Social Gossip

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 872, 23 March 1917, Page 16

Social Gossip

Deab Cheistabel, — HOME is the sailor—home from the sea —and happy is the little youthful maiden of the city, for when Jack's ashore things seem a trifle

brighter. These "naval ratings" have made a pleasant break in the monotony of life. There have ; been some playing of bands, and a church parade, and a sprinkling of gold lace and much craning of necks and many glances of admiration, and a certain wistfulness in certain eyes, and a renewed longing for that glad day when all the fathers and brothers and husbands and lovers will come home again.' Meanwhile general rejoicing in this good fortune which has brought .-unexpected happiness into a few homes. .

Captain Hall Thompson is to be seen on occasion with a tall young daughter, who is very like him, and a smaller daughter and aj little son —and. who so proud as they ?■ Mrs. Hall Thompson has'not been, very well and, was not able to be present at the gay luncheon given in. the Town Hall : by the Mayor and Mayoress the day after the naval -ratings arrived. She was very much missed by people who. appreciate the splendid way .in which she;has thrown herself into the" patriotic work of the city. Most of us have realised that hers has been a life of exile during these months of war. and we all hope she will now have an opportunity to enjoy the holiday which has long been due to her. There is still one member of "the family absent. The elder son is a naval cadet and was left in England when the family came out here, long before'war clouds darkened the horizon. ■» The luncheon was a great success, perfectly arranged. The waiting was done by the ladies of Mrs. Luke's various patriotic committees. The whole thing went splendidly. _ The , Mayor was particularly happy in his expressions of appreciation, and Sir James Allen made a speech befitting the occasion. There ."was much clapping and rejoicing and hurrahing, and spectators in the gallery enjoyed themselves a.> much as the sailors did. Captain Hall Thompson was very brief, and said thank-you in a most attractive way. • ./ * . ■» * * We all wish these things happened more often, and no doubt they will some day, for Sir James Allen expressed -a very general feeling when he said that New Zealand young men must be given an opportunity to train for the sea and secure their share of the glorious traditions of the Navy. We are doing, a little, hit now, but perhaps some day-— who knows?—the jolly Jack Tar will be a familiar figure here. And. dear me; how the girls love the gold lace!

Too uracil excitement all at once. In the same week we have these "naval Tatings" and the-alleged disappearance of Nicholas and the hysterics of the unfortunate Czarina, and St. Patrick's Day, the Kindergarten Sale, an entertainment in the Sydney-street Soldiers' Club, the fall of Bapaume and of a Zep-

pelin—and a record hot day. Literally, we'.swelter, and in the country the week-end visitor is no longer welcome. It takes water for its bath—and water cannot be- spared. Most unpleasant. Each Saturday the old pessimist continues to spread his gloom. No longer does he fear that rain will spoil his game. Au contraire, he fears the rain is. still far off. Some people are never satisfied. , Residents on the hills enjoy a splendid at night. Bush and grass fires across the harbour are quite common, and the interned Germans on Somes: - Island probably imagine that all sorts of things are happening.

If we were asked: "Who is the most unhappy woman in the world?" one . would not be very wide of Ithe mark in answering : "The Czarina." The historian tells us a little —rand, being human, we can guess a good. deal more. The Princess Alix of Hesse was in her day one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. She spent a great part of her girlhood in the English Court with her grandmother, Queen Victoria, and her face and figure were well known to the public. Even in those early days they say she wore a" expression. She had none of the tact and little of the charm of manner .which one imagines should accompany ,good breeding. Strangely, too, she was never able to speak French with per- . feet ease, - and - this was the more unfortunate, because, in [Russia French is the language used in polite society. She was married to the young Czar while the Dowager Empress was wrapped _ in grief and while the whole nation mourned in sympathy, and from the very first her ways were compared unfavourably with those of her mother-in-law. ' «*.««' She was a German, and the people did not welcome her whole-heartedly, and she felt rather than saw their antipathy, and especially their. disappointment as the years passed, by and she. failed to give, the Czar and his people their heart's desire —an heir to the throne. Women all the world over cannot fail to feel some sympathy with one so sorely tried as the Czarina has been. Her nerves are absolutely shattered. She has from the first feared that some disaster would fall upon her • husband. She has never acquired that courage which is second nature, to most people of good breeding. When, after long, weary years, the heir did arrive, the mother had • already become so nervous and strange .that she was no happy companion for her four beautiful young daughters, and the obvious delicacy. of the infant son came as a last straw. The boy has been utterly spoilt, for as the years have sped the unhappy parents have be I ,en forced to realise that there is, little hope that he will grow to manhood. •* •» ® a It has been said that the Czar is one of those unfortunate people upon-whom is placed responsibility they are not strong enough to bear. It is quite certain, that the Czarina has few of the great qualities of royalty—and most of the weaknesses. "The world is in a melting pot, What was is passing away, And what will remain when it cools again No man safely say." Let us, at least, hope that we shall never lose control, and that the women of the civilised world will never forget that we are as we were made, and that the Czarina's greatest misfortune is that she was born a German. # . * ® ® Far-seeing people are keeping up their French, and many women of

alleged leisure are taking French lessons and forming French conversation classes- It is reported of a certain Wellington man that he can read French quite easily and even write it accurately, though he knew nothing of the language two years ago, and has never spoken a word of it to his teacher. The whole thing has been done by correspondence.

A movement is'on foot to establish in New Zealand a fund, the interest on which will be used to assist trained nurses who, through ill-Health or other reasons, are- incapacitated or in difficulties. An association is being formed to organise the matter and to collect the necessary money for the establishment of what' is hoped will be a fitting memorial to those brave nurses who have died on active service, and to all those others, who in their country's:' need, •cheerfully gave up home and comfort and offered their services wherever they might be required. Mrs. Harry Lowry, of Hawke's Bay, and Miss Boyd, of Taihape, have been put on the Provincial Committee, which is already moving, and whose members are collecting subscriptions. The accunrulate.d collections are to be invested in a war loan, and so two birds will be killed with one stone. The medical men of the Dominion are very much, interested in the movement, and it is confidently expected that the public will respond to the appeal for its support.

Among youthful flappers there is a silly craze for cutting the hair in American crop style. Needless to state, parents of girls whose hair grows luxuriantly, do not approve of the fashion.; nor do girls with very beautiful hair show any desire to adopt the_ style, which suits only the small minority. So enthusiastic are some devotees of the style, that in a certain country school, _ a whole class returned one day after lunch with cropped heads. The girls had cut each other's hair in the luncheon hour. History does not relate what was said by the parents at the end of the day.

Miss Gardiner has returned to Havelock North. *•* » ■ Miss Kate Williams (Hukurere, Napier), has been spending a few days in Wellington. She- and Mrs. G. Maclean returned to Napier last v-eek. * # •# *• . The death occurred in Capetown last September of .Mrs. Dick Kerr, who as Miss McLauchlan, was well known _in - Napier 14 or 15 years ago. Mr. .Dick Kerr, when in New 'Zealand, was on the staff of the Union Bank, the Napier branch of which was managed by his father. The late Mrs. Dick Kerr left one child, a girl of 11 years. * ' * * * At the most recent of the monthly dances at the Soldiers' Club, in Sydneystreet, one brave warrior manfully worked his way through the whole proprogramme, and paid very great attention to one particular girl, whose dancing he admired immensely. "How am I doing?" he would ask occasionally, during a slight pause in his untiring efforts. His" partner invariably encouraged him with kind words and pleasant smiles, and. he grew so certain c>f her interest and sympathy that he took her into his confidence. . "This is my' very first hop," he said, "and my mates had a great time this morning hugging me round the hut." Being a polite and kind girl, his partner expressed surprise, and it is said that she is quite proud of her bruised feet, and very happy. Had she not helped a soldier bov?

In spite of the fact that last Friday was Country Day at the Red Cross Shop, the Kindergarten Committee had a very successful Produce Sale in, the Concert Chamber, about £80 being added by it to the fund which is being raised to buy a section in Taranakistreet. Upon this section in the near future it is hoped a large modern kindergarten will be built for the use of the children in that locality and for ihe training of the student teachers: The organisers of the sale, Miss England, Miss Seaton, and Mrs. Siegfried Eiehelbaum, are to be congratulated, for they and the kindergarten teachers managed to make the parents of the children:very enthusiastic. Consequently many of those parents gave tremendous heip at the! produce stalls. The Parcel Stall , was a very popular .place and' a very necessary institution.. It was-run by the mistresses and the students from the, five kindergartens—the Misses Riley, Ronayne, Hind, Hertzog, Morris, Newton, Lake, Macandrew, Scott, and others. Lady Gibbes and Mrs. Gray did well,.with a flower and pot-plant stall, and Miss Naomi Mantell and her friends presided: over a wellstocked- cake and sweet stall. '

Members of the Council, including Mrs-. Gill, the president, took an active interest in all arrangements, and the £80 received, with the subscriptions already .in, will- buy the land required in Tai'anaki-street —a. beautifully sunny section upon which is a huge old pear" tree, which will be carefully preserved by the_ kindergarten people. Money for building the kindergarten has yet to be raised, but the public •'is very generous : where, children are concerned.

Great doings; in the ' Sydney-street Soldiers' Glubroom last Saturday night, wlien some o£ tlie talen-fc of the 26tli Specialists entertained the hostesses and committee members of the. Club. It was the . first occasion of its kind and a. very • 'pleasant one J - The usual good supper was provided in the soldiers' refreshment room, the hostesses for that evening .being 'the members of St. John's Women's Association. In the ' gymnasium,. the House Committee provided lemonade and cakes for the extra guests. Mrs. Coleridge, the actingpresident, took a leading part in the. evening's arrangements, and welcomed Sir James Allen and his daughter, Mrs; - Montgomery, when they unexpectedly arrived. , ' ■, *. * * • *

For various reasons, humorously quoted by Sergeant Lovell, chief spokesman for the little company of entertainers, some of them failed to appear. One; apparently,: had taken unto himself a wife, and another had received a

pressing'invitation from some person in authority to. remain in camp, and so on. The fragments r which remained . were successful in providing an amusing and pleasant evening—the instrumentalists proving themselves ', accomplished artists. It appears that they and other n equally talented men of the company occasionally visit the towns near Featherston (Carterton and places like it), 'and provide concerts which are highly appreciated by the residents.

The accompanist for the/evening was Mrs. Blake, wife of the Corporal of that ilk, and a valuable asset of the company. "Night of Stars" was rapturously applauded and encored when it was played as a trio by Mrs._ Blake and . Corporal Leicester and Philips (instrumentalists). Corporals "Williams and Blake sang several songs, and' Sergeant Lovell told yarns and did fancy tricks.

There were present, perhaps for the first time all together, most. of the ladies who give assistance to the various hostesses on their regular nights— also neaTly all the hostesses, including leading members of St< John's Ambulance, Mrs. Moorhouse, Mrs. Pearson, and Miss Robieson, and representatives of various guilds and societies, including the Y.M.C.A., the Victoria League, and the Spinsters' Club, also the members of the House Committee, including Mrs. Salmond, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. C. Earle, Mrs. Blundell, and Mrs. Nathan, and Mrs. L. Marchant, who' always plays for the men and girls on the dance nights, and Mrs. Cliatfield, whose hobby is coals, and Miss Riothenberg, the honorary librarian, and all the ladies who take a regular interest in the Club, and their name is legion, for we all love our soldier boys.

The powers that, be have issued _an order forbidding Army nurses on active service abroad to marry without the special permission of the General Officer Commanding the 'New Zealand Expedition, and they have protected said General from the winsome . ways of nurses who could probably secure that permission by tnaMng it compulsory to

. apply through the Principal Matron of ■ the -New Zealand Expeditionary Force in England—and that is probably a very different proposition. By the new regulation sisters who are already mar-; ried now find themselves liable to be re- ' tired or placed on the reserve.

• Man as a rule is ratter dense when it comes to considering aifairs of . the heart (unless he takes a personal interest in the discussion). But it does geem as if someone in_ the Cabinet is taking pity unorr the girls who. are now not allowed to proceed to England. It' is getting duller and duller and duller out here. All . the men. have gone or are going, and there are left only the very old men,; or the very married or the very unfit. From England come letters telling how our soldier'boys on leaye in London find great happiness in taking, girls to the theatre—and there are now no ehaperones. EachS'girl has a boy—and some have two—and the. boy is proudest whose girl is ■ ''the most dolled up." -''Ain't, it sickening?" But there is a good time "coming.' sence makes the heart grow fonder and most of the English girls have an• ''extra special" at the front. They 1 are just being kind to everything in khaki or blue—and the war cloud is not quite as dark to-day as it was a. week ago.

Mrs. Corliss, Sir John Findlay's sister, has been made hon. secretary of the Women's National Reserve in place of Miss Ward, who-, recently resigned. Mrs. Corliss did excellent war work in London for two years under the banner of the Victoria League. , • ' Mabel. ' Miss Emmie "Ore, for twelve years in the employ of Godber's, Ltd., was the happy recipient of farewell presents last week from her employers and staff, in vieW of her approaching marriage to Mr. -Ambrose, of Wellington. Messrs. Godber presented her with a solid marble clock, and her girl associates gave her a tea-set. The wedding takes place in Dunedin at Easter. -

The engagement is announced of Miss Doris Melntyre, only daughter of Mr 1 ., and Mrs. Thos. H. Mclntyre, Lower Mutt, to Mr. James McKain, fourth son of Mr. D. McKain, Wereroa, Levin..

There was a'\ sad coincidence in the news of the deaths this week of Mr. Percy Dix and Mr. Fred Duval. They were associated for many years when Dix's Gaiety, Company was in its heyday. -Genial Percy Dix was then at his zenith, and Fred Duval was his right-hand man. But Dix's 'Gaiety Company, which catered well for the vaudeville entertainment of the multitude, failed to make a financial success of things,' and the result was the usual one. Theri Mr. Dix tried his luck in Australia, and, according to . all accounts, was doing well with his moving picture-show at Newcastle. Both he and Mr. Duval were vfell known, and general regret will be felt at the news of their deaths. For 35 years Mr. Duval was Tom Pollard's business manager while , Tom was running Ixis . famous Juvenile Opera Companies.

The auction*' sale of Gracefield sections (If miles from Petone Post Office) by Messrs Bethuhe and 00. offers a splendid opportunity to. the crowds of people who want homes in' a pleasant situation handy to town. These sections are quite level, fronting good roads on the way from Petone to Lowry Bay, and the terms of sale (1Q per cent, down and balance in five years) place them within everybody's reach. Read the advt. elsewhere and make Tip your mind to be at the sale.