SASSIETY SPICE

NZ Truth, Issue 605, 20 January 1917, Page 2

SASSIETY SPICE

;BV " L.&DY DOT"

On the pavement promenade, a sweet woman was wearing a simple lemon green skirt and a long apricot pink sports coat. Her hat was a plain turned-down one of the same tint as the skirt. She was quite refreshing to behold. A tall woman wore a violet crepe frock with a pretty double cascade draping down the back, which laid flat and close to the rest of the skirt. A large black flop hat made a charming picture. . A bouncing youing matron is wearing an apricot yellow frock, skirt kilted, and a tab kilted basque, which hangs only at the back. [ An aristocratic-looking elderly dame is wearing a pretty black taffeta silk costume with plain semi-long coat and skirt A tall, pale woman is wearing a handsome bottle-igreen cloth costume made m the latest coat style with masculine and useful-looking pockets. .A I very "Frenchy" looking girl was wearing black voile and one of the cunning French toques with a piping of scarlet round the band. Why, oh, why, will women who can only ' afford one costume at a time choose white Garbardine or serge? "Dot" has so often seen pretty girls wearing soiled costumes, and the effect is truly awful. , As calico and embroideries are constantly increasing m price, sensible women are utilising Japanese crepe for nightdresses and underwear. , Pinks/ blues and greys wash well and look very pretty when trimmed with narrow bands or frills of the same material. A Japanese crepe at 7%d per yard will last twice as long as calico at the same price during war time. " Hurrah' for women's success m clerical and other war work. A leading public man who employs many girl clerks, says that women adapt themselves much quicker than -men when, new work is placed before them; and that no man worth his salt is applying for work just now which offers less than four guineas per week. -The others are turned down m favor of women every time. In Britain women are proving most satisfactory m • many paths uri~trodden by them before the war. The 'bus conductresses number nearly 2000 and the number of street accidents are' reduced by 25 per cent, since their advent; In the G.P.0., banks, insurance offices, etc., they are scoring great sue--cesses. ' ' : '■ A lady whose husband left with the 16th Reinforcements obtained a posi— tion m the Army and Navy stores office after a fortnight's stay m London. She had only a few months' experience In the Health Department m this city before leaving the '• Dominion. Of course, the supply of experienced women In New Zealand has been sorely taxed, and the women's branch of the National Reserve is doing its utmost to make good the shortage. A woman who has had experience m certain work required m different branches of the Public Service, has 6iven her time and services free m i training women for these .departments, ! and it is said that the movement is a huge success. Why cannot other women como to tho rescue and help m other directions? Such as gardening, cutting and gathering grass seed, fruit picking, hay making, etc., etc.? '■'•.. • • "Four hundred of our sick and wounded soldiers are engaged to English women." So writes an ambulance man now m England; "It's awful the way the girls lay themselves out to catch 'colonials,' as they term them." .Looks to "Dot" like a case of "diamond cut diamond." Our girls "catch on" to a new man each time a Reinforcement leaves our shores, and ovldently our boys are following their example * when they reach England. Apart from tho joke, it is a serious matter, because one or two . soldiers have returned with brides much older than themselves, and who certainly are not a desirable type either as wives or mothers. ■ Cannot a War Regulation (handy things are they not?) bo framed forbidding soldiers marrying until they return to New Zealand? • • • "Dot" 13 not keen on women police In the ordinary sense of they term, but she is a strong advocate of women patrols for parks, whurvea, railway stations and such placos. To these she regrets to have to mM— uay«. If a fow decent women were appointed to inquire into the habits and characters of the occupants of tents, whares and baches at Day's Bay. Rona Bay, and Lyall Bay, especially during the hclidny season, they should be able to work much- needed reforms. Olds of tender yearn are living Jn open indecency, consorting with soldiers and city men m a manner. truly alarming. Many of them are occupied m oillces and warehouses and ought to be of a type who are above such practices. However, It. Is quite time something wan done ln x the matter of appointing women to patrol tho bays, A resident of one of thn bays has strong \ Held glasses and .'says he can look down on a certain pretty spot he culls the ■ f ron'.l*»7.vous" ami !'ee officers and elty Kills hotonftliur to tho very "bent" families carrying: on. Lower down on tho beaches, the girls of 11»«.---•worm" families romp round m buthintf costumes, but, nevertheless, decently comport themselves. i • • © [ ■"Don't you think women are wicked j wliij go away und leave their husbands ; for lontt periods," aahl a well-known woman recently at a bit; gathering of women. This proved a splendid upon- I in* for the hottest scandnl "Dot" htul ] ••ver had the opportunity of dl'-seuwlrif:. I Tl'.o iiuws oi" many ■'snsj'ioty" men I un<l women were rudely (ou: perhaps \ truly) handled, niul poor "|jot" fell '•■< \ •AcU ;ts >sh" du\ when Us<- storm was j niKinK <-n Monday nl^ht. She- wan j a!:>o sijunzerl to liml ;<<> nvmy women , who rooliy il'--|/:iri to iho Motherlau'!. • or uvy ither oUI pi;ue, and le:ive "hub- i bli-.s ' behind In hcvK comfort or cmis"- '; lilllon fr r ..-:n a c« s rt«;n band of middle- .' c!n:<.s. high-class, or tiny other ola.'<?i of J wom-.-n. Listening quietly m her cor-*; nit, "Dot" came to the conclusion that • It Wii.t iht; hlle women who are on th« look-out fcfr aiK'h «.l«:«<«-rled men, nr. ■'• dfilberaiety lay th-mn>-lv<\H out •<> ■ p:j;-'!v them arul (u!<! to their own Jew* : c;tK» -.'*. u:vt m .iomi' fiu",s even propon** ' : !ui4 - iKiriKeo !uit:ii:; ;a the 'k*m:iml <>? ■ tJ:.- harpy. Two of flu* wiimt-.i ijia!"*t* \ uM:icus?tion have hu.sbaji'ln who ;irr» i,uo- f cer^ful it'SKluert)* mmi. un-.l therp canuoi j be tho t'liuhti-st excuse 'or their com- | One i Ix-yotul ab£ol!!tp,'lr; t mvlty. | What j> tim<- c-'-nsin typinte,"* ::v< ! tn»n i\v t(ni;;ut'3 of ih» ' ildl.t"! !r • Ccr!a:!i "SAl*"' 'n lsil - i'ubllc \

i could have been behind the door they would have realised that all was known as to how they got the expensive "glad rags" they have been sporting during recent months. Those tents and whares at s the bays have much to i answer for truly. j .- ■ ' * ■ • . ■ * "Sassiety" is very much concerned just now regarding the doings of certain men of high honor and standing m this community. Their amours are the talk of the city and perhaps by thus drawing public attention to the facts "Dot" may avert an even greater scandal, because, m one case, there is a wife and grown-up family who may return and have to bear more than their share of the scandal. In the pther the man has no such ties, but the woman has daughters and is silly enough to babble about. the attentions and visits of her friend, Mr. ; — 1 < ■ *■ • . ■•'■"',. In. South Africa women are using treacle instead of sugar for jam making, and find it a great success. Unfortunately, quantities were not given, so ''Dot" cannot pass it on. Half the quantities should suffice — say half a pound of treacle to lib gooseberries/ and less for softer fruit, such as raspberries. i *■ . " ♦ .*. -. 'A wealthy girl was recently married m Melbourne dressed m a simple lace dress relieved with pale pink. No bridesmaids, no hat, veil; no one to give her away. Just gave herself away and hurried oflC with her hubby to superintend the building of her own home m a fashionable suburb. Sensible woman! How scarce they are. The people of Australia have given the name of "blood coat" or "blood clothes" to those worn by women who are. allegedly drawing soldier's pay or wasting soldier's money. Tho fact that the woman gets the price out of the price of active service accounts for the well -deserved term. In our toney circles they are called "wages of sin." Funny tales some of the officials m the Base Records could divulge if they dare, but they dare not, y-y ■.•'•#". "'■■- •"# ■'■ # ■ •_"■ -■ The terrible infant lias been giving ma away again. ' A lady possessed of a fine head of black hair with never a suspicion of the dye pot, heard a ring at the bell and sent her young hopeful, "aged six, to say she was busy, etc., etc. Recognising tho guest as a chum, he asked her m, remarking that "Mummy wad dying hef hair. She has put No. 1 bottle on, and is now putting on No. 2"\ "I've told her you wouldn't be long, Mummy, as you only had to put No. 2 bottle on," he informed his enraged parent, who came but explaining that she had only about half-a-dozen grey hairs really, but "hubby" didn't like to see them. . The young hopeful complained to daddy about his mother's i bad temper and the spanking ho got I ''all for nothing" when the visitor had I departed. • I The No. 1 and No. 2 stuff ip a^e ; same as the photographers use, and for which women pay twice the price! ' ! •.,.'• ■ • The wretched wowsers m Auckland arc again concerning themselves .about the gambling. What about "Bill MasBey's sweeps," as ithe military ballot is styled? Strange how differently these drawings are watched and waited for as compared with Tatts. Is it any more wicked to ballot for cash than lives? Now that so many of the Ten Commandments have gone bung, why worry about the wickedness of gambling m Tatts.? Let the wowsers go and bury themselves, anyhow.