TABLE TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3347, 8 May 1918, Page 49

TABLE TALK.

Monday Evening. On Mondy evening Messrs J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company presented the amusing musical comedy " Mr Manhattan" to a crowded and enthusiastic audience, and on Tuesday concluded their successful season with " The Red Widow." Among the audiences I noticed Mr and Mrs Edmond, Miss Edmond, Major and Mrs Cooper, Mr and Mrs Hilton, Mr and Mrs Oldham, Mr and Mrs E. Hazlett, Mrs ActonAdams, Miss Stock, Dr Prank Fitchett, Mr Downio Stewart, Lieutenant E>. Shand, Mr Guy Bridgeman, Miss Bridgeman, Miss E. Robeits, and Miss Cheescman. On Friday afternoon a most enjoyable tea was given at the Otago Women's Club by Mrs Kenneth Ross in honour of her mother, Mrs Knapp, who is returning to Melbourne shortly. Mrs Ross received her guests in the clubroom, where toa was served at small tables artistically arranged with chrysanthemums and autumn foliage. Miss Stevens and Miss La-ing contributed some delightful music, and among the guests were Mesdames Champtaloup; Macassey, E. Macassey, Luff, Logan, Clapperton, Moloney, Howley (Timaru), Lachlan M'Lean, R. Glendining, O'Neill, Callum, and Taylor. Beautiful weather faovured the Otago and Sotuthfland Women's Patriotic Association on Sa.iurdfay for their special "May Day" collection in the streets. Six large and wellstocked stalls did excellent business throughout the day, and each stall had the assistance of the representatives of two or moro schools and their teachers. Valuable help Was rendered by some returned soldiers and the Victoria League. The streets presented a busy and animated appearance, and the "splendid work of the organisation was so well recognised that over £SOO was added to the funds, and the dainty little " May Day" badges found a ready sale to sympathetic well-wishers. The Red Cross Society's shop was well patronised on Saturday morning, and the efforts of those in charge this week resulted in £&0 being taken by the energetic saleswomen. Mr and Mrs Winston Barron have returned to Napier. Mrs Ernest Williams and family are at Waitati for the term holidays. Miss Shand (Tmiaru) is the guest of Mrs Gilbert Winslow (Roxburgh) at present. Miss E. Shand is staying with her mother, Mrs J. Shand, George street. Miss M. DowHng is visiting friends in Sj'dney at present. Mrs Russell Ritchie and family are staying at Moeraki for a few weeks Mrs Frank Fitchett and Mi&3 F. Rattray are visiting Feathe.rston. Miss Williams (Timaru) r's the guest of Mrs Sydney Neill, Anderson's Bay. Miss Coila Brown has returned from Auckland, and is visiting friends in Dunedin. Lady Miller has returned to Oamaru. INVERCARGILL. May 6. Mrs Jacobson, who has been down staying 1 with her sister, Mrs C. Tapley, for some time, returned to Akaroa last week. Miss A. Corbcti has gone to Akaroa to spend the winter months. Mrs Saunders (Otautau) was down staying at the Grand Hotel for a few days last week. Mr De Lambert (Dnnedin) is the guest of Mies Fynes-Clinton, Gladstone. Miss D. Hazlett is home just now for the term holidays. Miss H. Cbrbett has returned from a holiday spent at Frank 4 on. Miss Tothill (ChrisfchurcrO has returned from her visit to Mrs Story, Venlaw. TIMARU. May 4. The Rev. Mr Wilson (West Coast) was the guest of Mrs Clifford for the week-end. Mrs Ma+heson and Miss E. M'atheson are spending some weeks in Chris'church. Mrs Ernest LeCren (North street) has returned from Christchurch. Mrs Hop? (Tumanoka) returned from Dunedin last week. Mr S. Solomon, K.C. (Dunedin), is at tho Hydro Grand. Mr and Mrs J. C. Miller (To Kuiti) are at the Hydro Grand. Mrs Innes-Jones (Nile strcei) has returned from Wellington. The Timaru Golf Club had a perfect day for its opening meeting last Saturday. The members and their gues*s were entertained at tea by Mrs Gresson, the president's wife. CHRISTCHURCH, May 4. Christ's College has been turned into amilitary camp for the last four days of the term, under Colonel Sleeman, so that the whole of the school will bo going through training in camp life. Last night a splendid concert was given in tho gymnasium, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion with flags and bunting. Amongst those present were the head master and Mrs Blanch, Mr and Mrs Flower, Mr and Mrs Merton, Mr and Mrs Rich, Miss Rich, Miss K. Lane, Mrs Slevensen, Mrs H. Reeves, Miss Reeves, Mr azid Mrs Bains, Mrs Williams, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Buckley and the Misses Buckley (Oamaru), Mr nnd Mrs CoopoT, and the Misses Pratt, Cooke, Ross, Westenra, Gibsonf Gould, and Wells The Comforts Department of the Red Cross had- a stall in Cathedral square on Wednesday to receive honey or the money to buy it with. There was a fine responsefrom tho public and town and country Red Cross branches. One feature of the day was the appearance of Mr Wiggins's boys' preparatory school and Miss Sanders's girls' school, each marching down with their contributions, and placing their young . sacrifices on the stall; and for many it meant their weekly pocket-money, given up readily for tho great cause. It is expected to make

about JEISO for the appeal, besides the enormous amount of heney which arrived ready to pack, which is splendid. Mrs Stevenaen (Fendalton) gave a small tea. party on Monday for her guest, Miss Marsden, who expects to return shortly to England. Amongst those present wore Mrs 0. Iteid, Mrs Eristdw (Wellington), Mrs Ferrar, Mrs and Miss Re id, the Hon. Mrs J. Borthwick, Mrs Cooper, Mrs Scott, Mrs J. Hall, Mrs Westenra, Mrs Hogg, and the Misses Wise, Sydrey, Ful'on, Harley, Westenra, and Humphreys. Mrs Bethel Pahan Pastures, who has been visiting her parents, Mr and Mrs Beetham, has returned home. Mr and Mrs J. Studholme (Ruanui) aro visiting Christchurch. • Mrs Fosbery Handysides (Invercargill) is visiting Christchurch. WELLINGTON, May 8. Tho Baby Show, ending to-day, has given, much pleasure, and the announcement of tho prizes will give more, as wo hope to be able to announce in our next. The Press Baby is tho leading favourite so far as can bo ascertained by that very difficult thing under all conditions, but more so than ever m baby shows—an unbiassed judgment. The French Club opened in Bartlett's Studio the other night in great strength. Tho president (Captain Barclay) was in great form, telling us that this institution was in its eleventh year, and still going strong in. spito of the war—in fact, going* stronger than ever on account of the war. When he came to speak of the progress made he was particularly happy, for ha declared that tho progress was great not only in membership, but also in the spread of " the beautiful language of our magnificent Ally." After that he read some letters of thanks from French soldiers who have been entertained by tho club from time to time on their way to and from the French colonies, and the terms of theso thanks brought tears to some of the eyes listening to tho captain—if the expression is as allowable as was the said moisture. Music and pleasant converse with the aid of the cup that cheers and the flower that ■ decorates and the politeness that was partly made in France and partly built in New Zealand on the French model, and th« memory of the great Alliance made the evening go like the lightning that cometk out of the east and darteth to the west. Before the final " Marseillaise," the company did not forget to honour the memory of tho brave men who died on Keniniel rather than yield an inch of ground to tho hated Boche

In the midst of war we have pcaec—of tea parties called "At homes," the only difference being that in the normal tho guest 3 do nothing, whereas in the abnormal they have to contribute to patriotic funds. But you would never know the difference by merely looking at the guesta. Therefore the Red Cross; "At home" of Mrs Christie waa a grand success. The Kelburno Croquet Chib was the backbone of the entertainment, and the- occasion was taken for the distribution of the season's prizes—for prizes,, like the brook, go on for ever. Mrs Hanan, Mrs A. H. Atkinson, Miss Halcombe, Miss Madison, Mrs Pringle, and others, ever foremost in taking things from the public without exciting their ire, did great work as Mrs Christie's helpers. The League of the Soldiers' Mothers is progressing finely. Many meetings held during the last few months testify to the fact, as do the increasing number of the membership. The fact has been emphasised during the week by the election of energetic officers, with Lady Stout president and Mrs Pirani secretary. " Every assistance," says the report, " is gladly and freely given to soldiers' mothers and dependents in jflacing their cases before the Government, and the efforts of tho league are meeting with much appreciation from those making use of its facilities." Don't you think this is better than holding angry public meetings and getting seditious resolutions passed? Yesterday a number of girls met in the Pioneer Club's rooms to form a literary and social club for the winter months, with the ever-popular Mrs Chatfield in the chair. Tho meeting enjoyed its evening singing and reciting and discussing. But beyond the usual " presently," qualified with " early in the season," it did not get far on the road towards the fait accompli of its intention. The main point brought out was the want of something of the kind aimed at by reason of the very large and growing number of women doing the work of the men who are gone to the front. Talking of that, I went in'o a bank the other day, and for one unforgettable moment thought myself in a new country, where all useful labour is placed on the shoulder of woman. So it seemed on seeing the beautiful heads rising above the ledger desks. The illusion was dispelled by the first glance at the pay counters, of course. Nevertheless, the transformation is very remarkable and very eloquent. If this sort oj thing strikes you so in 0112 bank, what of the various departments of industry? An(J what of the more to follow when the Second Division gets into its stride? I learn that the work is very well done by ihe young ladies in the bank aforesaid—but not named. I am not surprised, for I know scores of businesses in which the ladv cashiers receive your offering with great politeness and the most unvarying accuracy and the most constant promptitude. The doctors' wives are to have a Red Cross Day, of course; but they are not going about it in tho usual groove. Their new idea is old as the world—at all events as old as it is counting from the day of the opening of the collecting era. But it ia new here. Mrs Matthew Holmes—name to conjure memories in Otago generally, and Dtmedin in particular—as a matter of fact the wife of the late Mr Matthew's grandson, who is in the M.C., rather high up with much active service to his credit—is making a collection of old silver—trinkets, ornaments, possessions of various sorts—which can be melted down and value obtained. In old times when frenzied audiences tore off their bracelets and necklaces to throw into tho lap of some ardent and popular preacher, preferably a fanatic of the wildest, the melting was done by the recipient, but in this case the recipient gets the proceeds. It is not just as broad aa it is long, for the simple reason that the recipient is saved all trouble whatsoever, and' Ihereforo keeps all his time for his useful work. AUCKLAND, May 2. The principal feature in Aucklnad's celebration of the third anniversary of Anzao Day was a deeply impressive commemorative service at the Town Hall. This waa preceded by a procession of Gallipoll veterans, and nringlinsr in their ranks were many returned soldiers. A parfciularly stirring address was by Bishop Averill, after which the Rev. Steele Cra.ik and Mr H. C. Hodder spoke. The "Dead March" was played by Mr Maughan Barnott and the

Some Hints about the Hair.—An Excellent Shampoo. —Few women realise how all-important a really good shampoo is if the hair is to be kept in perfect condition. To shampoo the hair properly, shake it down, comb it out, then dip tho fingers into a little pure olive or almond oil, and thoroughly massage the scalp. Then, mix a teaspoonful of stallax granules in a cup of warm wrter. Fill a basin with warm water, into which the ends of the hair can fall, and shampoo the stallax mixture into the roots in the usual way. Rinse, and dry by fanning, or in the open air, if the weather permits. Should the hair be exceptionally greasy, the oil massage of the scalp should be omitted. Stallax can' be bought at any chemist in quarter-pound sealed packages; it keeps indefinitely, and one package is sufficient for twenty-flve or thirty shampoos. A Tonic for Thin or N Falling Hair. —When the hair falls unduly, or has become thin and impoverished, a tonic should be applied every night for six or eight weeks. To make a simple and inexpensive, but most efficacious lotion, at homo, take a quarter of a pint of bay rum and add to it one ounce of boranium. Shake thoroughly, and leave for thirty minutes, then strain, arid add sufficient water ao make half-a-pint. Every night, massage the scalp for ten minutes, going over the entire head, thvn dab the mixture in to the roots with a soft sponge. Regular brushing for a few minutes every morning will also help to improve 'he condition of the hair. k Greasy Skin and Blackheads. —A greasy, oily skin with blackheads and enlarged pores, is a sore trial, and many a girl goes through life with her

it appearance entirely spoiled with these unsightly it blemishes, which may now be so quickly and e effectively removed with but little trouble. To r remove blackheads, and the dull, dirty leek of p the skin which accompanies them, dissolve one I, stymol tablet in a glass of hot water. Allow the a effervescence to subside, then dip a small soft n sponge into the liquid, and bathe the face. Leave h on the skin for a few minutes, then dry with a e towel, and 'the blackheads will come right off. r. For a greasy skin, bathe the face three times a if week with stymol, and spray with eald water i- every morning, using a vulcanite throat spray, p The Secret of a Good Complexion.—The secret y of a good complexion is so simple that, were it .t only more widely known, there would be no such t thing as a rongh, blotchy skin. Nature has decreed that the outer cuticle, when It shrivels and dies, shall be removed; but so many women _ fail to realise this. To remove, by absorption, the ‘I dead outer skin, and preserve the complexion in all its pristine beauty, mercolised wax is recommended; ordinary creams and lotions being quite ! ineffectual for this purpose. Smear the wax over , the face and neck, rub it gently into the skin, , and leave for the night. In the morning wash it off, using a. good soap, such as Pilenta, and all ’’ the dead skin will be removed with the wax. Then apply a lotion to remove any trace of f creasiness and brace up the skin, making it firm and white. The lotion can be made at home quite easily, by mixing one ounce of cleminite in four tablespoonfuls of hot water. Bottle, and r when cool, apply to the face with a soft sponge, e or the tips of the fingers, allowing it to dry on the r skin.