LONDON CHAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18323, 13 August 1921, Page 14

LONDON CHAT

WOMEN AND THE BAR. THE END OF A LONG RUN. (From Oub Own Cobts/ispondent.) LONDON. June 2. London is undergoing numerous changes preparatory to ultimate renewal and improvement. Demolition looks sometimes ruthless, but the necessity for it is immediately apparent when tho housebreakers get to work. Doubtless the numerous aching voids that now characterise tho principal West End business thoroughfares ""ill ultimately bo covered by fine buildings. There are other institutions, too, than those ot bricks and mortar, and one of the most famous of these will soon be no more. Almost on the completion of its fifth year that theatrical prodigy and sturdy perennial “Chu Chin Chow,”, is being withdrawn, and London will not seem to bo the same Lou<l i without this romance. However, on© effect of the coal deadlock has been to weaken the foundations of what seemed like a permanent institution, and now the davs of “dm Chin Chow” can be almost counted on tho fingers of one hand. If the W'b- 10 will feel its disappearance, what ot the actors? Its author, Mr Oscar Asche, realises that it will be a big wrench when " Lhu Chin Chow” ends, for his company have been playing continually during the las. five years, through air raids the po.ice strike, and other things, and if it had not b:en for the coa! crisis there is no knowing how much longer it would have gone o.i. It is nerhans interesting to note that rlis Majesty’s is the only theatre in London running a big show which has not put up the price of its seats. «y the time of its withdrawal it will have rcac.ted its 2200 m performance, and brought, to tho coffers His Majesty’s Theatre a sum well over £700,000. During the period n has been before tho public something like 600 p.avs have been produced, and, apart from current attractions, gone the way of a.lthing It cost £5500 to produce—he would be bo.d who would give a guess at t.ie price of production. Mr Asche and Mi s Lily Brayton have during the who.e run missed only about 100 performances though they have never been both absent from the stage together. But there are two moinbew of the company—Mr John Lacey (KhuzaymaJi) and Air Julian Cross (Omars father)— who have never missed a performance; nor has Edward Paul, .who sits away up beyond the dome controlling the lights. * still another who, during those 2169 performances. has never missed her cue, and she is a lady-Sarah, in fact, one of iho WQRTHY SUC CESFOK. .. And after “Chu Chin Chow ’ ''Mecca a title, by the way, to which the Lord Chancellor has objected, fearful that it might give offence. Already this p;ay has been seen in America by hundreds o. Mohammedans without a single protest. Mr A--cue explains that tho word is used in its popular sense to signify the object of life or the height cf one’s aspirations, and that just expresses the snirit of the p.ay. ‘ »■ " n think of no aftemativc title us suitable. • Meica ’ is a word in everyday use. You can see it outside cafes, and it is often assodated with coffee and cigarettes No one took exception to ‘ The Sign of the Cross or "The Rosary.’ I believe objections are, in . the first place, from a number of Mohammedans who do not live in this country, and do not understand tho matter. I cannot see how anvone who knows the sense m which the word is used could raise the slightest objection. ‘Mecca’ is f spectacular play something on the lines of *Ollll C.nn J Cboii, with an Egyptian setting, ot a period, about 1000 veers ago.” Mr Asche describes it as a mosaic in music and mime; with lots ot humour, lots of oomedy, with dramatic moments, ami singing, dancing, and ballot, the whole, of course, being interwoven with a story of romantic interest. It is, in fact,” he says, “a bettor story than Lnu Chin Chow,’ and has proved a very big success in America.” Asked for a title alternative to “Mecca,” he 'sarcastically suggested Wigan! . However, Lord .Sandhurst appears, for the present, to have gained the day, and his decision has the support of four members of the Moslem Ahmadia Brotherhood in London, who say that the use of such a title would bo abhorrent to all Moslems, who respect their faith and regard the name ot Mecca with great veneration. They express gratitude to the Lord Chamberlain lor sparing them the sight of seeing the name of tno Holy City of Islam pjocarded about London to advertise a theatrical performance, no matter how attractive. Meanwhile Mr Asche remains quite composed, for he says that if a fresh titl'd is really necessary, there is plenty of time to find ■ it for the production will not be su-goa until September. While not agreeing with the reasoning that “Mecca” so used would wound the susceptibilities of millions of Mohammedan fellow-subjects, he is going to find out from headquarters by writing to Aga Kahn, the chief Mussulman. PORTIA 11. To Miss Olive C. Clapham belongs the distinction of being the first woman to pass tho final examination for the Bar, but it does not necessarily follow that she will be the first woman called to the Bar. She has obtained o third class pass, which entails the finishing of her 12 terms 'before she can call herself a barrister. Any student who obtains a first , class pas.s is entitled to bo excused two terms. So that if between 'now and 1 this time next year another woman secures a first class pais .in the final examination, she will take priority of Miss Clapham. Miss Clapham, who is only 23 yearn of ago, is the daughter ot a Court dressmaker at Hull. Her brother is a Hull solicitor; her father was a newspaper proprietor at Hull, but he died a good many years ago. Miss Clapham has passed her examinational in six terms—as quickly as it was possible for her to do without special permission. The mother of the successful girl, naturally proud, says her daughter has done wonderful things. She was always clover, and proved a credit to the French convent in Hull, where she was educated, until,, at tho age of 18, she left to study English at Oxford. “Before going to Oxford she had no hope of becoming a barrister, but, when the profession was opened for women, she began to study jurisprudence, in which she took honours in 1919. The next year she became a Bachelor of Civil Law, being the second woman to hold thdt degree. My daughter is full of fun and high spirits, and very keen on games. As senior student at Oxford she took a great part in sports.” There are senior women students, who, if they pass their remaining examinations, can be called in October of next year. Miss Chatham has not. in tho past, regularly attended lectures in tho Temple. She is a university student, and as such only comes to town to eat the requisite three dinners a term in the Middle Temple Hall. She is at present filling a secretarial position in Cambridge—and at the moment she is reticent. about her future career, and declined to say whether or not she will practise at tho Bar, FIRST ON THE SCROLL. Mr Holford Knight, who was among tho first of tho little band to fight for tho right of women to become barristers, said the position was a little difficult to understand. “I beliovo the. first woman barrister will bo she who, after being called, is tho first to write her name on the scroll at tho Court of tho I.ord Chief Justice,” he said. “1 think that, if an examination is passed with outstanding brilliance, exemption of certain terms may be secured, so that Miss Clapham. groat as is her distinction, may yet be out-rivalled.” Tho friends of Miss Helena Normanton. who was actually the first woman to enrol as a student at the Bar, hope that when she takes her final examinations she will got honours, or, at least, a first-class pass. According to official regulations. “The Inn of Court to which a student who has obtained a certificate of honour belongs, may, if desirable, dispense with any terms that remain, not exceeding two, to be kept by such student previous to being called to tho Bar.” It i» quite possible, therefore, that Miss Normanton may yet be the first woman to bo called to the English Bar. Meanwhile, it is expected that tho judges will decide what costume the first woman barrister will wear, and people are asking: Will she have to appear in court ip wig and gown? The names of 17 ether women appear in tho latest list having been successful in Roman Law. Constitutional law, and Legal History. Criminal Law and Procedure, and Real Property and Conveyancing. A NOVEL DISCUSSION. Apropos of Miss Helena Normanton, by the way, one is reminded that she was one of a number of women present at a novel meeting whose purpose was to hear views on publicity held by ladies whose names are familiar, and who were officially described as a “concourse of feminine experts.”. Mrs Maud Roxburgh presided, and the speakers were Mrs Millar (a writer well known in India). Mrs Jack May (journalist), Miss Amy Sherwin (vocalist), Lady Tree, Airs Patrick M’Oill (wife of the “Navvy poet”). Miss Gladys Pete (artist), Mrs Eustice Milos, of social eelebritv, Aliss H. Normanton, Miss Maud West (the lady detective), and Miss Leila Lewis (press agent for Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford). . . Miss Normanton exoressed dislike of the kind of publicity, which she looked upon

as more or less an effcctation on the part of public men. and read out a black list of advertisements relating to goods which she vowed she would never buy, these advertisements being of the kind which disfigure beautiful landscapes and irritate railway travellers. Madame Amy Shcrwin claimed to know much about singing, but nothing about publicity except that it was a great accomplishment to know how to advertise artistically. Nothing great could be accomplished without advertising, and in many circumstances the press w - as the only medium for gaining publicity. Lady Tree said, though her late husband was a man of great good taste and refinement, he believed that no public work could bo achieved without the greatest nossible amount of advertisement, conducted in a legitimate way. Seme people spoke of advertising as if it wore a new art. It was not, it w r as a very old art. Diogenes was the king of advertisers. He simply sat in his tub to advertise himself.— -(Laughter.) Did they imagine, too, that the Ouoen of Sheba refrained from waiting about to be photographed when she stepped from her barge or put on her newest earrings?—(Laughter.) Of course, she was a great advertiser, or we would never have heard of her. , Mrs Eustace Miles seemed to see a change for the better in the present style of art-vertis-’ng. As for dress advertisements, the dresses were almost invanably represented PS suitable for thin, lithe people, and unite unsuitable fev women “gentle undulations in their figures, she , believed that if an advert-semen., ap-nea-ed “KlderN ladies cpeotall caterer! fnrV not an eldovlv lady would the shop a view that caused a e°° d deal of merriment.

PICTURE PUZZLES. People who post as art critics as » those who go to look at pictures for the sheer f joy that they experience, aie pro vided with a, novel and ] s tion. At the Grosvcnor Galleiie» fcheia ,‘ s in progress a “hidden identity exhibition of paintings and drawings. There are 168 exhibits, ami none are «gj»ed. Ui idea is to test the knowledge Tho catalogue is no help, for all the arc authorless. In due course tho artists will be issued and then the people who have been to see the unsigned Pictures will be able to tell how many of their identity guesses have been accurate. Many of tho people who have been are convinced that some of the pictures are unmistakable, and feeling thus assured they publicly tell their guesses. The Times thinks the interest might have become more tonne had tlio exhibits, unknown to the public, been signed by wrong artists. Very tacetious are the comments of the, critics. lor ti stance, “Look at the big,piece, The Tide in its Shipwrecking Roar, in the long galle . Such mild painting! It belongs surely to the Guildhall collection of rejected Academy masterpieces. Alas, name or no name makes little difference here. Again : A brilliant portrait of Viscount Northcliffe is by a painter for whom anonymity must be a refreshing boon, seeing that ho is tlie Hon of the other two chief London picture shows of tho moment.”

A NEW LABOUR COLLEGE A new residential Labour College is shortly to come into existence at Oxford. There arc, of course, two ah»ady—Ruskm College, Oxford, which is mildly socialistic, and the Labour College, London, which is rather advanced in political tendency. Tho new’ college, which has received tho approval ot tho Roman Catholic Hierarchy, is to bo established by the Catholic Social Guild at Oxford, and will be known as the Catholic Workers’ College. It owes its origin to the belief of the guild that working-class opinion is largely formed by tho working men who have received intellectual train--ing Tho trustees of the college will be the’ four Roman Catholic Archbishops of England and Wales, w’hile the governing council will consist of tho trustees and ot representative clergy and laity. Subject, to the control of the governing council, the college will be placed in charge of one of the religious orders already established in Oxford. Its principal financial support will bo scholarships annually provided by Roman Catholic organisations, and it is believed that funds to maintain six studehts annually can be raised in this way for a start. An ordinary dwelling house will bo rented and furnished for collegiate use, a small initial fund being provided for this purpose. A central fund will provide for second-year scholarships for students likely to profit from a more advanced course such as would lead to the Oxford Diploma in Economics and Political Science, which is taken by* Ruskin College students.