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Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 795, 24 September 1915, Page 12

A London correspondent writes that the lack of employment amongst musical and theatrical artists in England was the cause of a distinguished function being held at a smart London hotel in aid of the Three Arts Women's Employment Fund, at which souvenirs of the careers of great. artists were auctioned during the afternoon. The tallest woman there was Madame Clara Butt, looking most •handsome in black velvet —in spite of the disjointed look given to her gown by cream sleeves— and wearing the flattest of black hats, with a pink "rose de Joffre" clinging joyously to its wide brim. She had wheedled all sorts of interesting souvenirs out of all sorts of interesting people ; but none did she prize quite so much> as the contribution from her very own husband, Kennerley Rumford, who sent from France a souvenir, not of his career as a singer, but as a soldier. It was a shell from one of the famous French '75 guns.

A Sydney firm is holding a competition for the "best-trimmed hat," open to all professional, as well as amateur, milliners, with the patriotic object of showing that there is as much talent in Australia as abroad. Men are allowed in the competition, so the average woman is ever perplexed at the price womenfolk pay for their headgear. - This novel competition might be adopted with advantage in New Zealand by some of our softgoods houses.

A London correspondent writes that Princess Mary, while wearing a fairly full skirt, has not been allowed to go in for the well-above-the-ankle length. Her shoes, too, are the rather-low-heel-quite-hygienic-style, and 1 what little ankle one can see as she gets in and oiit of the carriage is clothed in very thick black silk.