HERE AND THERE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 69, 19 September 1932, Page 11

HERE AND THERE

"I Kiss Your Haha— No More."

A leaguo has been started in Prague with tho object of abolishing "Austrian" courtesy phrases, used in translated form throughout Czechoslovakia, such as "I kiss your hand," and "Gracious Lady" (states the "Daily Mail"). It is held that they are an inheritance from the Austro-Hungarian Empire which the Czechoslovak Republic can well do without, and that they are meaningless and foolish. "Gracious Lady" is a form of address reserved for married women, and is rarely used, while the expression "I kiss your hand" abbreviated to "Kuss die Hand" is never used. The hand is seldom actually kissed except at the conclusion of a dance, on leaving a hostess after a party, and on rising frorri the dinner table, when the nearest male guest usually kisses the hand of the hostess, or makes a feint of doing so. As he does this he says "Mahlzeit," to which the new Czech league also objects, for it means literally "Meal-time," . and signifies in this after-dinner usage: "It has been a jolly good dinner, and I hopo you have enjoyed it also, Madame." Czechs of high social standing are not disposed to relinquish these gallantries and courtesies without a struggle. Men in White Suits. , "When London enjoyed one of the warmest evenings of the year recently the lightest of gossamer frocks were seen in the West End, and even conservative manhood yielded, in three' cool instances seen in Piccadilly, by appearing in white drill suits (states the "Daily Mail"). Scores of people could be seen on the.terraces of flats sipping iced drinks and clad in dressing gowns and pyjamas. vßy 10 p.m. 5585 people had passed through the turnstiles at Finchley open-air baths, N. The baths were floodlit, and it was only wifh difficulty that bathers were persuaded to leave the pool. During the height of 'the theatre .rush Piccadilly Circus was the centre of a great trajfic hold* up due to the /collision of two tajacabs which became interlocked. In a few minutes the traffic jam spread far up tho converging streets;, and only a, single line of vehicles could pass tho taxicabs. It was more than fifteen minutes before the frantic work of the police and the taxicab drivers- could clear the way. Well-known' Singer Returning. Many Wellington friends will be interested to hear that Miss Andri Bevin (Mrs; Audrey Brown) is returning to New Zealand by the Tainui, with her mother, Mrs. Bevin. Miss Bevin has studied in Italy and Germany with some of the. foremost masters of the day. -In England she made a special study of oratorio with Arthur Fagge and Horace Stevens. ■'■ She was privileged to sing in. Rome, in Florence, and in Germany, 'and in London at Queen's Hall, and Wigmore HalL Miss Bevin also sang at one of the International Peace Conferences, and has been booked for more than a year for singing engagements, right up to two nights before her departure. She has given several recitals herself in various places. Some Press-comments are very favourable; and Ijer contralto voice is mentioned with inu'eh praise. Haydn Bi-centenary. 1 The former Ministerial residence in Tinakori road has again been lent for an afternoon party, when there w^lj be an excellent programme of music, arranged by Mr. John Bishop, the artists including iMjisises ; Muriel, Turner and Zell O'Kane; Messrs. .Claude Tanner and S. E. Roger. After teai hasbeen served by--the r members' of? the Haydn Festival Committee, a pastoral dance, "Pipes of; Pan," arranged, by Miss Nancy WeTbber, will be given— on the lawn, should the weather be favourable, or in the house if -CSther-i wise. Quite'a large number of people': have signified their intention of-Jjeing^ present, and it' is hoped , thaWth.ese' parties will help to stimulate this interest in the forthcoming Hayd^.fes-; tival of music. ,'-> i Obituary. , ... •;■. :... '::' ■ ••.^,- .- The death occurred, last evening at the Palmerston. North Hospital pf' the Baronoss de Mey d'Alkemade, of-'Fair-field, Kawau road, Levin, wife of .Baron J. J. de Moy d JAlkemade. The Baroness* who was 67 years of age, was tKe.-sec-ond daughter of the late Mr, C, W. Moore, ecclosiastical architect and builder, and a prominent Freemason, of Nelson. She married Baron de ; Mey d'Alkemade, a descendant ,of the Netherlands nobility, who was born in France in 1882. On her mother's sido, the Baroness was a cousin of Sir Rowland Hill, the founder of penny postage, and Sir. Maurice Jenks, the present Lord Mayor of London, is also a cousin: /Mr. C. Moore, architect to the Taranaki Education Boarqi, and Mr. A. Mooro, a farmer, of Nelson, are brothers, and' Mrs. G.\H. Hopo, of New Plymouth, is a sister. On her father's side she was the granddaughter of Captain Farquhar, a French merchant trader. She is survived by her husband, five sons, and one daughter. The sons are Messrs. ■ Edward and Fabert tie Moy d'Alkemade, of Australia, and Messrs. Noel, Theodore, and Corneille de Mey d'Alkemade, and the daughter is Mrs. Lake-Bosenberg. A Pare-well Party. Miss Eileen Clark, assisted by her pupils, gave a farewell party to two of her pianoforte • students, the Misses Patricia and Georgette Crosthwaite, who are leaving New Zealand. The party was given at her studio at Island Bay. A most enjoyable musical afternoon was spent. A dainty afternoon tea was served on tables charmingly decorated with spring flowers. The Misses Crosthwaite, accompanied by their grandmother, Mrs.'Haliday, loave by the Monowai to join thoir parents, Captain and Mrs. Crosthwaite, at Hong Kong.