ADMIRED BY KING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 19

ADMIRED BY KING

OSTRICH FEATHER FANS

With a -fan one can be regal, coquettish, or .gracefully languid—or' of course, one may just use a fan for coolness and comfort. Fashion, however, has decreed,that^fans shall once more come into their own as an extra foil for women's, beauty,; and' many lovely samples designed for carrying in the evening, with .lavish-gowns and wraps are now appearing overseas, states the "Sydney Morning Herald" Ostrich feather'fans'nead the list, particularly so since King Edward admired the ostrich feathers displayed at a recent London exhibition. His remarks on their loveliness have already -, noticeably influenced the fashions how being designed for Ascot this year, and at-.the Courts which will be held at his Coronation in 1937-these leather? may be expected to appear in many-new and interesting ways. The dyeing of ostrich feathers has reached such' perfection that any colour or shade, to match an evening gown can be procured, and a fan of this description lends distinction and grace to any ensemble.

From Schiaparelli there is the novel inspiration of a bracelet and a fan ta match, both of them made from spun glass. This, substance can ;be transparent, and so appear to match any frock worn, in the same way as the cellophane, fans. ■■ ■ ■ • ■

Also from,overseas is the fan< fashioned of the same material as the frock, and carrying the same trimmings. One example 'is ' a fan carried with a gown of shell pink, georgette'.1 the fan being finely ruched'and gathered to achieve-the soft effect desired in the larger: styles so as to prevent a heavy or clumsy appearance. ■ '

Small fans cannot, of necessity, be as lavish /as their bigger cousins, • and depend more on the actual substance of which they are formed than on their style of making. To be worn with the frocks of the many exotic materials chosen for smart. evening wear this season are the little fans of shaded feathers, each tipped with an "eye" from a peacock's tail. .

State and registered Roman Catholic Schools. In addition to this fund, over £1000 was subscribed by the public, and the council was thus able to give full effect to its policy of providing for children attending other institutions. The number of children provided for daily was approximately ; 18,000, based on 20 to- the gallon, ■ though the more satisfactory basis is half a pint per child. Where records ' of weight improvement were kept, the _ average gain was ljlb" per month, with exceptional cases of up to 41b in the same period. A more noticeable feature that generally applied and> was the most marked was the improvement in the vitality and mental alertness-of the children. The cost of administration for 1933 was less than \i per cent. Miss Holman said the entire community would benefit in the improved health of the children and the added stimulus to the dairying' industry. "In speaking of. the many disadvantages under which country school children . laboured," the writer continues, "Miss \ Holman referred to the • type of desks provided at many country school's.. Both "small and big children alike sat before precisely the same style of desk on forms without backs. There were girls and boys of 13 and 14 years.of age and of different physique and all seemingly round-shoul-dered. Miss Holman said such equipment should be scrapped and a more suitable . model installed.- 'The children of the State have the opportunity of attending schools to a much higher age than 14; it is not compulsory for them to leave.at 14, but I should like to see the Government raise the school age throughout the State and endeavour to make a payment from the Child Welfare Department for children over 14.' , Miss Holman also raised the question of a Commonwealth supply of films for schools. It would be necessary for the schools to provide for their projection, but the Commonwealth Film Bureau could be extended to provide educational films, and she asked the Premier to broach the subject when he > attended '"the next meeting of the Loan Council. "Miss Holman said that while the world is endeavouring to find out how to shorten the hours of work in the various professions, here we have an award for nurses fixing their hours at! 56 per week: Nurses and probationers work very hard indeed, and she agreed with their representative that the Arbitration Court Award was a very backward step. Miss Holman's vigilance in regard to these necessary and long-overdue reforms has been received with great satisfaction by the Women's Service Guilds who for many years have been working on these very subjects. Miss Holman has the whole-1 hearted'support ;of the guilds in- the fine work she is doing, and they wish •her long and continued success." So many of these points have been brought forward in New Zealand, but with partial success, ,or non-success in some, cases; and it is interesting to find that the problems to be faced are thesame. 'Miss Holman has mentioned one matter which will appeal to young and growing creatures who have to ■ sit in the'old-fashioned desks. Whoi ever* invented them should have sat .in them for. the rest of his natural life I—and that"is speaking, kindly! : ,