WOMEN’S WAYS

Southland Times, Issue 23438, 19 February 1938, Page 16

WOMEN’S WAYS

At Home And Abroad STATION GARDENS Some years ago the members of the Garden Circle of the Southland Women’s Club thought that they would like to see the railway stations in the province looking attractive, their object being to provide attractive sights for the tourists as they travelled through the province. The idea was met with approval by the men in charge of the stations and the majority of them were anxious to co-operate. Several functions were organized to raise money to buy plants, shrubs and seeds and the members assisted with spare plants from their own gardens. The result was that most of the railway stations now have attractive and well kept gardens. The circle as far as possible maintains the gardens and to keep up the interest the first president of the club, the late Mrs W. T. Hazlett, presented a cup to be won annually by the station with the best garden. Second and third prizes are also given. The scheme is growing each year . and the station masters are enthusiastic about it. They spend their leisure in caring for the gardens with the help of their assistants. The cup this year has just been won by Wairio, and Riverton and Clifton tied for second place. The third prize was won by Winton. This effort on the papt of the Garden Circle is worthy of recognition in that it is a practical way of improving the province and of helping to create a pleasing impression for tourists and travellers. Any people who find that they have spare plants of any description from their gardens have only to ring the Southland Women’s Club, leave their address and the plants will be called for and delivered to a station. CELEBRATIONS IN SYDNEY The following description of some of the sesquicentenary celebrations in Sydney was received in a recent letter frorq Mrs Mawdsley Nash, pf Sydney, who was formerly Miss Mae Maxted, of Invercargill. The sesquicentenary celebrations are in full swing in Sydney. On Tuesday warships from New Zealand, United States of America, France, Holland and Italy arrived in the harbour and as these great ships came slowly and carefully up this beautiful closed in harbour five sea planes arrived from England. What a marvellous sight! On Wednesday a new day dawned beautifully bright and the city was wide awake at a very early hour. Several hundreds slept the night in the city streets and the parks. One young couple brought their three-months-old son and stayed the night in the street. The father said his son will at least be able to say he was present at the sesquicentenary celebrations. Something to boast about, no doubt, but I should be afraid of the consequences of such a venture with a young baby.

HISTORICAL LANDING

The landing of Captain Phillip from the Supply was enacted at 8.15 a.m. at Sydney Cove and the part the Aborigines took was very real and made one think of this great continent which then, 150 years ago, did really belong to those natives. By nine o’clock the crowds were hurrying away from the harbour to get positions in the huge crowds which were waiting to see the procession. The little sailing ship, Supply, was left alone and what a lonely figure she made with the background of the huge city buildings. At ten o’clock the procession began to move, headed by the aborigine float and it seemed fitting that these people should lead such a procession. This float was awarded first prize in the historical section, but the celebrations committee had entered ic and could not take the prize. Pride of place was given the New Zealand float which was a thrill for the many thousands of New Zealanders who live in Sydney. This was t. very beautiful float with the glorious mountain scenery and the Maoris, and was justly awarded first prize. The flower float sent from Pasadena, Los Angeles, was a glorious thing with its thousands of flowers. The Australian flower floats were very beautiful too, but it was rather wonderful to think that this particular one had been entered from so very far away. It would be impossible to describe all the 124 floats taking part. Each one looked very beautiful, and it was hard to say which was more beautiful than the other. Every vantage point along the route was packed with people. Each main point had its own ambulance and as anyone fainted she was hoisted over the crowd. Children were taken care of in the crowd and sent through to the front. It was a most orderly crowd, and at the end of the procession every one seemed to want to get their arms free after being in such cramped positions for so many hours. At Market Place the crowds at the windows threw down pieces of paper just as the Americans do when a procession goes through their cities.

BROADCASTING ARRANGEMENTS

The Commercial Broadcasting stations arranged an excellent story of the whole proceedings, linking up the police. ambulance, fire brigade, St. Mary’s Cathedral tower, which gave the beginning of the procession from the Domain, the Sun office from its thirteenth floor, the State Building, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney in Market street, Mark Foys veranda in Liverpool street and Anthony Horderns tower at the Showground. The announcer at the State building said the Italians from King Cross were arriving with fruit cases and at first sold at 1/- and finally at 5/- and Bleach. So some one was making money. During the procession the ambulance cars were contacted and the announcer on board told of the people they had taken to hospital. Fortunately there was no serious accident the whole day. The people along the route heard the progress of the procession through loudspeakers and the announcers did not sign off until 12.15 a.m. Visitors to Sydney who have seen such processions in other parts of the world praised the fine way the crowds behaved on this great occasion and Australians must be very proud. The number of people along the two-mile route was estimated at over a million.

BRILLIANT RECEPTION

The Night of Carnival was centred round the Town Hall, where the new Lord Mayor and Mayoress (the youngest couple to occupy such a position in Sydney, the Lord Mayor is not 40) entertained 3000 Vice Royalty and distinguished overseas visitors at a reception. Never before in Australian history have so many notable guests been assembled on one occasion. Without, the Town Hall was the most strikingly illuminated building in Sydney—its en-

tire exterior outlined in electric lights. Within, its decoration made a fitting setting for the beautiful gowns, jewels and orders worn by the assemblage. LORD NUFFIELD GIVES AGAIN A gift of £150,000 has been made by Lord Nuffield to the Wingfield Orthopaedic Hospital—a thanks-offermg for a successful operation recently performed on his wife, Lady Nuffield. Three months ago she entered the hospital for an operation on her arm. Recently she drove her own car to the Mton is Motor Works, at Cowley, near Oxford, and her husband was EO he at once sent a cheque for £150,000 to the hospital which cured her. WHY WOMEN BUY Professor Otto von Heimholtz, of the University of Berlin, has advanced five reasons why women buy any particular item. Here they are: (1.) Because it is advertised. (2.) Because she thinks to possess it will please her sweetheart or husband. (3.) Because to possess it wi.l make another woman envious. (4.) Because she thinks it will make her look thinner or more beautiful. (5.) Because she has seen other women do it, or it is a bargain. To this, another authority, with a sense of humour, has suggested the addition of the following reasons:— (1.) Because her husband said she couldn’t have it. . ~ , (2.) Because her best friend said she simply couldn’t wear it. (3.) Because she couldnt attord it. (4.) Because nobody else has one. (5). Because everybody else has one. TWO BIG JOBS LONDON, January 10. There are two big jobs this month for Mrs Olga Collett, the 8.8.C.’s only woman commentator. This week she is to describe the scene of the Lord Mayor’s banquet in the Guidhall, and the week after—on November 15—she is to give a description of the entry of the King and Queen to the Royal Command variety performance at the London Palladium. Mrs Collett made history last June when she went to Ascot as the first woman commentator on a big event in Britain. When she is not broadcasting she acts as staff supervisor of 650 women for a big London firm. She is the daughter-in-law of Sir Charles Collett, Lord Mayor of London in 1934, and the widow of Squadron Leader Stanley B. Collett, who was killed in a crash at the R.A.F. display at Hendon, in the year his father was Lord Mayor.