TRAVEL TALK AT WOMEN’S CLUB

Southland Times, Issue 24165, 29 June 1940, Page 13

TRAVEL TALK AT WOMEN’S CLUB

Tour Of Chateau

Country MISS JOYCE GILMOUR’S ADDRESS Iceland poppies and chrysanthemums decorated the Southland Women’s Club yesterday when a travel talk was given by Mis Joyce Gilmour. The president, Mrs A. F. Ritchie Crawford, extended greetings to Miss Gilmour after her recent return from England, and also welcomed the large number ot members present. Miss Gilmour wore a black tailored coat and skirt, an ivory crepe-de-chine blouse and a black upturned hat. She also wore a grey fox fur. Miss Gilmour thanked Mrs Crawford for her warm welcome and said she would give her impressions of France gathered a year ago while on a cycle tour in that country with her cousin, also a New Zealander. The less usual route was taken from Newhaven to Dieppe, and from there they went by train to Rouen. Warnings had been received not to travel third class as in England, and on investigation, this class was found to provide accommodation for 40 men or eight horses standing. Second class tickets were obtained and the carraige was found to be full of conscripted troops. Conversation, which proved difficult because of the language problem, resolved itself into singing songs, including the national anthems of both countries.

Land was valued highly in France, and the large numbers of simple country folk Miss Gilmour saw lived on very small farms with no fences and had only small sowings of crops. The farmyards were such an untidy mixture of poultry, children and animals, that it was impossible to tell the front from the back.

Bicycles were hired in Rouen and the first difficulty was met when trying to ride on a cobbled street. The second was encountered when riding in traffic on what seemed the wrong side of the street. The tour was planned by the Cycle Tourist Club, of which Miss Gilmour and her cousin became members, and the wearing of the club s badges simplified the trip. In Rouen, which still bore scars from the la.’t war, scaffolding had been built round the beautiful Cathedral in the September crisis, in readiness for the removal of the stained glass windows. The departure from Rouen was taken along a beautiful long, straight road typical of France, lined with a double row of poplar trees and flanked by fields of crops. Many donkey carts were seen and everywhere the life of ease lived by the men was apparent. After passing through many small towns, the cyclists reached a forest and there they experienced a severe thunderstorm with forked lightning; it was the only wet day of the three weeks tour.

CHAPEL ROYAL OF SAINT LOUIS Among the interesting and historic places visited was the Chapel Royal of Saint Louis, built by one of the princesses of Orleans as a shrine for herself. A fine dome, beautiful stained glass and a wide flight of shallow marble steps added their beauty to the shrine and there the members of the Orlean family, their wives and children were buried. A demonstration by the School oi Cavalry, which the New Zealanders attended by the merest chance, was one of the outstanding events of the year, and there on a balcony with the Mayor of the town and the visiting Lord Mayor of Birmingham, they saw superb riding by French officers. A visit to the vineyards was made in the pruning season. The work was done exclusively by women, who in many cases were bent by their toil. The Chateaux of France, Miss Gilmour found, were more decorative than the English castles and housed more stained glass. Some were unfurnished but others still contained old tapestries. The Chateau Chignon was in rums but was complete with drawbridge . and portcullis. Relics of Marie Antoinette were to be seen and evidences of Napoleon. , , . . The party of two took a train to Orleans, and there they saw the statue o' Joan of Arc, reverenced by the French as the Cenotaph was by the British. From Orleans, a train journev to Paris completed the New Zealanders tC> Mrs Crawford thanked Miss Gilmour for her interesting talk.

DANCE AT MONOWAI

PATRIOTIC FUND WILL BENEFIT A dance organized by returned soldiers at Monowai was held in aid ot the patriotic fund. Prizes were given by Mrs Atkins and Messrs Walker and Lloyd. An electric iron given by the Southland Electric Power Supply was won by Mr Henderson. Prizes for the best “hard-up” costumes were won by Mrs Whitaker, Mr Atkins Glenms Lloyd and John Warren A lucky spot waltz was won by Mesdames Whitaker and Atkins and a Monte Carlo dance by Messrs Clarke and Green. A lucky spot waltz for children was won by Mavis Turnbull and Ruby Lloyd. Mr Walker spoke of the need tor providing comforts for the troops and Mr Lloyd, on behalf of the returned men, thanked those present for attending the function. Mr B. Withers was master of ceremonies and music was ZpUed by Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Clark and Messrs Warren and Clayton. ■■ ,