WELLINGTON TABLE TALK

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1666, 3 February 1904, Page 24

WELLINGTON TABLE TALK

(BY “ERIE.”)

The oases- of smallpox which have Gome to us are a great worry, but assuredly we are a very philosophical people in the Empire city. We bow to the inevitable and in a most docile manner “all sorts and 1 condition's” are meekly being vaccinated. There is no hysterical scare in our midst, hut all is being done that is passible to minimise the evil by every private inhabitant in sanitary matters. At a seaport, where travellers from all parts of the- world are coaming and going, it will he almost impossible to keep it entirely away, but it can he very materially lessened if our population are mostly vaccinated: and their .homes are clean. We may trust our very active health officers to prevent^Abe spread of infection. Thev are absolutely drastic in their methods, in which they are wise. « * *

‘ It is surprising hiow much trouble our City Fathers give us both by their sins of omission and oommissljon. The plucky councillor who courageously spoke put about the extravagance of spending £7OO per annum upon an o-rgan for the new Town Hall, while we are spraining cur ankles over our unspeakable ■foot-

paths bas won the esteem and affection • of most c'itizenesses. We hang many hopes upon him, and if he will champion "isome of our grievances from his seat at the Council Board, we shall assuredly get seme redresses, for he (is as pertinacious as he is plucky. - non-eiommittal policy when faced with disagreeable questions, must surely come to an, end soon; and some-fairly truthful information b e- extraoted jfirom him. The reports of the

council 'meetings are! the first thing we read: when the papers come in. Usually there are a number of very irate women With strongly suppressed feelings after reading the dodging and fencing of His Worship. The danger hunt at the theatres, and even at our churches, emphasises the fact of how scarce good people are. We shall soon have to worship in a tent in an isolated spot, to* be absolutely immune. Over our tearcups, we write it all down as absolutely childish. Logically carried out these precautions would lead us back to an exceedingly primitive sort of life. An ex-Wellington lady, now resident in London, has a fiat seven stories up in a large house and there is only one “lift” for the seven stories. They have to ring when they need the “lift,” and they wait till their turn comes for it to stop at their landing. Some of our timorous City Fathers would be scared to live so far aloft, especially as the fire escapes provided would need a trained acrobat to> use them.

Miss Daphne .Werry, who is a native of Wellington, has been distinguishing herself greatly in the Oxford exams. The Bishop of Worcester presented the certificates at the Edgbaston College and remarked ihow very well the pupils had done. Miss Werry was the top of all England in history, and another pupil came top in another subject. The Recr tor of Birmingham in addressing the pupils emphasised the necessity of their not attempting to be monish women, while they were acquiring knowledge that would educate them up to the same level as men, their aims should be to remain perfectly womanly. A manish woman he looked upon, as an abomination. Fortunately very few New Zealand girls have any ambition in this direction.

We housekeepers are greatly exercised incur minds about this attempt to force rua to have Saturday as the shops’ halfholiday, It is had enough to have Wednesday afternoons cut out of any possibility of buying any addition to our commissariat, no matter what emergency may arise. The assistants are only halfhearted on the morning of their halfholiday, and mo one shops serious!" on Wednesday morning. If Saturday is the closing afternoon it simply means only the barest necessaries will be got between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. Practically, only five days per week. Amusement and recreation for the million is gaining by leaps and bounds into national custom. Another generation will most likely have only three days per week to buy the necessaries) of life as the health and comfort of the business world will need half time off!

There was held recently in London an exhibition of Buckingham lace with a view of bringing it back into fashion. The specimens of this beautiful old “pillow lace” were so entrancing that a lady who was there said nearly everything was, readily sold. Empty purses were universal, hut the lovely pelerines and collars and trimmings that had been annexed were considered a more than fair exchange. Several ladies of high rank have taken to wearing this beautiful! soft fine lace, and it has revived the almost extinct industry in England. Her Majesty has developed a great fondness for Buckingham lace, consequently it is very much the fashion to wear it. Any lucky woman who possesses any old hoards of this old world lace, can produce it triumphantly now, and be in the first rank of fashion.

In Queen Charlotte’s time this lace was almost exclusively worn and' nearrt all the country women filled up -any scraps of spare time with their, cushions and bobbins. Quite lately it was-found very hayd to l find a do-zen women who knew how to make pillow lace, and these were pressed into the service to teach youlng women in the lace schools set up by the Duchess of Warwick and again this valuable English industry is growing unto an art which will give remunerative employment to hundreds of needy women. .> # *

A white pony, covered with red silk with white lettering, and ridden by a jockey dressed in scarlet and white, was a most attractive advertising medium to the children. They got a little- mixed between the circus shows and this pony proclaiming a drapery sale, hut lie was gay and pretty, and they followed him admiringly from street to street-"

We are in,,the lowest depths of despair about our dried-up gardens. If only for one hour every evening our hard-heart-ed City Fathers would legalise our giving our chrysanthemums a drink we should he most grateful. It is very hard bo see them dying, when if we only had a meter we could! water as much as we need at t-he rate of Is for every thousand gallons used. The water lifts squander recklessly because they pay t-hiis paltry sum for the . water. W© are heartily sympathetic with our high\ level neighbours, hut it is harcT we are the only people who have to practically help them by denying our flowur gardens any water. This is another nail' in the Council's coffin.

* * Mr and Mrs John Marshall (Tutu To-

tana) have been in town for a week staying at Miss Malcolm’s. * * *

Mr and Mrs Welters (Carterton) have been at the Hotel Cecil for a week.

Mr and Mrs Oliver Samuel (New Plymouth) have been' visiting the Empire City. ''" '

Mrs Turnbull, senior, who ha® been on a long visit to her son, returned last week to her home in Dunedin.

Miss Margaret Cottsrill (Christchurch) has been the guest of Mrs W. Turnbull and afterwards of Mrs Buchanan. She returned to Christchurch on Tuesday. Miss Mar chant, the Lady Principal of the Dunedin High School, is spending the holidays in Wellington with her parents.

Muss Brewer (Oriental Bay) has gone to visit friends in Gisborne.

* * * Mrs Lomax (Wanganui) is staying in Wellington.

« * ** Dr and Mr® Anson have been for a holiday trip to Wanganui.

• » *. Wo are all eagerly., looking forward to the advent of our much-admired American friend, Mr Cuyler Hastings. The Southern people like him even better in the “Admirable Chriton” than they did in “Sherlock Holmes.” The seats also for the Dramatic Students two evening® are filling very rapidly, for wo know of old what good, excellent entertainments they always give.

The curious “pent house” of hair sticking out over +ho forehead which seems so much the fashion is one of tue most entirely trying styles of coiffure ever worn. The hats ihi® winter will run on the same lines. Very nunty and close to the head behind,Jbsit' wide developments far afront. Luckily this is a free country, and our girls can dp as they are a minded in the matter of hats, and I predict many will elect pot to wear this style, but will find something more becoming.

A perfectly lovely Paris lace chess has just been sent out from home. It is made upon a white silk sl'ip covered with kilting -of rose chiffon. The lace overdress ia threaded ail over with a narrow rose velvet edged with a thread of silver, and: finished with numbers of rosettes of the same velvet. The bouffant soft prettmess of this gon -s delightful, and the thread® of silver shimmer at night most effectively. the drooping shoulder styles of the early Victorian period are carried out m ali evening costumes, both m dresses ai d blouses.

The round lace berthe® of our great grandmothers can now come forth with splendid usefulness and effect. In London the flat solid evening shoe with ribbon sandals is coming in with other Victorian fashions. High backed combs are ■also seen for evening wear and are most becoming. It is to be hoped fashion will not dictate little ringlet® to go with these combs.

Mr® J. O. Warren ha® returned from her visit to her father, Ven. Archdeacon Williams, of Te Ante.