HOME SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1933, Page 3

HOME SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

SARAH ANNE RHODES FELLOWSHIP.

OPERATIONS IN SOUTH TARANAKI.

Dear Homemakers,— During the past week my itinerary has taken me to new areas—the western part of South Taranaki. Monday afternoon at Kaiawa was spent in giving the dressform demonstration to members of the W.D.F.U. at the home of their president Mrs. Donald Cameron, but the open meeting in the evening at Manaia was abandoned owing to insufficient attendance. Next day the dressform demonstration was given at the home of. Mrs., Walters, my hostess in Manaia,- two. forms being made. So far the week had been an easy one, but now real work began, and after an early start from Mrs. Simpson’s by 9.30 I was taking a dressmaking study group at Otakeho at Mrs. McDonald’s. The “pattern” subject was studied and the class soon settled down to hard work. The Auroa W.D.F.U. had invited members of the surrounding branches to attend their open meeting that afternoon. With much improvisation and, hasty- borrowing of equipment the lecture and demonstration of “Goitre and Anaemia Preventing Dishes” was held in the hall. The evening of Wednesday saw yet another dressform made, the venue being the supper room of the Auroa hall. Thursday was spent also in Auroa and Otakeho. The Otakeho dressmaking group met at Mrs. Claude Nicholls and re-fitted their permanent patterns, besides practising tailoring and other finishes. Auroa’s afternoon meeting was held in the hall and took the form of a public talk dealing with the correct styled for various figures and the correct choice and use of patterns. The evening one was of a similar nature, the subject being the choice and care of materials with a draping demonstration. The “talkies” next door did not affect ■ the attendance, though they certainly tended to diminish attention.

Friday was also fully occupied, all the meetings being held at Otakeho. Nine a.m. found members rolling up at Mrs. le Fleming’s to take part in the class on the use of natural foods in the diet. Fifteen of us sat down to our luncheon of raw vegetable salads, home-ininced wholemeal scones, etc. After this everyone hurried to the hall, where I had my record meeting of the tour, about 80 members of the surrounding divisions and other women interested attending to hear the “Food and Health” lecture. When the lecture and afternoon tea were over, those who were not called away by farm duties stayed to see a dressform made, and to learn the useful art of “sticking.” Once more back at the home of my kind hostess, Mrs. le Fleming, the dressmaking group and others assembled to consider ways and means whereby the effect of figures, faces and personality may be enhanced by the right choice of clothes, and to have draping demonstrated to them. After administering 'this concentrated dose of home science to the AuroaOtakeho district on Saturday I returned to Hawera to have a brief conference with my central advisory, committee on the results of my tour to date,, possible developments and other relevant topics. Instead of a recipe this week, how would you li£e to be told how to remove grease spots from. your, best costume so that you leave no ring? Mark the spot with a coloured thread or pin going through to the wrong side; place the spot right side down on a cloth pad or on several thicknesses of blotting paper; apply benzine of other cleaner in a ring well outside the edges of the spot and work inwards till the whole spot is covered; move the now damp spot to a dry part of paid and repeat. All traces of the spot will be completely removed. Remember the danger of inflammable cleansers. I always use carbon tetrarchloride cleaner as it is safe, though somewhat more costly. Any chemist would make it up for you.—Yours faithfully, ’ Violet MacMillan. Massey Agricultural College, Palmerston North, Aug, 16, 1933.