NOTES FOR WOMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10450, 1 December 1919, Page 4

NOTES FOR WOMEN

Mrs E. P. Stacy, of Clare, South Australia, who has been staying m Gisuorno with, her daughter, Mrs J. S. Barton, has left on hor return journey to Australia. Mrs Stacy Had intended staying in Gisborne for some time to come, but received a cable announcing the sudden death of one of box sons, and decided to return immediately.

Last Thursday evening at the VJV.D. recreation quarters at Trentham Military Hospital, the sisters and nurses clubbed together to bid farewell to Assistant>Chargo Sister Gorrard, of tno Nurses' Home. The room was decorated with flowers and lilies, arranged by ■the nurses, under tho supervision ol Charge Sister T. Butler. The guest of the evening was enthusiastically received by tho . nursing staff, • and farewe-1 speeches wero made. Sister Gerrarct, who proceeded overseas, carried on her nursing duty as usual at Trentham Camp and her departure was a great loss, bhe was the recipient of many parting gifts from the nurses and sisters of the TreiitLam Military Hospital, as well as individual gifts from her nursing associates. She loft by the last Sydney boat en route for liobart, Tasmania. Mrs Alexander Hamilton gave a linen gift tea last week in aid of the VV.N.it. residential Nursery at her home at Khandailah. Despite drenching rain between forty and fifty ladies were present. Mrs Porter (hon. organiser W.N.R.) outlined tho objects of the gathering. Alter the business was over all wero invited to partake of afternoon tea, served in the diuingroom, which was beautifully decorated with crimson roses in prebty baskets tied with bows of crimson satin to match the roses. A most enjoyable afternoon was spent and a large number of useful gifts were handed in for tho nursery.

Another delightful dance was given by tho etafi officers of the Trentharn Carup at the Soldiers' Club last week, when .nere was a large muster of lady guests, as well as the nursing stall' of the Xrentuam Military Hospital. Dancing and a jard •tournament were indulged in. In the latter Nurse Brebner was successful in winning first prize for euchre. The v-amp orchestra played selections. Miss Ada Reeves visited tho Anzao Buf•et just before the last mails left lxin* uon. She met with, an enthusiastic weir jome by the workers, who are ail aware jf cue amount of money 6he has been . for raising towards the rnaincenanoe of the buffet, and by the '"dig--o'exa," to whom she has been a sympathetic friend. On the following even,ng she appeared at the Victoria Hall, and met with a a great reception. Tiier« ivere 300 "diggers" present in the audience, and the popular comedienne was inundated with Hovers.

The cream order, whioh required special permits to purchase cream, was to oe revived in .London on September Ist. High collars ure rather, tho rule tba& ;he exception. They ar soft folding, araped, or else of the Medici kind. These last are the most popular. They are becoming a-ud can be so arranged as to iio flat or stand up, which is always convenient.

Tassels are employed by some of our enterprising dressmakers, who introduce them on serge dresses to take the place of braidings or embroideries, and on the aem of a skirt or coates. These tassels are verv small and are placed oioae together in regular lines. The effect is quaint 'but distinctly good.

U'ISS MARLB TEMPESTS SCENE!! Y

The difficulty of staging plays effectively in remote'places, whore the qut-s----<.ion of transportation is ever a serious problem, seorns to have been solved by iliss Mario Tempest during* h«r South African tour. Ae it was impossible to take much scenery to some of the smaller ithodesian towns, she conceived the idea •if playing the few interiors needed ill draperies. Requiring an atmosphere as well as an enclosed space for the puipose, Uiss Tempest says that she got some delicatelv tinted casement cloth, and on this stencilled a conventional design in suspended baskets of flowers. This gave the touch of fominiine quality for "Kitty." The lawyer's room was formed bv the green backing of these curtains, leaving two of the basket ourtains as a sort of proscenium to continue the motif. For "Penelope" tho curtain was used again with a tsriped cretonne as tho proscenium, with a basket in almost tho original design, but making quite a different room. Tho r>lan was such a success in Rhodesia that Miss Tempest bo-->an to consider it on a wider 6cale. As there was not attempt at illusion there was no feeling of anything lacking, no trouble about exits and ontranoes, no distraction of the audience through the misflttintr doors and shaking scenery when interiors have to be improvised from local resources. So much for Interiors, but the problem of exteriors was more difficult to handle. Granville Barker had tried a curtain scheme, but it was deliberately fantastic Gordon Craig was too grandiose to furnish much. enlightenment. What Miss Tempest required was something beautiful, restful, and with tho essential atmosphere. "I could easily have used built wimrs, skv borders, and rostrums,* says Mies Tempest," but havin" said 1 would nlav in curtains—and obvious curtains at that—l made up my mind to do it in gardens and court---ards as well as in rooms and halls." The thin* has been done. Two South African artists realised Miss Tempest's idea entirely to her satisfaction. Ovor two miles of heßeian canvas and otbei fabrics were turned into easily protoble. compact scenery, with the oolour work done wholly in dyes, not distemper—a hard task physically. For her tour through India and the East, cominencinn r\t Bombav and extendln" to Japan, Miss Tern-nest will uso exclusively the curtain idea In staeing. Should it Drove elsewhere as acceptable as with the Rhodepmnn, many of the difficulties which ntlotid the staging of good plays in tho smaller towns of Austrnlln and New Zenland should bo considerably minimised.