FEMININE INTERESTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18501, 24 February 1930, Page 3

FEMININE INTERESTS.

Impiessions of Katherine Mayo: u meeting of tne League of Penwon.en in Auckiana Mis Hitchcock, a journalist from Lonaon, was present and gave some impressions of Kataeihie Mayo, author of that muchuiscussed book, "Mother India,” says the Auckland “Herald.” During the time her husband was warden of the celebrated lownoeo Hall, centre of Social service work in London, Mrs Hitchcock had many opportunities of meeting interesting people. Katherine Mayo, among others, was a guest at Toynbee Hall, and Mrs Hitchcock described her as a tall, very handsome American woman of middle age, with a delightful personality. Miss Mayo was an experieneced social service worker as well as a brilliant journalist, and the writing of "Mother India” was in no wise intended to disparage the British methods of goverment no. arousp any class, or religious feelir%, but was purely a vivid account of first impressions received by a trained observer. The notes' for the book wen. written on the spot and posted in sections to the publishers in America. Gandhi, the famous Indian nationalist denied the account of the interview given by Miss Mayo, but she has in her possession the article which Gandhi himself corrected and approved. Katherine Mayo had nothing bur the greatest admiration for the British officials in India. She emphatically repeated that if it had not been

for their assistance and practical help Mother luaia." could never have been written. Mrs Hitchcock related a touching Story told by Miss Mayo concerning the Prince of Wales’s visit to India, On one occasion when the Prince was being besieged by tne people he noticed a section of the crowd hemmed off by oarriers. An inquiry hi ought forth the information that these were tht untouchables,” the lowest caste of the igid Indiam system. No self-respecting Indian would have anything to do witn them, yet the Prince, ignoring all warnings, gave orders that the barrieis je let down so that the "untouchables” -jould come nearer. To them the Prince >ave the salute in the ordinary wav, and they* were so over joyed at this vracious action, that they kept crying out, “The Light'” “The Light has oorne!” Duchess in Dual Role: The Duchess of York undertook the Aual roles of saleswoman and ,pur.haser when she visited the annual Christmas sale of the Royal School of Art Needlework at South Kensington yesterday. She visited each stall and nade a number of purchases before at her own stall. The Duchess was occupied the whole afternoon selling knick-knacks in glass and china and occasionally pieces of furniture. A man who had waited an hour and a half to make a purchase from the Duchess was her first customer.