CHIT CHAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 764, 22 October 1886, Page 4

CHIT CHAT.

The topic of the tea-table just now is, of course, the coming hospital ball, which has rather an interesting history. You know K or perhaps you do not know, that the idea originated with the hospital authorities, and the proposition wa3 to hold a ball in a spare ward of the hospital itself. The patronage of some leading ladies was secured, and the necessary advertisements inserted in the newspapers. How the catering was to be managed doe 3 not appear, but presumably the expenses would come out of the proceeds of the sale of tickets. At an afternoon teatable the subject came up, and first one objection and then another was raised to existing arrangements. To have a dance in a building occupied by sick, and possibly dying patients, was rightly judged incongruous in the extreme, not to say. heartless, even were Dr. Hassell's statement correct—as no doubt it was—that the sound of revelry could not be heard from one ward to another. Womanly feeling recognised the fact that the plan was inconsistent with humanity, and such an outrage upon the proprieties that probably few people would care to take part in it. It was thought the Drillslied would attract more visitors, and that if a committee of ladies undertook the management, as they did on the occasion of the opening of the hospital years ago, they would certainly meet with the same success. So Lady Vogel convened a large representative meeting at her house to discuss ways and means. At once it was apparent that there would be little difficulty in the matter. Each lady freely promised donations of good things, till a supper menu was made out that would not disgrace a palace. ’Tis true one lady mildly proposed that the refreshments should be of a modest description, but her counsels prevailed not against the proffers of help pouring in. Still the proposition was wise, considering that in all likelihood these hospital balls will be frequent if no rate be imposed, and thus the tax upon individual effort will be heavy. The occasion was favorable to the establishment of a precedent, and in the future nothing but a so-called bread-and-butter ball would have been looked for. People do not, or should not, go for the sake of feeding ; surely they can enjoy themselves for a few hours without requiring a heavy repast. However, I am fully convinced that the public will respond to the call of charity with their customary liberality, and a handsome sum will be netted the unds of the institution-

Talking of funds reminds me of the latest accounts °of Hospital Saturday in London, when 1800 ladies took charge of the collecting boxes in the various districts, standing the whole d,ay at their posts right manfully, and becoming for the nonce veritable street beggars. The much-abused London cabmen materially assisted tlie cause by carrying boxes, and cleverly advertised it by bearing on their \vhip3 a pennon with the words ‘ Hospital Saturday ’ boldly printed thereon. What a vast amount of ignorance still exists in England anent the colonies. One would imagine that, brought so near to the Mother Country as they now are by fleet steamers, information would have been scattered broadcast by the numbers of travellers to and fro, so that it would have been impossible to make such egregious mistakes about our civilisation as are found in Home journals. For example, we take the following advice as to a New Zealand outfit found in the Queen newspaper * Outfit for New Zealand—Strong and useful dresses, not too elaborately made, are the best adapted and serviceable for a residence in North Island. The winters are cold ; in summer the heat is great. Simply made of zephyr and cambric, dresses in fast colors such as can easily be washed, and do not require extensive getting up. Servants are ignorant and rough, and housekeeping be comes a difficulty. A good and faithful servant taken out would be a great comfort and acquisition ; those engaged iu the country are.| not to be depended on. A good serge dress and plain morning gowns in light and warmer materials will be found most serviceable'.'. Gloves, hose, table linen, window curtains in muslin and cretonne, toilet covers, stationary, tapes, buttons, needles, cottons, and such articles, though readily obtained at home, are difficult to procure out there, and are inferior and costly. Flannel vests, and for underclothing better study simplicity than appearance. Take a supply of comfortable easy boots and shoes, light and strong ones. Leave your measure at home, also pattern with dressmaker, so that anything required can be written for, which will be found cheaper and better than what is to be had in tlie colonies. Take a riding habit and saddle. Doeskin gloves are longest and best for long riding excursions ; a habit in holland, or some washing material is most serviceable for the hot weather. Dust cloak, waterproof, parasol, umbrella, a 3mall family medicine chest, and a book with easy and practical recipes on cookery. All information in cooking, housekeeping, ordinary things of life are not to be despised, and any lessons taken in the former will prove advantageous in case of necessity, which often arises.’ Now does this not look ijvery much as if we lived very primitively ; were not furnished with decent shops in fact, enjoyed few facilities for housekeeping

even on a moderate scale ? You must be amused at the enumeration of small articles of haberdashery which are so scarce here, at least the Queen would have its readers believe so ; and that, mind you, is a paper devoted to the fashionable and educated classes l■ Not long ago I received a letter addressed ‘ Mrs , Hill-street, New Zealand.’ Evidently the writer (who, being editor of a paper, should have known better) takes New Zealand to be a small place, a sort of country town where everybody is known. Why one might almost as well address to High street, England. Surely the ‘ Colinderies ’ will have a beneficial effect in teaching folks something more about the Antipodes than they have hitherto * taken in ?’ The fact is, too little thought is expended by the’ masses upon places beyond Britain and its immediate vicinity. Soon, I suppose, the bathing season will commence. In view of it, I would recommend to my readers the newest style of costume that will certainly supersede the ugly, blue serge dress, in which maids and matrons disport themselves while in the water. The new bathing dress is called the ‘ Princess,’ and consists iu knickerbockers, highnecked tunic, and sash ; the novelty consists in the garments being knitted. You can imagine how nicely they sit to the fignre. I, however, should prefer combinations instead of knickerbockers, for where the body and draweis are separate, the tunic is apt to float up and then is revealed a band of flesh to the discomfiture of the owner. I believe directions for knitting combinations were put in a recent work table article ; and any petticoat pattern would answer for a tunic, so my young friends can, if they like, make themselves a Princess costume both pretty and convenient. While on the subject of knitting, I may as well give directions for a pretty lace and insertion. A * Constant Reader,’ wrote asking for these patterns some weeks ago, but she omitted her name and address, which should always be appended to correspondence, otherwise it is usually thrown into the waste-paper basket, from which fate on this occasion my good nature has spared it. ALGERIAN. INSERTION. -s Cast on seventeen stitches. 1 : Knit three, over, narrow, knit three, over, knit one, over, knit five, over, narrow, knit one. 2 : Knit three, over, narrow, knib one, narrow, over, knit three, over, narrow, knit three, over, narrow, knit one. 3 : Knit three, over, narrow twice, over, knit five, over, narrow, knit two, over, narrow, knit one. 4 : Knit three, over, knit three together, over, narrow, knit three, narrow, over, aarnow, knit one, over, narrow, knit one. 5 : Knit three, over, narrow, knit one, over, narrow, knit one, narrow, over, knit three, over, narrow, knit one. 6 : Knit three, over, narrow, knit two, over, slip two, knit one and throw the two slipped over the one just knit, over, knit four, over, narrow, knit one. LACE TO MATCH. Cast on fifteen stitches. 1 : Knit three, over, narrow, knit three, over, knit one, over, knit six. 2 : Knit six, over, knib three, over, narrow, knit three, over, narrow, knit one. 3 : Knit three, over, narrow twice, over, knit five, over, knit six. 4 : Slip one, knit one, throw the slipped stitch over that just knit, cast off four stitches then knit one, over, narrow, knit three, narrow, over, narrow, knit one, over, narrow, knit one. 5 : Knit three, over, narrow, knit one, over, narrow, knit oue, narrow, over, knit three.

6 : Knit three, over, knit one, over,, slip two, knit one, throw the two slipped stitches over the one just kuib, over, knit four, over, narrow, knit one. Elise