CONVENIENCES OF OTHER LANDS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 46, 31 March 1914, Page 4

CONVENIENCES OF OTHER LANDS.

One of the great charms of travelling is to see the various ways in which people are living in different countries, and the following are a few valuable hints to Australians.

First of all the American cupboards—oh, what a boon they are! While staying in America I had 6ne room of a suite in a large apartment house. In it were two such cupboards, built into the wall one so large that my big trunk disappeared into it, besides hanging all my clothes. I may add that the wire mattress of my bed could by some springs be made as wide as a double bed, and again narrow, and that this bed was turned into a sofa during the day, and so my room was at all times a tidy sitting room. By the way, I found such an adjustable wire couch the other day in Sydney.

In San Francisco I saw a charming Lilliput flat. It was in a fashionable house, with elevator and all other improvements, and most artistic in its soft brown colourings. The flat consisted of one large room, kitchenette, bathroom. The bed, as so many now in America, was a pivot bed, and closed up during the day, showing merely a huge mirror. And the cupboards at each side of it were so large that they served as dressing rooms. Another delightful small flat which I saw in Boston: This had one room and alcove, hall, bathroom, kitchen, with gas stove, large cupboards, and even an ice chest. Each flat in the house was connected with a speaking tube down-

in an outer porch, through which one had to speak to one's friends, whereupon they opened' the large glass front doors by a mechanism from above. Then the automatic lift carried one up. Thus no one gained admission unless he was desired.

As I am speaking about flats, I would like to mention one in Berlin, where I was staying with tliree young friends, all working women, and two of them teach-, ers. They had rented a flat of three rooms and maid's room, now used as dressing room, separate hall, and' all conveniences, in a house that contained over 200 flats of all sizes.

The rooms were all splendidly bright, one very large bedroom looked out upon a eourt with boekdts, lawn, and a fountain ; such courts—l saw two; there were probably more —belonging to the house. The kitchen was large, bright, and airy, contained gas stove and white china fuel stove combined, cooking chest, which proved mo£t useful', and two large covered tubs, with water laid on, into which disappeared all used dishes during, the day, the lid serving as table. As some schools in Germany begin lessons in summer at 7 o'clock; my friends left before that hour. At 10 arrived their help, a beautifully clean, respect-

able-looking woman, who had her own latchkey. She cleaned the whole flat, shoes included, did all the washing up of the day before, and prepared or often partly cooked the dinner. She left at 1 o'clock, and when my friends at about

half-past 1 returned, only the finishing touches had to be given, and they could sit down to a mid-day dinner. Probably some will remonstrate

against the early school hour: So did I, but it haS its decidedly redeeming points. The duties are from 7 to 12, with two short breaks, and most of the afternoons quite ftee, whieh W very pleasant. As regards the arrangements with the help, I have found the same in many places in Germany, and under present circumstances it .would be a boon in Sydney. These women ctome for one, two, or moTe hours a day. . Some stay till after dinner, and wash up, others have two places to attend to each morning.

In this same, Berlin flat I saw another very ingenious' convenience. My friends lived in the fourth storey, and there being no lift and the Berlin distances being very great, we had almost every night to climb up long after the lights on stairs and corridors had been put ont. Then > I found a most delightful eleetrie ar- I rangement, by means of which the electric light could be switched on on the ground floor for the whole set of stairs, burning exactly two minutefe and then going out automatically. Should one by that time not have reached the destination, it ,could be s witched on again on any landing, again for two minutes. So we~arrived at our fiat and entered, leaving the corridor light go out at the expiration of the appointed time. I need not say anything about electric irons and electric sewing machines; tfiey are know here. But I want to 'mention a travelling convenience in j Germany. In any {of the quick, longdistance trains, the ( corridor trains, you can book your seat for days ahead, and reserve evien thirdclass, say, a front window ssat in a non-smoker, Noi 65, and no one else is

allowed to occupy that seat. Local trains are quite as. crowded as here, and the scramble for a seat is not pleasant, but at leafct for a distance no more passengers are allowed in than there are seats for; if need be, an extra train is despatched in ten minutes. *" I happened to be in Berlin at the beginning of the summer holidays* and oveV 100 extra trjains were then despatched in a. few days for teachers at reduced rates, for which they could reserve their individual seats a fortnight before.—M.P. in the Sydney "Daily Telegraph."