Social Gossip

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 818, 3 March 1916, Page 14

Social Gossip

JJear Chris tab el, — C ONCERNING microbes —last week ' the weather was terrifically hot. Sitting with a friend in her pleasant drawing-room, which faces a busy thoroughfare, one observed that quantities' of dust blew in at the open window and settled on the furniture. Attention being drawn to the fact, one , observed what the friend often point- _ ed out before, that the dust was fine manure—excellent for gardens, but not desirable in drawing-rooms. Microbes / were, discussed at some length, and the conclusion arrived at was that it is surprising that even more illness is not prevalent. . Beaches were discussed, and the •dreadful sickness which has appeared in New Zealand with the hot weather. Have'you ever realised that during the summer months many thousands of children have spent many consecutive days on the New Zealand beaches, and that on those beaches there are practically no sanitary arrangements ? There have been no great storms and no remarkably high tides, and there has been, practically no rain. The beaches must reek-with microbes, and until we get some cold weather and rain, it to some of - us that children; should be for-bidden-to play on the sands. It is hard luck, particularly as town is so dusty and hot, but it does look as if home ?s the best place under these circumstances, and it seems a very great pity that all the schools are not closing in the afternoons. • Children could «lo thoir home lessons in the afternoon home and get out . for a walk in the cool of the evening-—then home to bed, early, in the afternoons. • Children could do their thoroughly aired. a •* # » There are not sufficient dressing-rooms at either, the public salt' water baths, and very often they are packed with children, whose clothes probably get mixed up, and who must swallow far — snore • microbes in the confined phere than are washed away in • the water, » « ■* « There is grave anxiety among the .women of New Zealand, ■ on account of the " sickness among children. Some of us perhaps are meeting trouble half-

way, and to many of lis, we hope, the trouble will not come at all. But it is difficult to settle down to work when the mind is ill at ease. * * * - * With reference to work, it is difficult to believe, but it is a fact, that contributions to the various funds are diminishing—that is, contributions of socks, etc. Probably, many more women are now posting knitted gifts to individual soldiers, and in some ways this form of giving is much the most pleasant to the giver and the recipient of the gift, but it is in ' the hospitals and convalescent camps that such gifts are most needed. A nice old lady suggested to some of us a week or. two ago that much could be accomplished in time which is ° often wasted if women, and girls always carried a knitting bag about with them —if it were fastened on to them. She said that an ordinary knitter could do at least three rows in a sock during a tram-ride from the Government Buildings to the corner of Willis and Manners streets. So if 100 girls were to knit on their way to the office in the morning they would accomplish a tremendous amount of work in a week. Some people, knit when they have finished their 1 ' meals and while they are dutifully listening to the- lord and master holding forth on things in. general. It has been said that a man always comes to breakfast in a cantankerous mood, ready to snap at his wife and say bad words to the cat. I have some times wondered if this is why the nicest men always come down late for breakfast, when the family is just finishing its meal. They know their weaknesses, perhaps, and are determined to guard against them. I know quite a number of women, who have spent a large portion of their lives in a painstaking endeavour to look intelligent as they listen,; but whose minds will wander to the kitchen and the extra penny on the butter and the gas which they know is being wasted in the stove at that particular moment. Knitting is the cure for all that. It soothes. When one knits one feels the time is not entirely wasted. * * * «• A southern paper is responsible for the following very interesting information: —"Lord and Lady Glasgow's five-year-old son and heir, Lord Kelburn, has the distinction of being the first child to whom Queen Mary stood as godmother after King George's accession. The future Earl of Glasgow is named David William Maurice, the last name being given at Her Majesty's express wish. The Queen Maurice the masculine of Mary, and in this respect shares the views of her mother, • the late Duchess of Teck, all of whose godsons were named Maurice." Little Lord Kelburn is living at the Grange, Wadestown, with his mother and sisters, while his father is helping to de-

fend the "Empire. The Grange seems a fitting home for the son of a sailor. It is the first house seen by mariners as they round, t'he point into Wellington Harbour. Lady Glasgow has .been visiting Lady Wilson, at Bulls, ly--J5- « «. , Surgeon-Major Holmes and Mrs. Holmes have been motoring and fishing during the last few weeks up country. The Major is spending his sick-leave in New Zealand. Their two children are in Canterbury with Mrs. Francis Davison. Major and Mrs. Holmes are now staying with Mrs. Holmes, in Portland-crescent. * . * ' * -55You know that familiar way we have acquired of speaking about some people as Mrs. (Dr.) So and So or Mrs. (Col.) So. and So, etc.? Of course, we all know it is not quite. the thing, but some of us do not know that it is a German habit. A friend, who spent some years in Germany once and who knows the German people, recently told me that they always talk about Mrs. (Butcher) Von Bustenburg and Mrs. (Dear tist) Von Kuch, etc. How about a threepenny fine every time one's friends so offend? The money would be welcomed by the Red Cross. * * .' * ■» Two of our most earnest patriotic workers are leaving Wellington this week for a well-deserved holiday at Mount' Cook. #*-•**- Miss Alison Barnett is making a remarkably. good recovery from her very serious accident. She still lies in the Tauranga Hospital. * «■ * ' * Mr. J. P. Maxwell has, gone to England for a short trip. » ■ * ■» «• Mr. W. Sefton Moorhouse has been officially appointed Director of Red Cross affairs in the North Island.

Captain Simson's sister, Miss Poppy Simson, has returned to Napier, and her marriage to Mr. Arthur Bullock, of the Auckland "Star's literary staff, was to take place on Wednesday this week. Captain Simson gave an afternoon tea at Kirkcaldie's on Friday in honour of his sister, and to - enable

friends to say " Good-bye" and express good -wishes. * *■ ■» * ® We have all been so occupied with contributions to patriotic funds that the poor old Melanesian people have been somewhat -forgotten. Faithful. Miss Mestayer, who collects jam and comforts for the labourers in that field, has been stirring up the usual contribu- , tors. It must be fairly dull in Melanesia these days. * * * It is said in England that stockings which used to be Is lid are now 2s> lid a pair, and that manufacturers with a queer idea of patriotism, have taken to decorating ladies' hose with flags \of the Allies. One paper says that for some stockings there is not even the excuse,' of patriotism. "They have birds sitting on the instep and pheasants with tails reaching down the foot:""; I suppose the wearers daily pass women who find, difficulty in their search for the bread of life. * «• Women's -work is extending. Women" amateur gardeners in England are cultivating not roses but the useful cabbage and leek. A London daily now has a -woman sub-editor to overlook the work of the reporters—and she is a success. * • « # JMiss Tabart, of- C'hristchurch, is in Wellington fo>r the purpose, of placing before the Minister for Education certain toys which have been made in the Christ-church Free Kindergarten, which, : by the way, should soon be given a more. sweet-sounding name. Miss Tabart hopes to convince the Minister that Germany is not th© only country which can. manufacture most excellent toys. This reminds, me that I recently read that the Parisians have discovered how to make porcelain faces for dolls, and that the new Parisian doU beats -anything which ever was made in - Germany. ■ Good Councillor Godber is craving a boon for amateur gardeners. He wishes to see the water meters read annually instead of every six months. He argues that in the winter we probably use less than our allotted quantity, and, therefore, we may then atone for the great amount we use in the summer, when we water our gardens. The matter is being considered. Mr. Godber will : be quite" jjhe whiter-haired darling of the lady-gardeners if he manages to accomplish his aim.

The cup that cneers is the one* luxury "that even the patriotic worker allows herself, and when it is absent, there arrives a sort of aching void, .which is followed frequently by headaches. Those thoughtful people who conduct the Empress and Everybody's picture theatres evidently know something about the tastes of women. During the afteruoon performance now a cup of tea is served, and each member of the audience is invited to partake. The cups are dainty and novel affairs —Japanese in style and a combination, of cup with saucer. The tea is delicious, and the weary people, who find in the pictures, solace' and rest, all vote the tea innovation a most excellent idea, and an additional inducement to patrons. * itr . * * Napier's most popular doctor. Captain Patrick Leahy, is reported ill in a Malta Hospital. One- or two returned nurses and several correspondents m private letters have spoken in terms of the highest praise of Captain Leahy's ■unselfishness and his thoughtfulness on that awful occasion when the Marquette was sunk. Surgeon-Major Holmes is not yet fit to return to his duties abroad, and he has been given further leave. His many friends have been pleased to see him back from his brief holiday. His little ones have now returned from the South Island, and are at Seatoun. Miss Holmes, of Hawkestone-street. has gone to the Otira Gorge, and will be back next week. On Tuesday afternoon, in St. Paul's pro-Cathedral, by the Rev. A. M. Johnson, Miss A. L. Perry, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Perry, of Tinakori-road, Wellington, was married to Mr. Gorman, the son of Mrs. Gorman, of Dunedin. The bride wore a wedding dress of white crepe de chene, with, the Continental veil, orange blossoms and bouquet. The bridesmaids were the Misses Gorman, Caves, and Finch. Mrs. L. Taylor has come down from Auckland with her two little children, and is staying with her parents, the Prime Minister and Mrs. Massey. , Mabel. There was a quiet wedding at the Lower Hutt on Wednesday, when Miss Wilson, youngest sister of Mr. B. M. Wilson (Director of the Tourist Department) was married to Mr. W. T. Brunton, manager of the United Farmers' Co-operative Association. The marriage took place at Mr. Wilson's

residence, the bride being given away by her brother, and Mr. F. Rocks trow being the best man. Only immediate relatives were present. The house was tastefully decorated with festoons of Japanese clematis and Michaelmas daisies, and under a bell of the feathery clematis depending from the ceiling, the happy pair stood while the Rev. J. McCaw (presbvterian minister of Lower Hutt) conducted the marriage ceremony. After the wedding breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Brunton left on their honeymoon followed by the best wishes of their friends. The bride wore a cream coat and skirt of crepe de chene and a hat of Wedgwood blue velvet. * * * ■» Commander Evans, second in command of the Scott Antarctic Expedition, has taken the matrimonial plunge, the bride being Miss Elsa Andvord, of Christiania. It is said that it was the King of Norway who first introduced Commander Evans to the lady. * *. ■ * * News is to hand of the death in Edinburgh of Mr. J. H. Guthrie, who some four years ago visited New Zealand for the benefit of his health (he was a sufferer from asthma) and made many friends in Wellington and Christchurch. He was a very fine and amiable young man, the son of Lord Guthrie, one of the law lords of the Scottish Court of Session. He had previously visited South Africa, and from there extended his travels to New Zealand.

The Congress of the Salvation Army in Wellington has now become ' 'Annual," and the next, which begins on March 31st next and runs to April 6th (inclusive) will be the fourth of its kind since New Zealand has been separated from the Australian Command and made a district territory. The Salvation Army authorities inform us that there are prospects of an excellent series of meetings, the Town Hall being engaged, for the five public meetings, the Army's own buildings having proved in past years to be much too small. Some excellent visiting bands will attend, and with the 350 delegates from all over the. Dominion, will bring quite a blaze of. colour into the Empire City. Full particulars will be published in our columns later.

There are many more female than male stars on the screen. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 70 per cent, of picture stars are of the fair sex. This helps to prove that beauty actresses are the most popular with the patrons of the movies.