WOMEN’S NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 92, 16 March 1927, Page 15

WOMEN’S NOTES

Fourteen debutantes were presented to the Duke of York at the citizens’ ball at Christchurch. The Duke danced Mrs Livingstone and the Hon. Mrs Tahu Rhodes;. T A Press Association message from -London states that Sir Evelyn Cecil’s daughter, Maud, is engaged to ® Steel, nephew of Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, M.P. for Birmingham, and a member of the Cabinet. The bride belongs to the well-known Parliamentary family of Cecils, her father being M.P. for Aston, and a cousin of Lord Bobert, now Viscount Cecil, of Chelwood, sometime chairman df the executive of the League of Nations Union in Great Britain.

Mrs Letitia Pearce, who only survived her late husband, Mr James Pearce (late of Huia Street, Lower Hutt. and Pahautanui) by a few months, died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs ■E. W. Cottle, of Trentham, recently at the age of 84 years. Mrs Pearce, whose maiden name was Lawson, arrived in New Zealand by the ship Oliver Lang at the age of nine years. Deceased is survived by two sons, George, of Pahautanui, and Ward, of Lower Hutt, and by her five daughters, Mesdames Stratford, Speedy and Gray, of Palmerston North, and Cottle and I Millen, of Trentham, and by 21 grand--1 children and nine great-grandchfldren. .WEDDING. KING— THESSMAN.

The wedding took place recently at Orini when Eileen Gladys, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs E. R. Thessman, of Orini, was married to Alfred Henry John, youngest son of Mr J. King, of New Plymouth. The ceremony was performed by Rev. E. Rimmer, of Ngaruawahia. The bride, who was given away by her father, j wore a frock of white satin with an overdress of silk lace trimmed with orange blossom and satin ribbon. The veil was of embroidered tulle with a coronet of orange blossom. Her bouquet was of asters and roses. The bridesmaid, Miss Iris E. Thessman, I was gowned in a frock of shell pink , georgette with lace trimmings, with which was worn a tulle veil. She also j wore a double string of pearls, tho gift of the bridegroom. The bride’s 1 other sister, Miss D. Thessman, was I

flower girl. She was attired in a drees of pink georgette trimmed with lace. The duties of best man were carried out by Mr W. L. Carter. Tho bride travelled in a crepe-de-chine dress, large crinoline hat and a fur coat (th. 3 gift of the bridegroom). The bridal pair left by car on their way to Auckland.

CROQUET. Mesdames Mayes (4) and Gamer (7) of the Northern Croquet Club beat the holders of the Bennett Buttons, Mesdames Kirk (34) and Plaster (8) at Levin by 26 to 15. On the Northern Club’s greens, Mesdames Mayes (4) and J. Young (3), holders of the Corbridee Stars, staved off a challenge by Mesdames Scroggs (5) and Litchfield (7) of the Terrace End Club by 26 points to 9. LEAGUE OF MOTHERS. LOCAL BRANCH FORMED. With the object of forming a branch in Palmerston North of tho Dominion League of Mothers—an undenominational movement inaugurated by Her Excellency Lady Alice Fergusson, with the idea of extending the work already being carried on with much success by the Church of England under tho name of the Mothers’ Union—a meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Memorial Hall yesterday afternoon, there being a fair attendance.

Miss McLagan (convener), in addressing tho meeting, said that she had been approached by Mrs F. Porter, organising secretary of the Women’s National Reserve, with a request that she endeavour to form a branch of the Dominion League of Mothers. The three primary objects of. the league were to uphold the sanctity of marriage; to awaken or deepen in all mothers a senso of their great responsibility in the training of their boys and girls, the future fathers and mothers of the Empire; and to see that a band of mothers was organised in every place, who would unite in prayer and seek, by their own example, to lead their families in purity of life and steadfastness of character. After outlining the rules and constitution Miss McLagan moved that a branch of the league be formed in Palmerston North.

This was agreed to and it was resolved that a speaker be obtained to address the next meeting which is to

be held on April 26. Mesdames Hewitt and P. N. Moore and Miss MoLagan were" elected a provisional committee It was resolved to invite members' of tho various church guilds to be present at the next meeting with the object - of furthering the aims of the organisation.

GIRL GUIDES. INSPECTED BY DOMINION COMMISSIONER. The local Girl Guides were inspected yesterday afternoon by Mrs W Wilson, Dominion Chief Commissioner, who was met on her arrival at the station by members df the committee of the Palmerston North Girl Guides’ Association and afterwards entertained at tea in All Saints’ Girls’ Club room. After chatting informally with members, Mrs Wilson inspected the guides and expressed her satisfaction with the troops. Mrs Wilson left this morning for Hastings where she will conduct a similar inspection. Over 100 Girl Guides and Brownies fathered at the Huatoki Domain New lymouth, on Saturday afternoon to meet Mrs M. R. Wilson who addressed the gathering. It was then intended to have afternoon tea, but owing to rain this had to be abandoned.

OUR BABIES. (By Hygia.) Published under the auspices of the Iloyal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” The following article was written by Sir Truby King in 1917, and wo think it appropriate to republish it at the present time: — WHAT BECOMES OF THE BEAUTIFUL BABIES? Many years ago Professor Patrick Geddes, the great biologist and humanitarian and joint author of our most noted book on sex, paused to ask himself this question: What becomes of all the beautiful babies? He had steeped himself in a profound study of the origins and destinies of baby plants and baby animals, but what struck him as the most extraordinary and disappointing of the mysteries was the failure of

the little human beings all around him to come up to the splendid possibilities with which they nearly all seemed to start.

As he wandered along the streets or byways of cities, or even in the open country, he found himself confronted everywhere with the same thing—boys and girls, men and women, young and old, had fallen infinitely short of what they might have been. This was perhaps 20 years ago, but can the most optimistic of us say that matters are now appreciably better than they were then, or that we have paid one particle of heed to the clear-sighted and cornnonsense warnings of men such as Herbert Spencer and Geddes? . Could anything be more amazinglv significant or prophetic than the following passage from Herbert Spencer, i PHYSICAL FITNESS. “To be a nation of ‘good animals’ is the first condition to national prosperity. Not only is it that the event of a war often turns on the strength and hardiness of soldiers, but it is that the contests of commerce are in part determined by the bodily endurance of producers. Thus far we have found no reason to fear trials of strength with other races in either of these fields. But there are not . wanting signs that our powers will presently be taxed to the uttermost.”

And this was written half a century before George V. became King I Going along our own streets to-day what is it that strikes us, if we trouble to observe and think wiiether we are doing justice to our race? As the crowd passes up and down the street before us, how many youths or adults of either sex could we pick out who would compare favourably, as samples of human perfection, with the beautiful babies who are so comparatively common. The vast majority are out of the running altogether.

This failure to develop and grow up according to early promise causes no surprise or protest—we have got out of the way of expecting the average man or woman to have the shapely feet, good limbs, broad hips, deep chest, square shoulders, good muscles, graceful, easy carriage, and aspect of radiant health and perfection which would be the prevalent type if man look as much trouble about the rearing and care of his own specie's as he does about the rearing of cattle and horses. Deformed and crippled feet, spindley calves, indifferent bodies, shallow chests, round shoulders, and slouching gait characterise the majority. THE ELECT FEW. Even among the elect few, where can we find the individual who however well he may look, would be’ fairly en.titled .to 76 per cent, of marks as an ideal specimen of manhood or womanhood if the five following points were given the place they ougnt to have in standards of reasonable attainable bodily perfection:— 1. Well-developed jaws and sound, good teeth. 2. Fully-developed nose, and throat, free from all restrictions or obstructions. . ~ Fully-developed chest with ample breathing capacity. 4. Sound digestive organs and freedom from indigestion. 5. Shapely, well-developed calves and. feet, free from distortions and deformities.

Our shortcomings are obvious even to the casual observer, yet for tho most part people regard the present state of matters as normal. There is no general protest against human unfitness. So long as people can manage to struggle through their daily work with the help of occasional patchings-up by the doctor and the dentist, it does not occur to them that any higher standard than this is to be expected. Yet it is quite safe to say that, with very few exceptions indeed, the great majority of tlicse who drag along with indifferent health and who hardly ever feel perfectly well, strong and fit, could have grown up excellent specimens of humanity had they been properly and sensibly i*eared. For the most part men and women do not suffer from inevitable ill-health or unfitness, but from the results of a few easily avoidablo daily transgressions of the laws c e - le ma ' n cause of modern bodily unfitness and inefficiency lies with our women, and is due, not to indifference on their part, but to lack of necessary knowledge and consequent failure to put in practice the laws of healthy living as regards themselves and their offspring. USEFUL HINTS AND RECIPES. Angels’ Food.—Take 1 pint, fresh milk, i cup sugar, 2 eggs, essence lemon, 3 dessertspoons gelatine. Place the well-beaten yolk of the eggs, milk, sugar and lemon in saucepan, let all just come to the boil, remove from fire, and allow to cool. Then stir in the gelatine that has been dissolved in a little hot water. When nearly cold stir in the stiffly beaten whites of the e 6g s > and put in a mould to set. Turn on-to glass dish, and serve with vanilla custard or stowed fruit.

Slipping Dishes.—To prevent dishes slipping when placed on ice place a largo rubber. ring on the ice before putting the dish in position. Baked Eggs With Cheese.—Take 3 eggs, 1J teacupsful of grated cheese, a small piece of butter, salt and

pepper. Well butter a fireproof baking dish, and shake into it a thick layer of the cheese. Break the eggs carefully on to it, dust each with a little salt and pepper, and cover entirely with the rest of the cheese. Bake in a quick oven until tho cheese is lightly browned.

Disinfecting Bins.—Every sink and dustbin should be disinfected to discourage the swarming of flies near or in the house. For this purpose two pennyworth of permanganate of potash used! with plenty of water, is a useful fluid. Lime also is a powerful disinfectant.

Fruit Cake.—This cake, which is very rich and keeps well, is about 741 b to 81b weight. Take lib each butter and brown sugar, lilb flour, 141 b currants, lib sultanas, 41b mixed peel, ilb almonds, 9 eggs, two tablespoons treacle, packet spice, wineglass of brandy, and scant teaspoon of baking powder, added last.. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, then add treacle, yolks of eggs, whites beaten separately, spice, fruit, brandty, and gradually the flour and powder mixed in last. Bake 4 to 5 hours in moderate oven. 5 BEAUTY PARLOURS. MONEY SPENT IN AMERICA. GREAT DAMAGE BY CARELESS WORKERS.

NEW YORK, March 15. The president, Mr Nessler, addressing the American Hairdressers’ Association, said that the women and children of the United States in 1926 spent 30,000,000 dollars on beauty i culture in the 30,000 beauty parlours throughout the country. He added that there was need for house-clean-ing in the beauty industry, and asked members to combine in their efforts to drive out quacks and charlatans. He said that careless workers and a lack of sufficient training did great damage in the effort to increase feminine beauty. He said that he had conducted a thorough-going questionnnaire among prominent people to determine facts relative to women resorting to artificial means of beautifying themselves, and then read many replies uttering strictures upon the American habit of so-called make-up.—A. and N.Z-. cable.