MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 February 1929, Page 3

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

ITEMS OE INTEREST

(Notes by

Marjorie)

■THIRTY YEARS’ SECRET. REVEALED BY WREATH. — <• The secret marriage more than .30 years ago of Mr John Davies, of Marden Court, near Hereford, to his housekeeper has just been dramatically revealed at his funeral. Mr Davies, who was one of the biggest farmers in the district, was oyer 79 when he died. He had lived for many years at Marden Court. He had a housekeeper and had always been regarded as a confirmed bachelor. Just before the funeral procession was ready to move a relative noticed with astonishment, that a wreath bore the inscription, “From his loving wife.” It was only then that the housekeeper revealed the 30-years-old secret of her marriage. She admitted that the wreath was hers, and produced her marriage certificate. Mr Davies made her his executrix. EMPHASIS ON CURVES. The New York correspondent of ■‘The Post” writing on 23rd January, makes the following comment on the “reversal of form” to plumpness: — “Girls are to be girls again! Plumpness will Im chic! Curves will be emphasised once more! Such is the dictum of the Garment Retailers of America, in conference with their spring creations at the Hotel Astor. “Skirts will lengthen to two inches below the knee. There will be four ‘sponsored’ lines —‘bonnie blue,’ a. lustrous dark blue; •fandango,’ a. burnt orange tone for sport and evening wear: ‘foliage’ green, an almond green, for afternoon frocks: and Tosand,’ a rose beige for sports wear. Tweeds will lead in sports coats. There will be: Cape effects on sport clothes; scarf treatment, in numerous versions on coats and frocks, which will have modernistic touches, including fantastic applique trims; ensembles, comprising heavy silks for coats and sheet weaves for frocks, with the same printed motifs on both; printed chif fens for dinner and afternoon wear; cardigan jackets, as well as threequarter coats, for sports ensembles: flat crepes and georgettes outnumbering other dress mediums; cashmerelike woollens for coats; and white ermine and beige fox fur coat trimmings.”

DANCING FASHIONS. Dancing fashions in England and on the Continent have drawn some interesting comments from Mr R. I. Crawford-Norris, who has .just arrived from England, and by arrangements with tlie Victor Silvester School of Dancing (London), will join the staff of the Inez Connop School of Dancing, in Wellington. Mr CrawfordNorris has had many years of experience in London and on the Continent, both in teaching and in exhibition dancing. The dances that are being danced in London at the best hotels and night clubs, are the quick-step, which is easily the most popular. The waltz, which comes next in order of popularity. then the Yale Blues, and slow fox trot, which tie for third place. The new dances, such as the ‘Varsity drag, tile trot, the twist, etc., are more for exhibition work, and those dance enthusiasts who are always looking for something new. Also there are many new variations in the quick-step, waltz and Yale blues, which keen one’s interest in these dances from flagging. RETURN OF THE TRAIN. Recently shown in London as illustrating the tendency for loose, flowing robes, with train effect, was an elegant tea gown, cut on medieval lines in rich velvet of a lovely shade of Goya rose. A yoke of gold lace in heavy guipure design was continued in an oval-shaped pattern at the back, while the double semi-circular train was also edged with gold lace. The draped and fitting bodice was effectively finished, at both back and front, with heavy gold tassels, and the wide hanging sleeves gave a graceful note. A WOMAN CONSUL. Senorita Ines Ortuzar, the consul for Chile, at Hull, is the first woman to be appointed consul in Great Brit(ain. She likes her -work, says a cor- | respondent, and is well posted in it. , having been secretary in the Treasury . Department of the Chilean Embassy in } London.

LIFEBOAT WOMAN. FIRST TO PASS TEST. Miss Blanche Tucker, of London, aged 34, the chief cashier in the French restaurant of the White Star liner Majestic, the world’s biggest ship has passed the Board of Trade examination for lifeboat efficiency. This examination has never before been passed by a woman. Miss Tucker was required to box the compass and was then placed in charge of one of the Majestic’s lifeboats, while it was lowered. She gave orders to the men members of the crew, but upon the boat reaching the water the quartermaster took charge. The Board of Trade official then required to see Miss Tucker pulling an oar with the remainder of the crew of 10, all of whom were men. Miss Tucker has been employed by the White Star Line for six years, and before joining the Majestic was assistant cashier in the Olympic. PLUCKY GIRL PILOT. Miss Cecile O’Brien, the plucky pilot daughter of Sir Timothy ami Lady O’Brien, who recently figured in a, sensational aeroplane accident at Home, is making a sure, if slow, recovery from her injuries. She has lost a leg through the crash, and will not be able to fly again, but she hopes to continue in her attachment for the Service by doing secretarial work in connection with civil aviation. Miss O'Brien is learning shorthand and typewriting, and is showing an admirable coolness and pluck in thus preparing herself for further useful work. The accident was not due to any lack of skill on her part. The rudder bar of the aeroplane became disconnected and the machine went into a. spin, and it, xvas impossible for the intrepid girl pilot to pull the machine out of it. if—u. I. POPULAR WEDDING.

There were mans' thrills outside St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, at a recent society wedding. So determined were people not to miss seeing the bride, Ladi' Mary Ashley-Cooper and her groom, Lord Alington, that as the couple left the church the crowd dashed forward to the waiting car, ignoring the one-way traffic. Some of them only just escaped beingknocked down. Mounted police soon regained control and' forced them back. The wedding was one of white and silver. The bride, who is the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, wore a gown of white and silver, and silver lace and pearls formed her coronet. Her eight, bridesmaids also wore dresses of white and silver net. BRITISH COLOUR SENSE. Lady Egerton v. ho has been ing in America, gave some interestinginformation on her return to England, to an interviewer on the subject of British fabrics. Lady Egerton has always taken a great interest in the scheme for preference foi’ British goods, and in the painted fabrics done by the disabled ex;-service men in Sheffield. She considers the English have a wonderful sense of colour, a better taste in, and sense of, colours than the French. “If you go into the country,” she said, “the typical English inns, with dark oak beams, white or neutral washed walls, and possibly old brass, will have touches of colour—nasturtium red, vivid blue, or jade—that are unerring. Many of the cottages are the same. Far better taste is shown than in the provinces in France. The same can be said of dress. I know that Paris is a centre of taste, but it is of the provinces I am speaking. The English can make things admirably. In pre-war days in Russia, English goods had a cachet -which we all sought. They had the reputation of being good, excellently made, and in undeniable taste. They were right.”

BRITISH GIRL POLITICIANS. A mass meeting at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London, E.C., for girls only, was organised by the Conservative Party, to appeal to the new electorate, says the “Daily Mail.” The hall was packed. Every seat on the floor of the hall was occupied, while the gangways -were crowded with girls standing two and three deep Miss Alice Maitland, aged 23, was in the chair, and Miss Barbara Brew, aged 23, was one of the principal speakers. Two other girls in their early twenties proposed and seconded a vote of thanks to the Duchess of Atholl, who was the principal speaker. AUSTRIA’S FIRST WOMAN. Dr Marianne Beth, of whom it has been already reported that she was the first woman who passed the examination as a counsel in Austria, was registered also as the first of her sex in the list of Viennese advocates last July. Since then she has already been the first woman charged with the administration of bankruptcy (Massaverwalterin). She is also the first woman who was nominated a sworn interpreter at the Law Courts for English some years ago. Dr Beth is very interested in the woman’s movement and especially in work in the legal sphere in the interest of women and children. In her private life she is known as a very clever housekeeper and also as a model mother and wife. She is married to the University Professor, Dr Karl Beth. NOT WANTED. Perhaps appalled at the magnitude of the programme arranged for them, South Australian country women have not taken at all kindly to the scheme to provide them with a summer school, under the auspices of the Council of Agriculture. Possibly the country women resented the intention to teach them things that they, as good housewives, probably did better than their teachers, for only one application was received, and the idea was shelved. The summer school was to have been held at the Holiday House, Mount Lofty, and the tentative programme embraced physical culture, cookery, needlework,, dairy work, pruning, pot plant culture, fruit preserving, fancy work, home nursing, a lantern lecture on modern farming, baby welfare, woollen manufacture, chemical and

physical features of cookery, hoipe bQQkkeeping. farm poultry, and poultry dressing, care of the motor-car and .driving instruction, home laboursaving .appliances, American co.m.munity organisation, social gatherings, and community singing.