FOR WOMEN Housework Made Easy by Gadgets

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 August 1946, Page 10

FOR WOMEN Housework Made Easy by Gadgets

The new and improved equipment for the house which overseas countries are producing must make the New Zealand housewife eager to see some of it in her own home. What opportunity she will have of seeing her ambitions realised depends cn Government policy in relation to import restrictions. . Overseas magazines, some of which are issued by trade houses or organisations,- carry large and colourful advertisements of many new and.improved articles of household equipment. They include such electricallycontrolled articles as stoves, cleaners, clocks, toasters, irons and dish-wash-ers, but there is also a marked improvement in many types of household cleaners and pest destroyers and, of course, a blossoming out in furnishings.

Toast Does Not Bucn.

An American electric stove has ball-bearing storage drawers, seven speeds for cooking,-and special units in the oven for quick pre-heating. A timer clock turns the heat on and off while the housewife is absent from home, so that the dinner is cooked when she returns. Some of these stoves have a dish-washing centre attached.

A new toaster not only cooks four slices of toast, at a time but pops each piece out as it is cooked. So far this machine does not butter each finished slice but doubtless American ingenuity is already engaged on this further improvement. New electric alarm clocks can be plugged into Greenwich mean time and once set do not have to be rewound. They do not tick and their alarm can be regulated loud or soft, according to the owner’s capacity for sleep. Baking is made easy by the use of a new automatic mixei' which can be set to the required speed for different ingredients. It has a mixfinder dial on which all the everyday mixing speeds are indicated, the house-wife merely “tuning in” to the recipe. Smaller household articles, which are designed to make work easier, include such items as scouring pads impregnated with soap; soap flakes already impregnated with blue; and a cleaning wax for woodwork and furntiure which produces a shine without having to be polished. The mothproofing of clothes and the effective killing of mould and mildew have been subjects of intensive research, the results of which, in new methods and equipment, are now available from some overseas markets. ' Revolutionary Light Globe.

Furnishings are less revolutionary, according to magazine advertisements, although an American kitchen table .with a chip-proof, stain and heat resistant top would be welcome in many homes. So would the readymade slip covers for standard chesterfield suites, available for export from America. Perhaps one of the most amazing new products is a light globe which actually repels instead of attracting night-flying insects. This would find particular favour among owners of electrically-wired summer beach cottages. At the moment the only contact women in New Zealand have with these and other work-saving articles is through the pages of magazines. It has been suggested that, so long as import restrictions remain in force, it would be a tactful gesture on the part of the Government to extend these restrictions to cover all magazines containing advertisements of the home-helps available elsewhere. Presents Hon to Sunday School Teacher On Sunday morning at St. John's Hall, at the close of the Sunday School, a nresentation was made to Miss Beryl* Parfitt, who has resigned from the position of leader of the kindergarten and secretary of the Presbyterian Sunday School, in view of her approaching marriage. Mr. J. Daniel (superintendent) spoke of the valuable work done by Miss Parfitt, and wished her success. The Rev. T. G. Campbell, Messrs A. Shannon C. N. Gunn and A. G. Gunn (for the session) expressed appreciation of Miss Parfitt’s services and regret at her leaving, but wished her and her intended husband happiness and good health. Mr. Daniel presented Miss Parfitt with a silver sandwich tray. Miss Parfitt thanked the Sunday School children for their kindness and gift, and the speakers for their good wishes.

Beautiful Frocking in “Our Miss Gibbs” -

Calculated to appeal to the feminine eye are the frocks worn by members of the cast of “Our Miss Gibbs” as seen at the first full-dress rehearsal on Sunday. Colourful backgrounds set off the costumes to the best advantage.

j In the opening scene in a large ’ store, several smart shop-assistants dressed in becoming tan and green I frocks display glamorous spring fashions to a host of smartly-tailored i customers. One of the main features I of this scene is a mannequin wearing ! a model bridal gown of magnolia I sheer over satin and a billowy veil [finished with a top-knot of roses. The I bridesmaid in attendance is clad in !,pale green patterned organdie, her huge picture hat of self-material being finished with a wide pleating, around the outer edge. For the display of excitingly new ■ hat creations, “Madame Jeanne” [ wears a chic black two-piece suit. A [■dainty note is struck by the appearance of the six bridesmaids wearing )'picture frocks of white net and carryping tiny muffs covered with red flowI ers.

During the scene of the Earl’s party “Mary” looks enchanting in an oldworld gown of pale misty pink tulle, while the more sophisticated “Madame Jeanne” is attired in chalk white crepe with daring touches of black. “Lady Betty” is demure and youthful in dainty peach sheer with green accessories. The “Duchess” is most regal, wearing diagonal stripes of'black-and-gold while “Lottie Farquhar” is in parchment satin with touches of emerald green. The colleens of the Irish court look every inch Irish in tiny green skirts, aprons, mob-cats and white organdie blouses. The “Moonstruck” number is colourful and gay with pierrettes wearing dashing costumes of blue and white. The soloist for this number is attired in a full moonlight blue net skirt and bodice of glittering sequins.

Make the Most of Your V ege tables

Vegetables are valuable not only because of the money spent on them these days, but also for the vitamins and minerals they contain and thenimportance in introducing variety, colour and flavouiAo a meal. For generations we have wasted our vegetables by excessive peeling and over-cooking but now, more than ever, it is necessary to mend our ways. Here are a few important points to bear in mind: Try to have one serving of potato and two servings of other vegetables each clay, and use the ereen leafy or red or yellow types as the “other” vegetables as frequently as possible. Buy vegetables, particularly leaiy varieties, fresh and often,, 01 them from your garden as you need them. Vegetables which have been crushed or bruised by careless handling or left on shop shelves for several days until they wilt, look unattractive and have probably lost a laige part of their vitamin C. Treat all vegetables kindly. The best way to store them is to place them in a covered dish or wrap them in a clean cloth and then put them in a refrigerator or ice chest. The next best thing is to ‘keep them on a shelf, or in a string bag in a cool wellventilated .spot. Scrape root vegetables or peel them thinly and once or twice a week seive well-scrubbed potatoes baked or boiled in their jackets.

Wash all vegetables thoroughly in cold water but do not soak them, 01, if you must soak them to remove dirt, do so for a very short time in cold salted water. Valuable minerals and vitamins are dissolved into the water when vegetables are soaked. Vegetables do not like to be drowned. To cook them add them to the smallest possible amount of boiling waited water and keep the lid on all the time. The lid should fit tightly to prevent the steam escaping. A wedge of clean paper will often tighten the lid. Do not add soda or stir the vegetables during cooking, and cook just long enough to make them tender. Ten to fifteen minutes is sufficient for green vegetables. Save the cooking water and add it to soups, stews, sauces and gravies.

Try all the different vegetables you can find and vary the way you serve them even if it is only by cutting in different shapes. Eat them raw and eat them cooked, eat them every day.

Queen’s Reply to Birthday Greetings

(P.A.) z WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral (Sir Bernard Freyberg) has received the following telegram from the Queen in reply to his message sent to Her Majesty: “Please convey to the Government and peoples of New Zealand, its island territories, and Western Samoa, my most grateful thanks for their kind message of congratulations and good wishes. Elizabeth R.” Personal Notes. Mrs. N. V. Lovell returned yesterday morning from Christchurch. Hints and Recipes •

Cooking Carrots. Young carrots are delicious if after being boiled and drained they are tossed in a saucepan over a slow fire for a minute or two with a small knob of butter or good dripping and a little chopped mint or parsley.

Making Starch. This starch will not stick to the iron: Make in the usual way, then put it in a saucepan, bring slowly to the boil and boil gently for five minutes.

Egyptian Pears. Peel 11b. stewing pears and core them. Place sultdnas, dates or raisins in the centre of each pear. Place in a casserole and pour over a syrup of 2 tablespoons honey dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water. Bake in a slow: oven till cooked. Serve with a milk junket, blancmange or sauce.

Apple Cornflake Pudding. This is an interesting version of an everyday apple dessert. You will need 2 cups of peeled sliced cooking apples, 2 cups of cornflakes, J cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons lard or butter. Place a layer of cornflakes in a well greased dish, then a layer of sliced apple, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and dot with fat. Repeat, ending with cornflakes. Bake in a moderate oven 30 to 40 minutes.

Care of Furniture is

Important

How long is it since you gave your furniture some beauty treatment? It is always worth-while to make the most of your furniture, as well as your appearance. Borer, dry rot and moths are the most serious troubles that can, afflict furniture because they damage its actual structure, but surface blemishes which spoil its appearance also call for proper treatment. A collection of soft rags, warm water and soap,, and a good furniture polish are the main beauty aids you will need. Removing Mildew Mildew, in the form of a pale green powder, may have appeared on polished or natural wood that has become damp. It is easily removed from a polished surface by a soft brush. If a slight stain is left, wash the wood with a soft cloth rung out in warm water. Dry thoroughly with another cloth and polish with furniture cream. If the stain does not disappear immediately, a few more coats of polish will usually remove it. If white wood is mildewed, it can be scrubbed with warm water and soap, rinsed well and left to dry. If it is the inside of a cupboard or door which is affected, use as little water as possible or the wood may swell and prevent the door closing. If ■ your furniture is slightly scratched only, it is often possible to treat scratches by covering them over with a dark boot polish. If the scratches are made by your son's football boots and are really deep, it is better, if the furniture concerned is valuable, to send it out to an expert to repair. Heat Marks Some of the ugliest stains on polished furniture are heat marks. They occur because the top layer of polish has been scorched. Soak a little cotton wool or a piece of soft rag in methylated spirits and wring out as dry as possible. Wrap it in a piece of clean soft rag to form a pad and rub the stained area gently. The spirits will remove the remains of a damaged layer of polish, exposing a fresh surface. When the heat mark has disappeareded, apply ei very little oil. Give it time to soak in and then polish the whole surface. Be careful to use the methylated spirits sparingly, as too much will damage the second layer of polish. Water marks, if only superficial, can be treated in the same way.

A little regular attention, with rag and polish, will do a great deal to give much used furniture a new appearance.