WOMEN’S CORNER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10487, 24 December 1929, Page 4

WOMEN’S CORNER.

(By “ Arnica.”) (All correspondence to be addressed to " Arnica,” care of this oHlce. Letters to be written on only one side of the paper, and name and address to be attached as guarantee of good faith.) Times change, and we change with time, we are told, but Christmas still comes once a year, to show that Love remains and Friendship alters never. —Clifford Bingham. FINLAND'S TEN YEARS OF FREEDOM. Of the several Baltic States whose release from imperialistic rule came about as a result of the World War, Finland has been 'specially successful v.ltli its experiment in self-government This Republic farthest north, in common with some others of the new-found nations of Europe, did not pass through the last ten years without severe political and economic tests. But when the city of Abo recently celebrated the seven hundredth anniversary of its founding with an industrial exposition of great merit, the age-old culture of the Finnish people revealed itself as a solid foundation on which modern Finland could safely continue to build its social and political superstructure.

Finland’s great desire for increased co-operation economically with its neighbours of the Scandinavian north was fully met during the Social Congress held at the capital, Helsingfors, in honour of the country’s ten years of independence. It was demonstrated that the regime of President Relander was meeting the needs of the nation and that the period of reconstruction was healthy in character, due to a governmental policy of liberal conservatism.

Genuine democracy has always been the watchword of the Finns. But Finland in transition is characterised by consideration for what can best serve others as well as the nation itself. This Republic, therefore, is both constituting itself a barrier against the westward march of Communism, and at the sa.mo time proving a protection for its Scandinavian neighbours, who can see no benefit in the advocacy of policies that appear detrimental to the fullest realisation of freedom. The first decade of Finnish independence augurs well for the Republic's continuance as a self-governing commonwealth which rests its stability cn peace at home and amiable relations with its neighbours. • * « DREAM SCENERY. Then there are the dreams of dream-scenery. Where else are the hills so full and rounded, the grass so deep and green? Where else shall you find trees so lofty, such plenitude of leaves? “The nectarine and curious peach Themselves into my hand do reach: Stumbling on melons as I pass Ensnared in flowers, I fall on grass.” The sense of abundance in these lines brings, in some measure, dream-scenery before us. . . • You may have to order the dinner, or to pack and fasten your trunk; you may have to consult “Bradshaw, or dwell with untoward friends: but there all the while, as through some great open window, is the dream-scenery, yours for the looking.—Pamela Grey, in “The Spectator.”

GIFT. How did it happen? Such a. dainty thing— A little child with golden hair, Blue eyes and apple petal cheeks, Brought them to me in a sky blue bowl. How did it happen? Such a charming thing— A hyacinth the colour of her eyes; Buttercups that come in spring, Gold as the glint of her hair; Azalea, that fairy blossom, Colour of her lovely, petal cheeks; And pansies—dear little velvet Things for thought— Her lovely thought To bring to me Such daintj - loveliness In a sky blue bowl. —Dorothy Whipple Fry. - * • A CHESTNUT TREE BLOOMS. Minarets Of ivory, And a pavilion Of translucent green; Were I a sparrow loud, 1 would not say a word, But I would sit And fold my wing Within it. Were I an oriole I would the Lord extol Between two minarets Of ivory. —Gertrude Mulder. THREE STRAWBERRY RECIPES. That delicious berry, the strawberry. is now in season. Delicate in flavour and bright in hue. its inclusion in a recipe imparts a distinction in taste and enhances its appearance. The three following recipes are new—try them. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE.

Six ounces of flour, 2oz butter, three-quarters of a gill of milk, a pinch of salt, one teaspoonful of baking powder, lib strawberries, li gills cream (or more), castor sugar. The flour, baking powder and salt are mixed, and the butter is rubbed in. Milk is added to form a soft dough, which is kneaded only enough to make it smooth and round. The top is glazed with a little beaten egg, and the cake is

baked in the top of a hot oven for 20 minutes. While hot, it is split open and filled with half the strawberries (mashed and sweetened to taste). The rest are put on top and covered with cream. STRAWBERRY MESS. As served for June the Fourth at Eton. The strawberries are picked and soaked for half an hour in cold syrup. If they can be chilled by placing on ice, so much the better. For the syrup, boil 11b of loaf sugar with half a pint of water till it forms a thread, when the fingers are dipped in and pulled apart. Then flavour it with lemon juice and colour pink with cochineal, To make thia favourite dish a bowl is lined with strawberries, the centre is filjed with strawberry ice-cream, and strawberries and syrup are poured over all.

INEXPENSIVE STRAWBERRY ICE Hull lib of strawberries and break them u-p with a fork, sprinkle over them lib of castor sugar and the juice of a lemon, and leave them for half an hour, then rub through a hair sieve and measure the puree. To half a pint of puree allow one gill of custard and one gill of whipped cream. Stir the custard to the puree first, and add the cream lightly. Colour with carmine and freeze. The custard may be made with powder, and all custard may be used if a very economical ice be desired. ' Raspberry ice-cream may be made in the same way. If a very rich ice be desired, use all cream and no custard. j • * WHAT NOT TO EAT. Bad dietetic habits are responsible for many of the commoner complaints. Indigestion, dyspepsia, rheumatism, diabetes, and many other ills dog the life of those who eat, or over-eat, of the wrong things (writes an English doctor). A great number of people suffer from indigestion due to errors in diet and insufficient mastication. That terrible meal, “high tea,’’ is responsible for thousands of cases of dyspepsia in the North of England. Tea should never be taken with meat, as the tannic acid hardens meat and renders it difficult of digestion.

A cup of weak tea may be taken two hours after a meal, but never as an accompaniment, China tea is better suited to the dyspeptic than the stronger Ceylon variety. Lobster, pork, duck, ham, and other indigestible things are much better avoided by the person with a bad digestion. The most easily digested meats are sweetbreads, tripe, mutton, chicken, and rabbit. The most digestible vegetables include French beans, spinach, seakale, asparagus, and cauliflower.

The fibrous vegetable, such as cabbage and ttrnips, are best avoided by the delicate. Condiments, rich sauces, pickles, and cheese should also be omitted by the dyspeptic. Constipation is another condition that is often aggravated, or even caused, by a wrong diet. The use of concentrated foods, acquired in this bustling world, is one great cause of constipation. Another cause is the over-consumption of meat a.nd breadstuffs to the virtual exclusion of fruit and green vegetables.'

Such a simple expedient as drinking a pint of cold water first thing in the morning will keep the contents of the intestinal canal in a semi-fluid condition, with salutary results. Gout and rheumatism are caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood, and this excess is produced by nitrogenous waste in the body. The first measure to be taken in such cases is to cut down or completely avoid rich foods. It is also essential to avoid for a time rich soups, hashes, elaborate entrees, and sweet pastries. In cases of obesity, the main aim should be to cut down fats and carbohydrates from food. Potatoes, rice, sugar, peas, beans, and lentils are rich in carbohydrates. Hot water should be drunk regularly between meals. A sensible and revised diet will aid almost all the ordinary bodily complaints. Food should be treated as a known and trusted ally. If a man does not know always what is good for him, there is no excuse for his not finding out what is bad. « < * A COAT ECONOMY. “A coat nowadays,” says Fashion, “must be .a blood relation to the frock it is worn with.” If the coat is plain and the dress flowered, the flowered stuff must rtappear on the coat either as revers, collar lining, or coat lining. But this at once limits the use of the coat. Never can it be worn quite satisfactorily' with frocks other than the one made for it. It is a bright idea, therefore, instead of using .the frock material, to line your little stand-up collar, and all the way down the inside of the fronts with three stripes of different colours. Petersham ribbon can be bought and sewn down by one edge only, each strip slightly overlapping —or you could buy that threecoloured wool ribbon that is now sold for hats. Or, cheaper still, darn in wool or three colours on a strip of soft cur-

tain net, and sew it into place. There is one thing to be remembered—the three colours must be part of a definite dress chene. The original coat and frock is black, say, with the flower on the frock in greens and yellows and a sort of sand colour. Probably you have also a yellow frock, or one -that tones with yellow, and perhaps a green one. The idea, then, is to have the three colour stripes of your coat in sand, yellow, and green. Then either frock looks part of a scheme. If, also, your simple black hat is trimmed with black, sand, and green or yellow—not green and yellow—for one ribbon stripe ought always to match your hat, your ensemble will be above criticism.

A strongly-worded resolution of protest against the Railway Department’s action in inaugurating Sunday excursion trains between Christchurch and Timaru, and Timaru and Christchurch, was carried unanimusly at a recent meeting of the Timaru Presbytery, There was, however, no discussion. The announcement that a parasite has been successfully established in New Zealand by the Cawthron Institute to control blowflies has aroused considerable interest not only among sheep-farmers, but also among those interested in the general improvement of the sanitary conditions in urban areas. Mr AV. H. Nicholson, secretary of the Canterbury Sheep-owners Union, states that it has been estimated that the blowfly has meant a gross loss annually to sheep-owners in the vicinity, of £450,000. From the health point of view as well as from the point of view of the sheep-owners, jhere can be no doubt of the desirability of developing this parasite to the limit.

The Commissioner of Police is satisfied that the police have substantial evidence to show the complicity of the brothers Gray in relation to 21 fires in Christchurch and approximately ten charges of breaking and entering; also that recent developments enable the police to make a charge in respect to the shooting' of Mr Hammond at Christchurch in July, as finger-prints found on Hammond and Turner’s premises are shown to be identical with those of one of the youths, Gray, now in custody Advice has been received in Masterton regarding fire insurance rates in the Dominion, to the effect that as a result of certain revelations in the latest statistics compiled by the Government.of the loss rates on certain hazards, it has been found essential: (1) To increase the rate per cent, over certain risks, and to discontinue the bonus rebate of 121 er cent. (2) To discontinue the bonus rebate only. The alteration, it is stated, is to take effect from January Ist.