RAHDWICK: A PROPHECY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 223, 20 September 1907, Page 3

RAHDWICK: A PROPHECY.

The Australian tariff is going to have a terrible effect on women, judging by the following article in the Sydney Morning Herald :^- The sun shone brightly on the green grass of the lawns, just as it has shone from year to year; a little light wind blew from the south-west, as winds have blown for many springs; horses stood and champed in their boxes, or were led about the paddock by their stable-boys in the way they have been doing since the racecourse was instituted. It was the first day of the

spring meeting, and to the casual glance was to be just a repetition oi all former spring meetings. But a second look soon showed that there was something out of the ordinary in the atmosphere of the day. Although the saddling-paddock was much the same as usual, there was a foreign look about the lawn and the grandstand that bewildered one for a moment, and roused the question, ". What's the matter?" But only for a moment: the question was answered as' soon as it was ffkpd? but by another question, Where are air the women?" No wonder the lawn had an unreal

appearance. Where were all the light spring dresses, the waving feathers, and nodding flowers? Where were the smart tailor-mades, the sweeping silks and muslins? Where were the gailyoolored parasols? Where was everything that makes the spring meeting? Where were the women? Little groups of sombre men stood about on the green grass, talking earnestly. Here and there was to be seen a stray female, but her garments were of last year's cut, and she lurked for hiding behind the: shelter of the trees, only her face peering out, vivid with suppressed curiosity. What was the subject of her curiosity? What the topic of the men's eager talk? It was the subject that had convulsed womandom for weeks—the effect of the tariff on her clothes. For many days past it had been the one thought in every woman's mind—Customs versus costumes. And to-day was to be seen the result of all this thought. For a whisper had gone forth that the leaders of fashion had decided to cheat the Customs, and from far and near ■men had gathered to see how they were going to do it. The sound of cheering from the gate told of the arrival of someone of importance, and the waiting men and hiding females hurried forth to behold the first arrivals. It was the beautiful Miss Sans Wool and her mother,jwho walked gracefully across the sward. The former was clad in a simple princess robe of white tissue paper, which fluttered chilly in tho breeze; on her head she wore a highly-burnished fireman's helmet, which vied with the brightness of her hair. The mother was smartly gowned in emery-paper of the fashionable "Earth of Egypt" tone, with an elegant trimming cut from her husband's Masonic regalia— a little theft which, she explained, had occurred to her on finding that the unbending Customs officials expected her to pay 45. per cent, on her Paris frock. A murmur of admiration rose from the watching crowd as the mother and daughter passed, but it rose to a positive cheer as Miss Newmode appeared in sight. She wore a trottoir skirt of blue-green eucalyptus leaves, woven together with sprays of wattle, the whole set out by a stiff underskirt of parchment. On her elegaritly-coiffufed head was perched rakishly a miner's cap, the dullness^ of which was relieved by a mountain lowrie, which was caught with an iron chain into her golden tresses, and which called derisively, " All fr.ee, all free," as they passed a group of harassed" Federal Ministers.

Close behind her came Miss Gohard, clad' in a strikingly simple gown of sacking, with a Masonic sash. Round her soft pink neck she wore a string of ivory billiard balls, and on her feet were home-made sandals.

In quick succession they appeared, these women who had defied the tyranny of the Customs, and .braved the tyranny of custom. For every woman on the lawn was clad in garments which the wiseacres had allowed to enter free.