Gossip from Sydney.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 28 July 1916, Page 18

Gossip from Sydney.

Dkae Christabel, THERE has been a little lady-like crowing over the first course of poultry lectures for women. Possibly the war may have dispelled the last shreds of doubt in the male mind, as to the strict'ly limited intelligence of our sex » * • * Women have, on the whole, I believe, stuck to war-work in every shape and form more consistently than men. By which one does not mean to belittle the /magnificent patriotism of the flower of our male citizens. But, generally speaking, women realise better the importance of details. "It's dogged as does it," as they say in the old North Country. The constant push is vastly helpful at the last pinch of the warfunds. So it oomes about that women stick to their battalion and other Red Cross depots while many of their men friends spend the waning afternoons on golf links. * * * i To return to our chickens. The once obdurate- Government —perhaps impressed by the pace women have set. in their business-like war-methods- —has relented. It no longer turns that uninviting joint, cold shoulder, to our plea for rural education. Since hundreds of women are ~ doing farm work in this State, by way of . releasing their men folk for active service, the authorities -can scarcely decline the responsibility of making their way easier. • . * * ♦ •». Thus it is that 17 women students have just come through a. course of poultry lore at Hawkesbury College., This is pre-eminentlv the chief Government show place for training and experimental farming in Naw South Wales. Rider Haggard, like other distinguished visitors, was promptly whisked off to •consider the pigs and pumpkins—how they grow! The able Principal, Mr. Potts, has always been in favour of women students. He is, therefore, warm in praise 'of the earnest , and industrious work done by the 17 pioneer poultry ladies. Mr. A. L. _ Wyndham, their special teacher in this, is equally generous in his remarks. Yet feeding and rearing poultry has been women's •work since the days of Abraham. Officially, of course. Rebecca merely cooked the results. • • • * Sir Gerald Strickland and his pretty eldest daughter are still away. They should he making for home in a few

days—via Adelaide. The South Australian city welcomed the- visitors with torrential rains followed by a cyclone. This mark of esteem,' after a difficult motor trip across otir sou'-western plains—axle-deep 121 mud now and. then —must have blown away some vice-regali cobwebs. * * * * The Hilder book was sold out on the first day of the loan exhibition of the iate artist's beautiful water-colours. Sir Baldwin Spencer, the Australian traveller and art collector, who was recently knighted, lent some specially fine examples of Hilder's work. Sold, at 5s a copy, the .results of the book, as I told you, go to the artist's widow. The pity of it is, that there are no more to be bought, as the only edition was snapped up with an eagerness not contemplated, when the honorary editors published a limited edition. * « « * The New .South Wales Health Society., an amalgamation ,of idealists and practical citizens, holds'frequent meetings? during the winter. In- the summer, members are perhaps more occupied, in keeping cool, and discussions take a long siesta. Their July gathering was at Government House, by invitation from Lady Edeline Strickland. In the short winter afternoon, a Sydney architect, Mr. Peddle, addressed the meeting on "Lessons we can learn frou* America.*" The dust menace was dealt with, as part of our obsolete street-cleaning methods, also our badly-made roads. , As for the domestic fly, our United States sisters, according to Mr. Peddle, are beginning to exterminate the nuisance in wellordered homes. # • • . * His admiration for the fenceless gardens of many American houses, however, is not shared by everyone. Otherwise, we should all live in a glare of suburban publicity. To the ordinary British subject, it would be intolerable to have no higher barricade than a few grass blad.es between the front lawn of Jones and that of Smith. The feelings of the ladies of the household on washing day, when the backyard boundary line consisted of clothes-pegs only, migh + be even more fatal to neighbourly love. . *■ * * * The 14th of July, 1916. will long remain a landmark of our friendship for France. In the morning a- big parade of Reinforcements saluted the French flag in Mooie Park. During the

afternoon, there were various minor festivities, and a tea party given by Melha. At the latter, held in Farmer's, M. Albert Goosens, the Belgian baritone

now on the Conservatorium staff, sang patriotic chansons: He, poor fellow, a few hours later, received by cable, word of his brother's death in .France. * * * * The Belgian operatic singer took part in the fighting in the early days of horror in- Belgium. He was afterwards wounded, and excused from any further service unless sent for. Drifting here with - a Belgian band, his high attainments as a musician naturally attracted the notice of our -Belgian Gonservatorium Chief, Verbrugghen. It was characteristic of the spirit of his nation that M. Goosens insisted on singing at the French concert on July 14, an hour or so after getting the tidings that his brother had. been killed in action. To the audience, who did not know the cause, the stolid and dreary efforts of M. Goosens were the source of much inquiry. He had stuck to his compact, in the hour of acute personal distress — that was the explanation! * * » » The concert itself was a brilliant success. The Town Hall was too small for the audience that wished to do homage to our gallant Ally in stricken France. Proceeds went to the French League of Help. In the official seats the foreign Consuls and the Acting-Governor, Sir William Oullen, with his tail and gentlelooking. wife, were enthusiastic in their admiration of the excellent bill of fare. The Tivoli circuit lent a charming soprano, the refined Margaret Jewell— in whom Melba has taken some interest. From + he same address came Max Selinski, tlib gifted young Russian violinist. Our own Carrie Lanceley, a most accomplished vocalist, not long back from England, also "featured," as they say at the Movies. Verbrugghen and his quartet, with Madame Cnawin at the piano, gave the - audience a musical feast. In the interval, Sir William Cullen, standing on the platform, with the tricolor behind him, made an impassioned speech to Australia to support France against her hereditary oppressor. » «• # » The Zoo Council, with Architect Spain, as president, recently discussed its family affairs. The family will' shortly be moved from its oldi home in Moore Park to the new Zoo at Taromga Park. This is a beautifully terraced slope on the foreshores of the harbour. Here the lion will not exactly li© dofwn with the lamb, but it will move. about' untrammelled by the pitiful cage of its former:

captivity. So far as is possible with regard to public safety, tne animals; will have their liberty. The best features of the world's most famous zoos Have been copied. But, of course, the completion of Taronga Park will take several years. JVleanwhiTe, the new habitation is sufficiently advanced to recfeive its nonpaying guests. Mr. Le Soeuf, who directs the 'Zoo, is now concerned about the easiest way to move his pets. -They all have tempers of their own; and are likely to show them when they are persuaded to change their residence. » * -» Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Ward and their two sons leave in the Sonoma for a visit to their native land. U.S.A. Mrs. Ward will be missed during her absence. A large, serene, and most philanthropic woman, she is the soothing syrup to ner husband's more excitable temperament. . ♦ * * * "W Mr. Budden, one, of our Red Cross emissaries abroad, lias written a stirring appeal to our Battailion Comforts' Committees. Fritz is likely to fight on through the coming European winter. Therefore, warm Cardigan jackets, Balaclavas (knitted in one piece) and similar comforts are needed for our soldiers. * • • * The palatial Commonwealth Bank is to be opened in August. Even American architects la.ud this fine building as equal to their best New. York piles. 'A compliment which makes mere Australians glow with pride —of course ! A fine suite for the Governor-General— otherwise a wanderer when he comes to Sydney—is included in the sky-scraper. The decorations are said to be ornate. Yours discursively Rona.