NOTES FOR WOMEN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7980, 11 December 1911, Page 9

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

THIS PASSING SHOW

Some littlo Talk awhile of Jle and Thee There wits—and then no more of Thee and

•—Omar Khayyam

Once rnoro anticipation has played mo false, and tho expected brilliant illumination resolved itself into tho light of a penny dip I It was but a dull crowd that thronged tho streets on Thursday night and split into three sections outside the three newspaper offices. Ono could not but bo struck with the entiro absenoo of wit and humour. “Not to put too fine a point upon it,” as Mr Guppy would have said, the crowd was deadly dull. Not only that, they absolutely scarcely seemed to know what they wanted, these masses of people who roamed from ono newspaper platform to another, too slack to “ bo bothered doing suras in mental addition and subtraction,” as the results went up at one office —too slack to ' bo bothered with all those beastly lights flaring in your eyes” at tho other. There wasn’t ono real electric thrill of intense, vital feeling in all the queerly assorted masses. Women enough and to spare, their pretty peacock plumes of the afternoon foregone for any old thing that came handy. Speaking generally, the one outstanding feature about them was their colossal ignorance of and incompetence on political issues. One could only hope, for the ethical value of tho feminine vote, that tho women who stayed at homo on Thursday evening know' more about tho issues at stake than the women who thronged the streets, and asked amazing questions of all and sundry. It seemed a sad and disquieting presago for the future of any country—and the more richlyendowed by nature the sadder that the future, the .equipment for unborn generations, should’ rest largely upon the undisciplined, irresponsible vote of such young people as formed a large section of the crowds on election night.

It is not their fault that they are ignorant of the great issues upon which they are ashed to record their vote. Politics are not a natural taste with women but an acquired. Once impressed with the conviction that it is their'duty to vote, they prepare—many of them with a certain amount of reluctance—to do so, and having.no real knowledge of politics they are easily “had” on some powerful personal question such as temperance, personal advantage, or personal-liking. They do not know enough of measures to vote for them—-in sporting phrase they are largely inclined to “ back their fancy,” or, as likely ns not to vote for the candidate in whose return some friend is deeply merely as an irndcent means of giving that friend pleasure and support. The remedy—if, indeed, it, is worth thinking- pf;—is -that some scheme of instruq-. tiom in current political kistory be evolved whereby women might acquaint themselves with thd broad questions at issue, and the connection of the various parties with those issues. It is the little humanities which always strike me, I confess, and among them I placed easily first Dr Izard’s excellent confession of present failure and the sporting spirit in which it was made. There was a fine manly note, too. in Mr Fitzgerald’s speech; and with the Salvation Array’s little serenade to the member for Petone, and their tribute to Mr Wilford as a man, a member, and a Mayor, I am sure a great many people will be thprougmy in accord. • • # • o

Before I can get quite away from politics, a paragraph in the last “Daily Mail” is worth quoting as being a curiously opportune commentary _ on that piece of our own recent legislation dealing with the ‘ control of _ the feeble-minded and mentally deficient, which I had occasion to notice the other day. I give the paragraph as it stands, and only add that I have heard of a' case almost as bad in oiir own Dominion, showing how much such legislation as I have referred to is needed: “ The asylums committee of the London County’ Council report the cose of a ivoman who has been admitted fifteen times to the council’s lunatic asylum and eleven times to other asylums since 1872; She has had thirteen children; five are dead and two show signs of insanity.” ' » » • • •

And, again, I have been much struck by the surprise manifested by English visitors and tourists at oiir-various provisions for the care and comfort of mothers and young children. To us the Karitano Home, the Plunket nurses, the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and the St. Helens Hospitals have now become a matter of course, part of the" everyday machinery of our little world. To English people they are surprising developments’to discover in so young a community; Our London correspondent, writing under a recent date, speaking of the mothers, and expectant mothers, in the great army of workers in London and other large cities, said:

EDITED BY “ZEAUANDIA.”

“ When want and disease and wretchedness.break down their resistance, there is tho workhouse, the gaol, the asylum, and the -hospital supported by chanty, for the refuge j but of national maternity hospitals, national creches, national district nurses, national food depots for nursing and expectant mothers,-a total dearth.” * * * * *

Id face of our many progressive methods it sometimes seems quite pardonable, and always quite conceivable, that we should be rather proud of ourselves. I heard an English lady only the other day expressing the greatest surprise at our mail motors. “ AVhy, they aro quit© new even in London I” was her amazed commentary.

Among tho personal details concerning the Coronation Durbar, it is mentioned that the King’s crown is one specially mad© for tho occasion, and including magnificent gems, especially appropriate to an Indian The Queen's crown, with tho historic Koh-i----noor in the centre of the front, is the same sho wore at her coronation. Among her Majesty’s private jewels chosen for the Indian visit is a wonderful pearl necklace and a magnificent Lotus flower in diamonds which absolutely blazes with the brilliance of the stones.

Tho Prince of Wales having had his naval experiences telescoped into a brief three months—a fact, one suspects, he must sincerely tho battleship Hindustan in time to spend a few days with his parents before they left for India. Of course, being a Prince, everyone* officers, instructors, and crew, spoke well of him. In his case, however, there seems every probability that iSi© feeling was entirely genuine, as X hear from one of my English correspondents that the Prince of Wales is tho idol of the British public. His youthful ingenuousness and dignity combined, together with a sweet and cheerful nature, have firmly established him ih the hearts or his father’s people, ' —ZEALANDIA. SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Hi's Kingdon (Feilding) has gone on. a visit to Nelson. Mrs Glasgow, -who has been spending a week in Wellington, returned to New Plymouth on Saturday.

Mi's George Robinson, who has been visiting Palmerston and Wellington, is returning to Invercargill to-morrow.

Miss Chaytor has returned from Palmerston, and is staying with Mrs lid win.

Mr and Mrs Adiq (Birmingham) are the guests of Mrs Reading, “ Nauihai,” Kelburne.

Mrs Ben Iveson (Masterton) is spending a week at Wellington and ketone.

Mrs Bennett (Blenheim) is on a visit to Wellington.

Mrs McKenzie (Levin) is staying at the Occidental Hotel. > '

Miss Lorna Monclrtbn arrivefl from tho South. on and left -by the afternoon train for Feafherston.'

Miss Hughes (Christchurch), who arrived yesterday, is staying at the Windsor. '

Mrs MoKain (Mastei-ton) is visiting Wellington.

Miss Russell and Miss Hoey (Wanganui) are staying at the' Occidental. Mrs Barry (Blenheim) is staying at the Windsor. .

Miss Pinkey returned to Masterton on Saturday.

, Miss Glasgow (New Plymouth) left on Saturday for the South.

Mrs Telford, who has been staying in tho Wairarapa and Wellington, returned' to Greymouth on Saturday'.

Mrs U. W. Smith, who has been seriously ill for some time past, has recovered sufficiently to return to her, home at Taihapo. Miss Pringle gave a tea for her pupils on Saturday afternoon at her home in Grant road. Tea was served in the dining-room, which _ was decorated with Mount Cook lilies. Pianoforte selections were given by each of the pupils. Miss Pringle wore cream silk voile. Among the guests were Mrs Donne, Miss Barber, and Miss R. Tingey. FREE KINDERGARTEN FETE. There can he no doubt that Saturday’s weather was most unfavourable against the success of tho fete of the Richmond free kindergarten schools, which took place at tho Sydney street schoolroom instead of the beautiful at Awarua House; which had teen kindly placed _ at the disposal of the committee by Sir Josex>h and lady

Ward. A great deal of trouble had been taken to adapt tbe programme to the different conditions of the schoolroom. The girls from the Mount Cook school, under tho direction of Miss Helyer, gave much pleasure by their floral and tambourine drill, and their singing of carols was particularly good, and Miss Helyer must bo upon the excellent results achieved by her pupils. The sweet and cake stall was in charge of Mrs Darling and Mrs T. Duncan. The tea-room was under the direction of Lady Gibbes, Mesdames Burnett,, Kane, Gill, and the flower stall was managed by Mrs Lindsay, Mrs Dumbell, and Miss Horne. FAIR GAME. "Here, darling,” said tho husband, ‘‘here are five sovereigns that I won at bridge: Iyou may as well take them and buy that muslin gown you wanted." Hesitatingly the young wife took- the money and answered: “Well I strongly disapprove of spending money gained m such a way, so, dear, promise mo that after you have won enough to buy a hat to match the dress you'll never touch, a card again."