WHERE WOMEN RULE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13904, 15 May 1909, Page 3

WHERE WOMEN RULE.

Although the women members of the Finnish JJiet only number io, those employed in the public bervieos exceed ,o per cent, of ihe total number ot employees, and m the railway oiliccs, banks' and other commercial and public institutions, their number is legion. Women doctors, jurists, clerks and teach ers are common in 1 other countries, but here in H'elsingfors women streetsweepers, milk carriers, papcrhaiigers, and booking clerks are common. 'lnert is nothing a -Finnish woman cannot, will not, and does not- do. The progress or the country, the methodical, clean ways, and the unfailing courtesy and despatch one meets with are cvs Mlcnee of it. These women arc clever and dill gent, too. The vast majority speak three languages, and about 50 per cent, have a sound knowledge of a iourth They all speak Swedish and Fumisl (and Finnish is as difficult as Kussiau). Most have as well Russian or German, and many have both, and English into the bargaiu. Thev are splendid workers, ;ml liavi left their mark on the social legislation of the country. They swim like 'fishes, can "ski." and skate and play liockev. or bandy, or tennis wuli the best. ' Thev work hard during the week, and Sunday is often devoted to recreation, to preserve their line health and red cheeks. . Thre'are certainly drawbacks to tins dominion of the petticoat. Sad to relate, man is nothing, or, at best, oiilv a, verv .secondary object. Jnrstlj, women"are far more numerous au<l infinitely more intelligent and energetic. Drew is a lost art, and ot home lite there is none. The matsalar, or tecding house, whore one must scramble loi one's food at the common tab e, is the refuge of man, woman and child. Iheie J is not one passable modiste ...the counj try. Dress is only a decency and not | a. decoration.

I Curious stories are told of Chine;

railway engineering, esptuaiiy in legard lo bnuge bunuing, by a '"limcu" fi.n-fSpuuUfUi. at x'ekiu. la one luoXance a nndge was built oh lano, owing to the difficulty of throwing tlio spau across the stream; and a. diversion •jianneL was then cut for the river, to make it pass under the bridge. xdu, it must be admitted, is ingeuioiis, but hardly what might havd'boen expected ol one of the oldest and most famous bridge-building nations in the world. In another case, 'difficulty being experienced in making a midstream pier tor. a bridge, the expedient of making an island in the middle of the river was -

adopted. Having made an island, tue> pier was built on it.

INVENTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED.

A smoke consumer is a tiling that is urgently needed, and will' find a'wide acceptance if successful. Hitherto those brought out have lacked . some slight improvemeut to render them perfectly satisfactory. If an inventor can hit upon some simple and clever arrangement of flues or a system of induced draught, the thing will bo. doue. And when complete it will be said, "how simple!" But as no one else will have been clover enough to have thought of it before, the patent for the invention will be just as sound as if it related to the most complicated machine. .■'■'','

This is one of the inventions that are needed, referred to in Henry Hughes' pamphlet, "Advice to Inventors" copies of which may be obtained on aj»pli•ation at the firm's offices,, 183 Hereford street, Christehurch, where A. R. Holdship may be consulted with regard to inventions at all times.; Henry Hughes* office is fully equipped for advising the inventor on the spot, and completes all instructions in Christmnrch, a fact much appreciated by inventors in Canterbury. Correspond■iice invited. Timaru representative, I. E. S. Jackson, Stafford street.. ...

Cod Liver Oil. —AVe have just received our winter's , supply of'jpure, fresh cod liver oil, in . Id- and "2s (id, or one gallon .;ti|is, Ifconi L... H. James, dispensing chemist, Timaru. -.<..

your iMx-ket. They-are a. good thing to have about you, nft'ti tries preventing a. little hoarseness from resultiiig in; ii hard cough. • il