WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 119, 10 August 1927, Page 5

WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS

IMPRESSIONS OF MANY PEOPLE MRS. MAGUIRE’S OBSERVATIONS Women of many nations and tongues, their racial customs and dress; the laughter and song of the Italian senorita, the gay joie de vivre of the French girl, the innate music of the German frau—all formed the topic of an interesting and entertaining address given by Mrs. C. E. Maquire last evening at a gathering of members of the Auckland Women’s Political Association in the Priscilla Tea Rooms. Mrs. Maquire has recently returned from a three years’ holiday tour abroad, which embraced Great Britain, Europe,

Africa, the Mediterranean and America. Possession of a keen faculty for observation, aided by an excellent memory and gifted with rare powers of descriptive narrative Mrs. Maquire introduced her audience in one short hour to many of the peoples she met during her three years’ travels in other parts. Dealing first with the women of this Dominion Mrs. Maquire summed them up as being capable, thrifty, not particularly gay and rather backward in coming forward in public life. And without any intention of Pliarasaical self-glorification they could thank God they were not like other women as found in types in Africa and Malta — women who knew only the sad and dreary aspect of life. Australian women impressed her as very pleasure-loving, fond of outdoor life, keen in whatever they take up, and not especially fond of home life. Mrs. Maquire detailed the work of the Country Women’s Association, an organisation of retired settlers’ wives who carried out noble work in making easier the life of women still struggling in the outback districts. THE CHARM OF ENGLISHWOMEN “There are no women more delightful to meet than Englishwomen,” declared Mrs. Maquire. “They are charming and kindly, very gracious, reserved, not fond of elaborate dress and not very gay. Though many are interested in ! public life the majority know little about politics, and they are not so capable as their colonial sisters. “The great kindness with which New Zealanders are invariably received was the result of the gentlemanly behaviour and bravery of the New Zealand soldiers during the war, who paved the way for a happy understanding between the Dominion and the Homeland." Taking the French and Belgian womenfolk as a whole they were gay and fond of dress. Although not pretty, they were always smart and -delighted in the theatre and dancing. Family life was sacred and exacting. DRAB LIVES OF AFRICANS Germans as a nation were much quieter than their southern neighbours and were more like people of English stock. Mrs. Maquire then told of the women of Malta and Northern Africa, whose lives she described as dull. The Maltese were small, dark, not intelligent, and great gossipers. Before Mrs. Maquire gave her address a short business meeting was held to consider ways and means of augmenting the association’s funds. The president, Miss E. Melville, occupied the chair.