Gossip from Sydney.

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 818, 3 March 1916, Page 5

Gossip from Sydney.

Dear Christabel , — UR ruffled feathers are smoothing r.|| ]| down. A thousand mutineers from Liverpool Camp have been :dismissed with ignominy. Others, who were ringleaders will be still more severely dealt with. # # # * Out of evil comes good —sometimes. ■ Senator Pearce has earned the everlasting! gratitude of every thoughtful wo--man in N.S.W. His proclamation closing all hotels and wine bars at 6 P- 1 } 1 - -in the County of Cumberland (N.S.W.) is an act of statesmanship. Our Federal Government is for the moment appearing in heroic guise in the eyes of women. Unfortunately, this edict is •only "till further notice." There is plenty of war work for publicans and barmen after 6 p.m. if they find the evenings too long —and peace--,fuJ. Meanwhile, the wail of the hotel magnate is loud and bitter. He finds ,a sympathetic audience in the N.S.W. - ■ Government. Lord Mayor Meagher is concerned for the liquor trade. Women have, in consequence, little hope of the continuance of a beneficent law which has, in a few days, banished •brawling drunkards from their favourite .nightly haunts. Hr * - * «■ To the working man's wife, 6 o'clock closing is the dawn of a new heaven. Instead of banging over a bar every •evening of his life—till he staggers Shiome near midnight— L her man keeps .most of his cash in his pockets. He "takes "the missus" and the "nippers for a stroll or a. tra'm_ ride. These hot summer evenings he is actually enjoy- - ring the fresh air, instead of drinking his brains away in the lurid atmosphere of a stifling city bar.. Such a •change has to be seen to be appreciated. » •» « «■ Sir Gerald Strickland came from Moss "Vale to preside at the 103 rd annual of the N.S.W. Benevolent Society. The chairman, Mr. Neville Mayman, read the report. © •© In the humid days of February, and =the equally sultry March weeks to come, our social life invariably flickers low. This year strenuous souls are struggling valiantly with the season's limp feelings. A succession of patriotic carni■vals begin at once. ■» * * » This week-end is starred with the •big fete for the Sydney hospitals. The policemen and firemen have organised this display on the lines of their successful effort in 1915. Mr. Hugh Ward will judge the tableaux in conjunction with the Lord Mayor and the White •City Manager. Mrs. George Black, wife of the Chief Secretary of Police, is to he Queen of the Day. * » * » On March 10 and 11 a two-days' show in aid of the Comforts Funds of the .various Light Horse units, has "Snowy" Baker as its organiser-in-chief. The first event comes off at the Stadium. The second at the Agricultural Ground. Nothing that can draw tlie public has been forgotten. A Beauty competition is not the least of the attractions. •K •* * ■ * The J.C.W., Ltd.firm gave a big matinee of its stirring war-play, "Under Fire," for returned soldiers. The piece is, admirably staged. Such comments as "Reminds me of Quinn's Post and Lonesome!" came from the audience when the scene in the trenches thrilled them with the bursting (stage) shell. Ashmead Bartlett was in the managerial box. He got up in an interval to address the audience. Those who must admire this brilliant

Avar correspondent's writing, are obliged to admit that he is more American than English in his love of limelight. * * * # The death of Mrs. Eliza Hall after a long illness, removes one of Australia's most noted philanthropists. Her good deeds live after her in the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust. This gives about a million sterling to charities in Queensland, Victoria, and N.S.W. It has been in operation, to a great extent, since the death of Mr. Hall', about three years or so ago. * * * ■» Under the beneficent conditions of this Trust, scores of other people's' children will, each year, rise up to call these great citizens, Blessed. To Mrs. Hall, since , her husband's death, his wishes (which were her own) have been the one solace of her widowhood. She had an almost rugged simplicity in coming to the point. Social shams melted before her direct vision of things as they are. Yet her own plain and homely exterior —supremely careless of convention —hid one of the softest and tenderest hearts in the world. Mrs. Hall's quick intuition generally protected her from imposture. But when struggling women and little children were in question, this most merciful judge always gave "the benefit of a doubt." •» a- «• ■» A wedding, according to the strict canons of war-time, took place soon after Valentine's Day. The pretty bride, Vera, is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Hordern, of Kirribilli, North Sydney. The bridegroom, Mr. Warren Roberts, comes from Borligal Station, in one of our great pastoral areas. As two of the bride's brothers are at the front, Mrs. Hordern decided to have as little fuss or show as possible. Only relations (a large circle) and intimate friends were asked to the ceremony. TEe charming bride was dressed in a cream silk tailormade, a touch of pink showing under the coat. .Her only sister, Miss Enid Hordern, was the sole bridesmaid. One of our recent military visitors, Colonel Alexander., of an Indian regiment, is likely to stay here a week or two longer than he expected. He went to Tasmania for a hurried glimpse of its best scenery. While there, he' had the bad luck to include a railway smash in his Australasian experience. Colonel Alexander was in the LauncestonHobart accident, and escaped with shock and a broken aim. * «• •»• •itAustralian women doctors- and nurses have achieved so much distinction at the front that we are not surprised at Dr. Helen Sexton's name being added to the list. She is the first woman, other than a queen (says a London paper) ever called upon to decorate a French soldier. This unique event toccurred at the Australian hospital in Paris. Dr. Sexton, formerly of Melbourne, holds the rank of major in the French War Office regulations. To mark her own brilliant work amongst the wounded, the authorities asked her to pin the Medaille Militaire and Croix de Guerre on the breast of Corporal Phillipe. This gallant man lost a leg as the result of an extraordinary feat of valour. Standing under the French (flag, the Australian woman decorated Phillipe, to the thunder of "The Marseillaise." - . 1 * * sf « Poor Major Levin, who died at Alexandria on Christmas Day, was, as you know, the younger son of the late W. H. Levin, of Wellington. His mother lives in Surrey, England. * ■» . # That antique white elephant, the Crystal Palace, London, has been turned into a temporary barracks. An

Auckland man. E. G. Richardson, now a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, lias been stationed in the old glazed barn. « * » # - Lieut. Donald Mackay, R.A.M.C., of Dunedin, is now at Aldershot. •» * * •» The high collar will be the distinctive feature of the new evening coats. In pre-war time one would have written glibly of handsome fur trimmings and collars en suite. In colder climates than that of Sydney, fur is a good investment at any time. Here, it spends about nine months in the year in the seclusion of moth balls and a calico bag, and being cheap imitation fur is merely a frowsy abomination. * ■* * * Rich women will have the new coats* made up with black fox or similar dark pelt. But the average Sydney, citizeness will choose • velvet. As a finish to a silk or charmeuse coat, it is not only less expensive, but can be worn in the late spring without undue warmth. Moire silks, particularly in vieux rose and deep shades of green, are the newest effects in theatre wraps. It creases scarcely at al] —a tribute that cannot be paid to charmeuse. The watered effect is very handsome / when a darker tone of velvet is used as afinish. * . * » *• Emerald green is no longer the craz& it was. A shade not so dark as "bottle" that shows a warm tint. at night is one of the season's fancies. I saw an imported New York" evening coat taken out of its tissue paper this week. Made in this dark green shade of silkmoire, it had a verv wide , band of green velvet, rather darker, round the foot. This came up slightly in a point at the back. The front was edged to the throat with, a narrower band of the velvet. A big collar, very high behind, and quaint short sleeves, like small balloons, finished a chic wrap. [Lined with pale pink satin, it was an exquisite garment. An inexpensive edition of this model is possible to any girl with, an eye for colour. •a- « • eWith full skirts comes the sash in excelsis, and a much higher-fitting corsage. Evening frocks are now getting back to the billowy softness of a ballet skirt. They are much longer than tlie Genee garment, though short enough to show a. reasonable amount of silk stocking. I speak of the new autumn models now exhibited in the best shops. Heaven knows where all this finery is to be worn. Anything but occasional private dances—mostly for some fund— will be unknown in the coming winter. A minority of fashionable women may appear in these beautiful gowns at first nights. # * s ® Melba will be back in April. So we are bound to have more Red Cross concerts with' guinea seats. The shot silk sash that will adorn the smartest frocks at these affairs, is to have a huge bow, tied a la schoolgirl, at the back of the Avaist. In brilliant tones, these sashes will be like gigantic butterflies —if you can imagine a butterfly with two long tails dangling from its body. Yours discursively, Ron a.