sibyl Lyons, who has been visiting her uncle, Mr. Marcus Marks, is Tetuming to her home in Melbourne this week.

The friends of Mrs. 'Fairchild, widow of the late Captain Fairchild, will regret to hear of her death, after a brief illness. She leaves a family of five daughters and three sons.

Among the visitors to the Jenolan Caves recently mentioned are Misses Wardell and M'Rae and Mrs. and Miss M'Master, from New Zealand.

The Red Cross Society is seeking to gather the children of the State officially into its circle (says a writer from Sydney), and on the afternoon of 10th July a meeting was held in the Assembly room of the Education Department to inaugurate formally a junior Red Cross circle. Lady Davidson presided. It was explained that ever since the war began, school children had been great patriotic workers. Indeed, the tally of their work, when put into figures, is almost startling. They are still doing it, and doing it more efficiently than ever, and it was not with any idea of stimulating their interest in work for the soldiers that the meeting was held, but simply to get them systematically organised under the Red Cross. The scheme is that each junior Red Cross circle shall have its own committee, keep its own books, etc., and be affiliated with the local adult branch, which will "mother" it and help it in any difficulty. ■There will be a junior Red Cross badge, which, when the worker is grown up, will be exchanged for the adult badge. The Minister for Education, who spoke at the meeting, explained that it was not the intention to alienate children from other patriotic bodies, but that those who had worked for the war chest could continue to do so even when joining the Red Cross circle-

Some exceedingly pretty fancy dress costumes are described' in the AustrAlasian as having been worn by children at a large ball at St. Kikla. Tho prizewinner for the "best sustained and most original" character dross was gained by a. very curkms costume, It was called "East and West," and consisted of ManI d&rin-yeflow Turkish trousers with an I ovorskirt of emerald green, and <x>aA, of Chinese silk embroidered^ in black. The head dress was of eagle feathers, after the fashion of an American Indian, tied round with Irish plaid. "And with these particulars," says Queen Bee, "the reader must be left to work out the puzzle." There was a charming cupid, in, pink gauze in a rose-bordered tunic, with a silver bow, around a pouch. Powder Puff was delightfully carried, out in pink' satin and quantities of swansdown—this gained the prize for the prettiest small girl's dress. Other prize dresses were "A War Worker," and The French Appeal, this last being a green pierrotcostume and cap, powdered all over with 1-31's.