MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1931, Page 3

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

ITEMS OF INTEREST

((Notes&y

Marjorie)

TALKING TO THS QUESN.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

There .are -few - impromptus where Royalty; is concerned (writes'Mrs Alfred Watt M.8.E., fin the .‘Sydney Morning .Herald) . I had known for some months that I should : be invited, .to. .at .the, Sandringham Women’s Institute of which her Majesty Queen Mary is pre- , .aidant, ,at,a .meeting when the .Queen (hoped (herself-to (be-present. Jlßntlleaa it'be -thought ithat all tis formality, ithej fetter from(Lady -Cynthia Colville, ‘ths 'then Lady-rn-Wfliting, -warning inie the coming ’pleasure, was .couched lin 'the friendliest (terms. The tindtitutej /Invitation '-was tmore (formal, but con’.veyert ’the (same /pleasing assurance 'that (her Majesty ihoped’ito Ibe jpreshntj ■The (first ’preoccupation iwas 'the; subject iof tthe 'talk, rand (having a-1 list? 'df some (twenty (lectures ll sent (this 'to* the 'institute >and eaipectefl ithat one .would (be chosen .that !I (had often giv-: -en before. (But, .of - course, lit .would (happen >that’ther.oneaJhosen was a-new (lecture which Jlihad mot yet delivered; -and ;l could .only (hope ffor the -best; ;ahout .its ieffect .on -an. audience. * ft was one of-the-foggiest afternoons' of a foggy January .when il bought my ticket for the (King’s station, Wolferton. The King’s beautiful woodland with white birches and dark firs and no underbush daring to rear its head. ’ My hostess, the vice-president of the institute, like nfany other women’s institute officers,. (/pent the jreatmf »tiio -evening telling >me -some of her ffllffi-j culttes, and il, ms uraual, .prescribing tier 'theibest of imy (dbllity. . j The .meeting was iin (the -village ihdll at West ’Newton, -anil >we were ,*ill there -well, on rthne. <1 .examined itfra (institute .programme, whidh mlighll 'have been (the programme irtt lapw Canadian women’s (institute, ohly mat! so interesting as many. The tiamnn-i strations-during (the year hadl.heen«an} sewing -machines, .fruit, and vegetable! bottling, .invalid -cookery, lampshades; land smocking. Competitions .included; home-made sweets, imince [pies, and -programmes. 'One -hratuve had been on Eiftpire ’.marketing mndi .another on -local ’history, while itiusiii activities showed .a (tinfoil cdllociion rfor a .hospital. ; The meeting (began at 2.30 pirn.’.with Women’s Institute business, and 'the*

Queen was due to arrive at 3 o’clock, after it was all over. This I thought a great-pity, as I am sure .the Queen would have diked -to hear-the“business; .hut she was not-given 4he.chance; Th© vice-president was in the chair. However, at 3 on the dot the Royal party arrived. The Queen was attended by Lady Ampthill, Lady .Kep-

pel, and Lady Cynthia Colville. We all stood up, and as her Majesty ad< wanced ihe members curtseyed. She shook hands with the nearest members, and then when she came to the p ront shook .-hands with me and took h m place in the audience. The same pioceeding took place when she left,

otherwise she was treated, and acted, as an .ordinary member. The title .of my address was “How Country '"Women are Building up a

Greater -Empire.” After describing the /Empire (building by country worn■an organised Hike women’s institutes iin 'Australia, New Zealand, India, SouJh Africa, East Africa, Great ißißlain, (Ireland, and Ceylon, the new /organisation .of the Country Women (df (the World, the Liaison Committee rot Rural Women’s Organisations, was dwelt iqpon, -with all its unique and (fascinating lliriks of friendship among country -women everywhere. The Quqen (accepted a copy of the book, “What (the -Country Women of the World .are ©ding,” and was greatly indevested iin iite contents.

Wo ‘than :had some questions on /institute work ahd methods. A display of Work done by members had been ’’arranged, which her Majesty took me to see, and in which; like any

other Romen’s Institute president, she took great pride. The home-made rugs were charmingly designed and very well made and the .enibroidery was exceptional. Then we had tea,

the Queen presiding at her own.table and acting as hostess for the after-, noon. Four of us had tea with her, and we talked about many things, literally from -cabbages <to -kings, tar -the Majesty tasked (for any iroad map, etc. (got -from 'the Agent-Generkl -of Ontario-) -about tfhe sKtagls Highway to take ’to.show the ■(King. !She asked about 'Canadian, (friends, (mentioned her visit ito '.Guelph, -asked about Sir Arthur tCunbie, nib out any son .Robin’s portrait -of 'him, ,a photograph of wliijdh she -thought very -good ’indeed, and ‘at (theideiightful 'interior scenes Mr -Richard jJaCk (had done -for iher before ihe went do Montreal, .of -their stgy -in Victoria, Which was always -a pleasant onemofy, 'of the .charm of that city and .Its (beautiful .climate, ;and of -the amusing dinner .party there, whlidh 3b mow -history. As -everyone does, I marvelled afresh at /her -wondertftrl memory. Then yteihadda -play 'by some zof the members, the 'Queen spotting -the characters and ’telling me who 4hey ( were in real life. The particular star was the daughter of the King’s loader. Then.’.we ‘had a comic song with a chorus, in wttfich we were ;all begged to join, and did, with goodwill at all events. So ended ,at ,6. .o’clock, ,a pleasant afternoon, as 'the Queen remarked, and I make no apology for a homely account. We wfeue UU simple people, enjoying ourselves in a simple way, and if., I have -dwelt overmuch on Royalty it is because -the -circumstances were -unique. I was there to he)p 4he Institute all I could, but per-

haps I was -doing -more. It may be that d was .renewing a ,'toyalty to ia Queen whom we, can all .respect as a woman (because ;She is lUnseMish and sincere, -and considerate for-bakers, and -because; she Is without a rival In the distinguikhed public and iptiivate service she -gJives the Empire.

MELBOURNE CUP FASHIONS. CHOICEST FROCKS WORN. MELBOURNE, November 3. The most .delightfitl itiay (that , the spring Of 1931 (has yet given ius encouraged ‘Women ito wear their choicest frobks, so that we saw, instead of the utilitarian Crocking -os, the Cups of 1929 and 1930, ,-a brilliant assemblage, which quite (surpassed .Derby -Day an -the -smartness -of lith dressing. I 'No ione ediour or style seemed ’to? -predominate. Iff ‘there -was <a -peu-i -xihantiit ’.was : for 1 large, hats, .and .a-dis-: ttinetly new n6te -was -the carrying -ofi (parasols ’by some -of our leaders of [fashion; ’but iin .general women -foE (lowed itheir. own lindlinatimis and were ffreebnlingly -clad. n?hose 'Who-affected vwftiteianfl i black almost ito ,a -woman '.wore the white ;silk-or (fine-wotil -jackets, belted iin a -wide ; black -patent ileatiier -belt, and -neatly matched 'with a 'White stricorne

•‘hat,-in on^ -Of ithe -new celophanc straws. The jadket suit.was very successful, not -only lin (black and white, shut dn ibrown, ’green, arid citrus shades. The bkirt of -a 1 toning or a contrasting wooi.de ‘Chine was worn -rather-shorter ;fhan ithose -of other, frocks. Plain silk georgette in every pastel shade, in navy bluejin lobelia blue, and in black, and brown, made

many hundreds of the most effective race frocks. At times it was panelled with lace in the same tone, ibut quite often it was unrelieved save Jay a little, fine;laee>yoke«or jabot. 'fijhe wearer of ;the georgette ifroofe almost iinvaridhly chose a large ;pie-‘ hire that, dn 'one -of 'the mew iltalian (Straws, mr (if she (preferred <a 'smaller; ((me^hewore*on iit (plumes dyed fto ithc* cedlour< of (her ■f rock. •IDne .notable Change (has Ibeen tthe dfompiete'dliminntiDn ■of'ithe ; silk ‘coat,lin ; its jplace fine woollen fabrics fare? liming used, anti smaile with large <re4 tvers tin ;front, i and (little or >no < collar. .’lf (there : is a email, (Straight eollar, Utils covered Un <a (flat tfnr, ■ ernilne 'for dhorce. Only -a few -coats carried high •standing fur,collars, 'bitt (these were •worn by women ■'Who (have in -the last week or so -come ffrom 'overseas, so ■presumably as summer 'lengthens out Ito -autumn -we 'Will ragdin discard thei -cd liar less coat. For ’the moment,; 'however, ft Us ia 'happy 'fashion, innlj 'the mote s 6 'because ‘it enables its wearer to suit herself in the matter of hats, large or small. Not for many years have so many i lovdly furs 'been seen. 'The new summer shades *of ermine} -of fox, and* fitch, besides the big cape coats of mole and .marmot, lent an air of distinction to the picturesque period frocks, and done in with 'almost -all the ‘lighter colours. One mf .the outstanding frocks was of (Nile green, with fawn lynx collar and -elbow cuffs, and was worn with a soft floppy felt hat in the same colour, finished with two plumes, -one >6l red and one of green. Everyone had looked forward with interest and a little misgiving to the vogue of fine imudlins ,and cotton, laces. Brodeiiie Anglaise. lhowever, dt seldom seen, WQs;eilways (quaint, ami! the wearers 'Of iit 'included imany *deba-j tantes.

Muslin, in bright and -even dull dark shades was worn, the skirts as much as n'ine yards in wi’dth, the tiny early Victorian bodices finished vdth baby; sleeves. On such <a -day, and in' such ? a setting ’they -seemed appropriate! enough, but they do not vie tor .gen-' eral wear with the 'Shantung and: other Chine.se silks -which -were seen in ail the Taste! shades, particularly' in pale blue. - i The simple taUorbd suit -of 'Shan-: tung. with its cardig.an cut coat and box-pleated skirt was seen -on -almost! every type- of woman-and gird. Elderly women wore it. and (their silver hair contrasted charmingly with Shades of! raspberry red, hunter’s greetm hut- 1 gundy, and black. Some of the cardigan coats of these'suits were embroid.’ ered dn eastern designs, notably silver or cream on Uladk and -black -onwhite. ;

The most favoured 'hat was -the 1 , fine tflack sisal in a big picture shape.; White panama banded In black patent; leather came next; then a variety of bakus and pedal lines, almost all with shallow crowns and wide brims. On Derby Day the .hat with a trimming of flat flowers under the brim and velvet bows seemed to be taking the place of the bigger hat, but to-day they were

few and far between, and those who chose small shapes were to a woman faithful to the tricorne. This, in the so-called Dick Whittington shape, with the crown dinted over the right eye- > brow, was made up in straw and in " fine felt, and was always smart. I The bowler appears >to have gone as rapidly as it'came, There were not more than ‘half-a-dozen on the course. Lace was strikingly worn by a few women. A new fashion is the placing of black or brown lace over a contrasting silk slip, or the combination of lacs .and -figured georgette in an ensemble. There were a few flam-' I enga silk suits and an occasional -I black .cloth suit; but the severely I tailored styles were rare. Very few I cdin spots 'frocks were seen, 'but ac- . cessories of rain spots were exceedingly smart.