“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 55

“ALIEN’S” LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

(Specially Written for the Ladies’ Page.) A HOLIDAY CARNIVAL. August 1. The first Monday in August is the long established Summer Bank Holiday of England —there is no other people’s holidays till Christmas. It is Britain's greatest seaside carnival, and this year it promises to be the greatest sunshine carnival within memory. In the north and west the drought has been effectually broken, but in the south and south-east only passing showers, or clouds and promises unfulfilled, have made gladness. It is quite a new experience this side of the world, that of a summer of sunshine—say a New Zealand summer at its lottest (but without its water). Never has the joy of life in my 28 years of experience of England been so manifest as in this wondrous summer. London has had showers, and while they lasted Londoners made joy of the rain, but the showers were brief, and the stifling airless heat of <-he great metropolis lias driven the millions, freed by the holiday, to seek a respite by the sea. Summers like this summer are exceptional this side of the world, and tlieie has never been such a holidav as this, since that of 1914. when ,nto the midst of the summer glories the horrors of the hell of war were unloosened. It is interesting to n ite how happily Britishers, unaccustomed to the heat, after tiie first languishing, have enjoyed it. Or would have enjoyed it out for the drought, which has caused widespread loss and trouble. The women especially have lived up to the thermometer, and cast aside everv superfluous garment, and on the livers and along the shores, sleeveless and Ftoc-kingless revel in the -atrr sports and the open air. To judge by the millions making holiday one would suppose- irom a surface survev that England, instead of being over burdened an-T over-taxed, was carefree and prosperous as never before. But we bear little cf the saving and the sacrifice for the summer two weeks by the rea, and af the moment Jt seaside itself ami the open air suffices without other “attractions.’’ The happy throngs released from the city and the daily round *f the common task are content to back at «t leisure without cepe sive amusement. A lodging by the. seaside is luxury enough. On Saturday, bv rail -iknc, 100.000 per tons left London. The railways have re covered their freedom from Government

control just in the nick c f time to accommodate the millions of (yo king men and women, who, although not rich, feel every shilling well spent that takes them for a brief change to the sea Along all the roads that lead from London the week end traffic has been ceaseless. By rail and road from dawn till dark, and by road all night, train and charabanc, by motor car and everything on wheels, the Seaside resorts are invaded. Hundreds cannot obtain lodgings, and are sleeping in bathing machines or in the open. “Glorious Goodwood” r.ved up to its reputation last week. A iter Ascot it is the most exclusive race meeting of the year, and people who merely pay for entrance are not in it, as ill the seats in the paddock and cnclos ires are ticketed with the owners’ names. Although Goodwood is a man’s meeting, many lovely women were there, but not the Queen. The King was present each day, looking very bright, wearing a grey suit and white buttonhole. Ladies -core their lightest frocks, and the paddocks and lawns were scenes of animation. The memorial to the Dover patrol—which defended the Straits of Dover during the war and made the heroic and glorious landing at Zeearugge—was unveiled by the Prince of Wales on Wednesday. The memorial ’s a granite obelisk 84ft high, and is : ltuated four miles east of Dover at Leathereoute’s Point, facing the sea, the tablet nearing the inscription, “To the glory of God, and in everlasting remembrance of the Dover Patrol, 1914-1919. They died that we might live; may we ’-e worthy of their sacrifice.” About 60 boys from the Duke of York’s School, Dover, were stationed on one side of the obelisk, each prouuly wearing decorations won by his fa offer during the war. Sir Thomas Poison, member for Dover, and Lady Poison, received the Prince and a number of distinguished people. The Prince, in reply to an acldress, said the work of the gallant men of the Dover Patrol would serve as a landmark and an inspiration to the generations that come after. Men from all parts of the United Kingdom patrolled the Straits in face of unknown perils against a merciless enemy. Get us be grateful for their example and devotion, and pray that their spirit might never die. The Prince placed at the base of the pedestal a wreath of laurels, entwined with red, white. and blue flowers, and tied with red, white, and blue ribbons, and relatives of the dead heroes placed other wreaths and flowers. The singing of the National Anthem closed the ceremony. The Prince then drove in his motor car to Walmer (Deal), and lunched with the officers at the Royal Marine Barracks, and afterwards saw a gymnastic display in which 200 recruits took part. In the afternoon the Prince went to Folkestone to inspect 500 exservice men, and afterwards laid the foundation stone of an extension of the Victoria Hospital, which includes a home for nurses. The Prince’s busy dav included a visit to Preston Hall colonv near Maidstone to inspect 300 ex-service men under treatment for tubercular trouble. He motored back to town in the evening. Our democratic Princess Alary is becoming, in a more restricted snhere, as popular with the people as her brother the Prince of Wales. The other night she appeared at the opening of a new club in Dockland for young men and women and children. These ‘‘Highway Clubs” have been converted from disused publichouses in the East End, and a fourth club was erected for ex-service members of the “Highway Clubs” as a war memorial. It was here that Princess Mary came and danced the fox trot with three or four exsoldiers on a iciest night, to the surprise and delight of the men, who were charmed from nervousness by the simple and easy manner of the Princess. Cowes Week opens to-day. The Queen left Buckingham Palace on Satjrday to join the King in the Royal yacht Victoria and Albert at Portsmouth. With her Majesty were the Duke of York, Princess Mary, and the Duke of Con naught. Our sailor King is in his element aboard a yacht, and he has been taking an active part in the racing of his own boat. The King went over from Portsmouth early in a torpedo-boat destroyer to join the Britannia, and sailed in her in the Royal Thomas Yacht Club races at Ryde. The King, the Duke of York, the Duke of Connaught, and the Marquis de Several spent about an hour with the squadron. After landing on Saturday the Queen and Princess Mary visited Osborne, and on Sunday afternoon the King and Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Connaught, visited King Edward YLl’s Convalescent Home for Officers at Osborne. The Squadron Gardens at Cowes is always a gay sight with pretty gowns, and on Sunday morning, after church, the little town was thronged, as everybody had come ashore to meet their friends. The women looked extremely well m their neat yachting kit. There will be a good deal of entertaining both on shore and aboard the yachts. The morning dressing for Cowes docs not complete the outfit. Exquisite promenade dresses, dinner and dance frocks, sun-suits, bathing costumes, and frequent changes keep the ladies’ maids busy. White serges and knitted dresses are much worn for yachting this \ ear, but all the brilliant colours of tic rainbow are mingled with white. Cowes, besides being the biggest yachting event of the veer, is the final gathering of society for the season, and this year’s gorgeous weather completes the enjoyment. The King, who is Admiral of the Squadron, gives a series of dinner parties. There is scarcely a prettier sight day and night than that presented by this congregation of the most beautiful yachts in the world, among which are sprinkled hunaicds of humbler craft, and. afloat or ashore, men .n yachting garb and women in picturesque summer toilets. Everv house n the neighbourhood is taken bv visitors, and eve-y night are dinner parties and dances.

Nobody is enjoying uimself more than the King, hauling ropes, etc., and generally helping to race his cutter Britannia. His Majesty returned a visit to the commander of the U.S. battleship Utah , which is anchored just outside the roads. There are a good many advocates of the separate holiday, the hush-anas to go one way and the wives the other. This plan, it is argued, gives greater rest and change possibly—for the man. But it is not a fair division of the pleasures of a holiday in those numerous cases where the wife and mother works, most probably, harder than the man. A real change would he for he men to take the children with him and leave the weary mother free. Or to give the children a separate holiday under the care of relatives or friends. The Law Courts have closed for the Long Va-cation, and the Divorce Court judges and barristers must be greatly in need of the sweet, refreshing breezes of sea. and moor to clear ihe cobwebs from their brain, for 3000 eases have been dealt with during the last session, and the president of the Divorce Court expresses his satisfaction at the clearance.