TRAVELS ABROAD

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 186, 25 July 1935, Page 9

TRAVELS ABROAD

International Afternoon WOMEN’S COMMUNITY CLUB An international afternoon at the literary circle meeting oi the Hastings Women's Community Club yesterday proved most interesting and entertaining to the large gathering ot members present. Mrs. W. J. White, circle leader, introduced the speakers, who delighted their listeners with descriptive talks of life in other lands. Miss Hodge opened the programme with a most interesting talk on Germany, where she spent several years. She said that before 187(1 Germany was not a united nation but consisted ot a collection of different States, each quite separate and ruled by a king, grand duke, duke or prince and having its own Parliament and postal arrangements. — Bismarck, the great German statesman, wished to unite all the States, and this was ultimately achieved, Wilhelm 1. being crowned King ot United Germany in 1872 Although ihn varum.

uermany in la/a. Although the various States were then under one ruler, the country was not inwardly united, there being antagonistic Icelings between the States. Miss Hodge spent four or five years in Germany, leaving the country ui 1891, and during the time spent there she had opportunities ot studying the lives ot the people. Such things as alternoon tea ano tennis were unueard of, dinner being served at 4.30 p.m. and supper between 8 and 9 p.m. At this time the Germans had a very friendly feeling towards the British and a liking tor everything English, but these sentiments had cnanged considerably when the speaker revisited Germany in 1910, and tae only remedy seemed to be war, which eventuated in 1914. Of recent years Herr Hitler, with his outstanding personality, had appealed to national feeling, and in forming a united Germany had achieved what others had failed to do. Miss D. Cole spoke next on the English, whom she described as a courteous and good-tempered nation, ready for an emergency and able to face misfortune cheerfully. Although easy-going, they were the sanest and most level-headed of people, and if sometimes they appeared undemonstrative their coldness hid a depth of feeling. Their strongest and most attractive trait was their great love of tradition, without which England would not be as intensely loved as she was. Holland was described by Mrs. Tearle as a most wonderful and interesting country, with clean and thrifty people. She had visited The Hague, a line, though quaint, capital city. Here the streets were divided into four, a waterway for barges pulled by horses or pushed by men, a railway, a horse road and a wide pavement. No one ever hurried in Holland. Mrs. Tearle described the quaint costumes . of• the people: these costumes, she said, were worn with numerous petticoats, some people wearisg as many as 18. A wonderful headdress of beaten silver was also worn.

Miss Crichton-lmrie next spoke about the Japanese, whose universal courtesy impressed all visitors. The training of the mind began at infancy and the speaker said that she had never seen a disobedient or a crying child. Filial obedience was a habit of centuries. She enjoyed very much a children’s party which was held in a picturesque garden, a miniature of the Fujiyama Valley with tiny lakes, bridges, molehill mountains, and a little Fujiyama cone ten feet high, the whole a quaint fairyland, the work of Japanese landscape gardeners, who were veritable wizards. She described the children’s games, by which life’s

lessons were taught and the children encouraged to be good citizens. Miss Crichton Imrie was privileged to be present at the ceremony of blessing the rice grown for the Imperial family, a wonderful ceremony. In Japan noise was unforgiveable, and everywhere one met with perfect politeness.

Mrs. Guthrie spoke on Kenya, where the first years of her married life were spent and where, she said, living conditions were totally different from anywhere else. Her home was at Kibuezi, where she lived on a sisal plantation, this product being grown for fibre which was used for twine and rope and more recently in the manufacture of artificial silk. Eighteen different varieties of bananas were grown, and one could understand why the baboons made frequent raids on the gardens. Mrs. Guthrie related some very amusing experiences with her native servants, particularly about their method on washing day, when she had to demonstrate to them the correct method on a day with a temperature of 102 degrees. In conclusion, she said that she was sure she had never spent a dull day in Kenya. Rural Italy was described by Airs. G. Alarsicanu, who said that the Italians were an enterprising people wishing to be self-supporting and to have themselves a plentiful supply of fruit, vegetables, oil, wines and flour. . The flour they ground at very primitive mills. Aleat was eaten only on festive occasions, and wine and coffee took the place of tea. Nerve troubles were seldom heard of, and cancer was conspicuous by its absence. The Italians attributed their good health to their plain living, with oil as an important part of the diet. The speaker said that Signor Alussolini had done a great deal for the country, and that under his regime the rural land as well as the cities had prospered. The hospitality of the Italians was overwhelming, and at all times they loved to have strangers among them. Mr. S. P. Spiller, of Napier, sent special pictures of Soviet Russia whiclu were passed round and proved very interesting. A delightful alternoon was brought to a conclusion with a hearty vote of thanks to the speakers, and all agreed that the time had been much too short for such able speakers. Seveial items for which there was not time yesterday alternoon will be given next month, ami these include a delightliil paper on France, written by Aiadame Maunder, who had been asked to speak and was unable to be present. Mrs. V. Ihonip. son also sent an interesting paper on Spain, and both tht»» trill bt <

Also Aliss Constance Grant, ot Napier, will speak on Czecho-Slovakia, and Mrs. C. Gardner ou the West Indies. lhe afternoon's programme, which was the result ot much thought and work previous to the meeting, rewarded the circle leader, Mrs. W. J. White, and her committee, Airs. D. W.. Hursthouse and Airs.. J. W. Bates, for’their trouble. Alternoon tea was served during an interval in the club rooms, which were very gay with large bowls ot scarlet japonica. Among those present were; Airs. T. H. Lowry, Airs. W. J. White, Mrs. D. W. Hursthouse, Airs. H. LovellSmith, Aliss H. Ford, Airs. 11. W. C. Bail’d Aliss Fitzroy, Airs. H. Gilbertson, Mis. J. Aliller, Aliss Lewis, Airs. George Davies, Airs. F. 8. Budd, Airs. E. Riley, Airs, feteevens, Miss Commin Airs. G. T. Dyer, Airs. ,H. Holderness, Airs. E. V. Simpson, Aliss Cole, Airs. E. Y. Coinrie, Airs. C. Gardner. Aliss It. I’ickett, Airs. J. Leggat, Airs. J. W. Bates, Airs J. Harris, Airs. O. C. Moller, Airs. J. Simpson,-Airs, W. H. L ood, Airs. A. 1). 8. Whyte, Airs. G. Rochfort, Mrs. R. Bridge, Airs. Donald Robertson.