HERE AND THERE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6678, 28 November 1908, Page 12

HERE AND THERE

A Major-General has written to the "Express” suggesting that the Suffragist problem might be solved by creating a third chamber, to be called, the House of Ladies. This (remarks a Home contemporary) is a bright idea, and if only tho Suffragists could bo bound over to invade it only and leave the other two Houses alone, it would save a lot of expense and worry. But the strength of tho Suffragists is that they do not care about fighting with one another when there is a man around. Men are so much less capable of parrying an umbrella. The very end case noted some yea<r® ago of a young girl, who, when a Iftrble child, had slipped on highly polished linoleum, with the terrible result that hip disease supervened, and the unfortunate victim became a chronic cripple, has ever -since stood in the writer's mind as an excellent reason why floor polishes should be abolished on humanitarian principles—where there are young children especially.' Confirmation of the idea comes from .London, where recently the question whether some linoleum was so highly polished that it formed a positive danger owing to it® slipperiness was discussed in Brompton County Court. Isabella Burgees, a chambermaid, sought to recover ,£SO damages for personal injuries from the proprietress of the S’tan hope Hotel, Stanhope Gardena, South Kensington. The plaintiff, who was in service at the hotel in April last, slipped on the linoleum covering of one of the upstairs passages and injured, her right side. It was contended that the linoleum was so highly polished with a special preparation that it was dangerous to walk upon it. The chambermaid did not get her damages, but th© jury recommended that she should receive compensation under the Workers’" Compensation Act, but the incident affords a good deal of food for speculation,'

Foreign etiquette differs from .ours in many ways. In Germany people attach great importance to the sofa, and distinguished guests are motioned towards it as though to a seat near a throne. No young unmarried girl would venture to seat herself upon this hallowed spot—it is , a privilege for her superiors in rank, . A German gentleman bows to all the company the moment he enters the room. An Englishman makes for his hostess, and only bows to peopl© with whom he is acquainted or to whom he is introduced. Tho custom of having assistant hostesses is an American fashion. These ladies are the relations or • intimate friends of the hostess, and they come to assist her to entertain. They take off their hats so as to look as if they are at home, they effect introduction®, they -welcome the guests, take people down to tea, and even stand near the door if tho hostess wants to leave her post for a while. Another point in which American etiquette differs from ours is tho fashion of evening calls. An American friend told me there was nothing she missed hero like the evening visitors whom she was accustomed to have in New York. In America men are busy in the day; there are no men of leisure (as the American girl told the English lord) "with the exception of tramps.” The evening is their time of recreation, and they pay visits to the ladies of their acquaintance.

Women are just now having a great say in things over in the Commonwtealth, The first convention of "Labour Women” comprising from various trades unions, was held in Sydney re£entlv, and was very largely attended. vL*ho purpose of the conference was educational, being an effort to arouse fihe interest of women, both industrially and politically, and to discuss the best means of organising for the next Federal elections, as well as the most effective means of preventing the sweating of ■women workers, by bringing them into tho unions. As a preliminary, a motion was passed directing the secretary to telegraph to tho Federal Labour iparty tho congratulations of the convention upon the accession to office of the Labour Ministry, and wishing them a •fruitful and useful life. It was resolved "That there should be day sittings in (Parliament.” It was considered that legislation-forced through in the small hours of tho morning was ill-digested •and not in the interests of the country. A proposal that in the event of day .sittings being adopted tho salaries of members of Parliament should be increased, was rejected. A further motion was passed as follows—''That the annual conference of tho Political Labour League of New South Wales should elect .an educational committee, to make themselves conversant with educational requirements, and from time to time place such needs before the Labour -party, per medium of the Labour League executive.” It was resolved—" That the 'tim*e is ripe for ffhe Government to ;more practically protect the public health, by providing for periodical medical supervision for men, women, and 'children, with the object of detecting disease and deficiencies in hearing and Mghl, and with a view of preventing the spread of certain diseases, and to secure it in the beginning; and that {provision be made for the treatment of children whose parents are not able to .pay for this medical treatment,” It was also decided—“ That women should take seats on all municipal councils.”