NOTES AND NEWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 51, 6 April 1914, Page 4

NOTES AND NEWS.

The opening of the new Technical College playing field on Saturday provided a pleasant afternoon's entertainment for all' who attended, the weather being as near perfection as it is possible to reach. Mr G. F. Scott, who opened the field, left no one in doubt, as to the real pleasure it gave him_ t6 do so, and the students, both past and present, should be very grateful to him and to Mr Howell, the absent Director, for thtj leading parts both gentlemen played in securing such a fine reeeation ground for their use. As was remarked during the speeches of the afternoon, clean healthy sport plays such an important part in the development of the young manhood and womanhood of today that every provision should be made to encourage it. The games played during the afternoon were for the most part of a " free and easy" character, especially in the fancy dress matches, where more rules were broken than observed. Some tff the fancy dresses were quite wonderful, and the "dress parade" across the lawn to the playing ground caused much amusement. Amongst the visitors present during the afternoon were noticed Mr and Mrs G. F. Scott, and Miss Scott, Mr and Mrs Seth-Smith, Mrs Williams, Mrs-Card'ner, Mr I. E. Newton (actingDirector), Mr W. Dodds (chairman Past and Senior Students' Association), Miss Digby, Miss Robertson, Miss Williams, Miss Partridge, and* Miss Mills. The pantomime '' Aladdin," to be presented in .the Theatre Royal on Saturday night, promises to be a feast of £\m t beautiful'- scenery, and gorgeous dressing. To Miss Carfie Moore and Miss Grace Palotta are entrusted the principal parts, which it is said they play and dress beautifully. Miss Moore's first costume is a pretty shade of blue; the Mmino.coat and short knee breeches are bordered with white,, and her'silk stockings and quaint Chinese slippers are of a paler shade of blue. Miss Palotta wears a rose-pink • satin tunic and, knee breeches in the first act, with a deepicollar and turned-back cuffs of cherry^satin. A chic head gear of rose satin, and pale rose-coloured tights, ; and shoes of a deeper tone complete the costume. Changes of costume appear as the play progresses. Miss Mabel Batchelor, who plays the part of the Princess, wears in the first act a gown consisting of a pleated skirt of limecoloured brocade, bordered with eau-de-nil,. and a brick-red Chinese coat, handsomely embroidered. In the last act the charming Palott'a wears all black with an uncommon head-dress of pearls and silver lilies on either side, with strings of pearls beneath her ehin. Colonel and Mrs Hayhurst were amongst the passengers for the north on Saturday night. Mr and Mrs Acton-Adams (Otago) have left the Dominion on a "trip to England. They sailed by the Manuka on Friday for Sydney, where they will jcin the Home boat. Miss Schmidt, Kindergartner at the Timing College, Christchurch, and Miss Kearney, principal of the Methodist Free Kindergartens, have gone to Sydney to enquire into the latest developments in Kindergarten and Montessori methods. Mrs and Miss Lewis (Hawke's Say) axe* visiting Wellington, and staying at the Hotol Cecil. Miss Adelaide Bruce, a well-known Dunedin. singer, has been engaged to sing in Palmerston at the Caledonian Society's annual concert on the evening of Easter Monday. Captain and Mrs Henderson sailed by the Wahine on Saturday evening for Wellington.

A young Englishman has just begun an intertsting experiment with his future mother-in-law in order to decide whether he can comply with his sweetheart's wish, and allow her mother to become a permanent member of the household. He has taken a house in a London suburb, and for a month the prospective mother-in-law will act as his housekeeper. In the morning it is her duty to see that the bath water is nicely hot, and, if the intended son-in-law is late, to hurry on the breakfast with a smile, and refrain from talking whilst he is reading the newspaper. If he is late at the office, she tells him on the 'phone *to have a comfortable meal in town, and not to worry; also, if he is very late, she does not sit up for him, and questions concerning his doings are not permitted. Although the decorators are in, the first week has passed off happily, and the situation, seems full of hope, the bridegroom-to-be allowing that this particular rixother-in-law is a tactful woman, always willing to compromise. Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson, the wife of Australia's new Governor-General,, is a fully trained nurse, the first woman, by the way, of that noble profession, who, by reason of the office of her husband, to be styled ''her Excellency," and, says the "Hospital," "the performance of the important social duties the new (so.veruor-General's wife will be called upon to perform, will be watched with quite an unusual degree of interest by members of the profession, whicH in earlier days was adorned by Lady Helen 'Hermione Blackwood. While she fills her new and exalted position,'' continued the journal, ' ', Lady Helen will no doubt leave to others the obligation of leading the movement for the State registration of nurses (in England), and be glad to lay aside the controversy.'' There is a rumour, very faint at

present, but more than likely to develop into a fact, that our beloved short'skirts are going to be replaced fey long ones. We have become so used to abbreviated skirts that the prospect of greater ..length does not sound attractive, though when they first came in they were voted extraordinarily ugly and lAgracef uL It is the way with all fashions, use makes every style beautiful. To the short skirt we owe a deep debt of gratitude, for its steady popularity has resulted in little short of a revolution with regard to the footwear of English women generally. When long skirts were worn ;they hid many a disgraceful pair of boots and shoes. I don't mean that they were coming to pieces, but they were ; unpolished, showed shabby-looking laces, or, worse than all, were slightly down at heel. With the short skirt: the feet are so conspicuous that extra care lias to be taken, and this has meant neater and prettier footwear all round. At one time, too,, boot-trees were some•what expensive items, and few middleclass girls troubled to have them,, but ,now they can be bought for as small a price, as 6d, and the girl who; is wise enough to have several pairs of trees soon finds how much longer and better her pretty shoes keep their shape. It is to be hoped that "if long, skirts do come we shall" still retain our love for neatness of footwear, but I think the short skirts have taught us our lesson pretty thoroughly.